Mazda 4pot Brake Upgrade

[Ian.G]

Hello folks.

I figured I would start a thread on the subject of using the Mazda FC 4 pot brake calipers on the front of a hachi.

My car already came from japan with all the kit fitted but I figured it may be useful for you folks to see it as I'm sure the kit can be put together very cheaply if you can source the calipers from somewhere like car salvage.

I will try and list the parts that I think you will need in later posts but for now the kit is like so.

[list]Madza 4piston Calipers - early ninties (I think it was 1991-1996) Pretty sure they are from the FC3S RX7 car (Mux ???)[/list:u]
[list]Honda Civic EK Disks. I think these are re-drilled to allow the hachi hub faces to me mounted.[/list:u]



I will also begin to list what option pads seem to be available in the UK (and I guess the rest of Europe too)
A quick photo...

[Mux213]

ian, the FC is 1986 to 1991, fd is from 1991 to 1996..

FC brakes and FD brakes are hard to come buy here in the netherland, a second hand set will easilly set you back 50 euros per caliper and they usually need a rebuild..

[JonT]

I notice alot of conversion kits for sale in japan, basically they are only brackets to fit the calipers.

[XJS]

I'm interested in more photo/measurement, cause I've an FC calipers somewhere. Especially the caliper mounting bracket would be interesting. Thanks!

[Mux213]

Ian, I can now see the picture those are FC calipers, 1986 - 1991

[Ivan141]

Why bother with such exotic brakes? I know it's a popular conversion but that might have more to do with the availability of these calipers in japan than it does with their braking capabilities. You can probably find better calipers on european cars that are more easy to find, and cheaper to rebuild (and with cheaper pads). For example Senna's coupe has some weird front brake setup using Ford RS2000 turbo (85-90?) calipers. The stopping power from those is more than enough to lock the front wheels and pads come as cheap as 30 euro's per set.

[Mux213]

Tell me more ivan

I need to see what my brakes do with a proper bleeding and some new pads but I wasn't very happy with the braking of my Hachi at Zandvoort yesterday. I definately didn't get my wheels to lock.

Maybe a brake upgrade, especially with the option of buying good but cheaper pads then I currently can get for the hachi stock brakes might be a good idea afterall, may save some bucks in the long run

Only thing I wonder about is how I can adjust my brake balance, having alot of stopping power in the front but not in the rear.........

[NoHachi]

An upgrade that is seen very often in rally cars are 4 pot volvo brakes. Despite being alloy they are still farely heavy though. Discs can be found in 4x114.4 std volvo PCD so that would be easier then crossdrilling a new pattern.
@Mux: try new pads before anything else. Your stock pads only last up to a certain temperature point. After that its anybody's guess what happens. The best solution is still a pair of true circuit pads for the track (DS3000 or similar) and ordinary OEM pads for street.

[robokill]

Mux about senna's conversion.

Check TE71Corolla

he is kinda of the inventor on this one :-)

[Mux213]

Nohachi,

Bleeding and pads are my first step. Right now I rather have the money for an upgrade go into my RX7 then my hachi as its the RX7 that I eventually will use for trackwork. If bleeding and new pads solve it enough, then I am happy.

I doubt that I have stock pads right now though, knowing the previous owner he probably put something funky on it.