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Thread: Vented Front Brakes - Miata

  1. #1
    LS Swapper Josh's Avatar
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    Vented Front Brakes - Miata

    After my engine swap, I always found the brakes to be a little lacking. I began researching brake upgrades and found the DMCEU vented rotors which many of us know about and they are a decent setup. However, I do not like the idea of only being able to source your rotors from one place, and they are a bit pricey.

    Some other downfalls (I feel) of the stock setup are:
    -The hub and bearing needs to be removed to change the rotor
    -The rotor is only held in by 4 small bolts
    -The calipers are very old and hard to source (damaged my rear caliper last year and had a very hard time finding another)
    -Small and limited brake pad options

    So I did some research and found several candidates of cars to donate parts. I wanted a car with a similar setup (no fwd) with cheap and common parts. I ended up settling on the Mazda Miata.
    I had a Miata front subframe in my shed from another project, so that influenced my choice as well, lol.
    I ended up utilizing the rotors, calipers, and hubs.

    Some benefits of the Miata setup:
    -Vented rotors!
    -Inexpensive parts (Calipers, rotors, and hubs almost cost the same as a set of just delorean rotors)
    -Easy to source parts
    -Larger pads with MANY options
    -Floating Calipers
    -Conventional Rotor Mounting
    -Many options of upsized rotors and calipers if you move to a larger wheel.

    These parts did not just bolt on. I tried to do as little modifications as possible, but it was a little involved. I designed and had a new caliper bracket laser cut which simply bolts in place of the stock caliper bracket. The Miata hub bearing is a smaller inner diameter and a little longer than the stock delorean bearing. To make this work I had the spindle diameter machined down, and the hub spacer shortened. Once these three things were done, the parts simply bolted up.

    I hope you guys find this interesting/useful.
    I still need to plumb in the brakes (parts on order) and fit the dust caps so I can retain my speedometer.





    Last edited by Josh; 03-08-2017 at 01:54 AM.

    Supercharged 5.3L LS4 + Porsche 6spd
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  2. #2
    Owner since 2007 Farrar's Avatar
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    Really cool! Shame no one else can do this mod without a machine shop and spare 36mm 12-pt. socket. ;-)

    Are you happy with the braking? Are you still using the stock master cylinder?
    3.0L, automatic, carbureted

  3. #3
    Member
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    ^ Agreed, It still goes with why you wanted more easily accessible parts. But to even get it on the car you need full machine work. lol Still pretty trick though.

    Will

  4. #4
    LS Swapper Josh's Avatar
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    Master size doesn't need to change as the piston bore is sized similarly to stock.
    There is machining required but it is about 30 minutes worth, very minimal.

    There is another vented brake option out there without machining modifications so if a machine shop scares you away that certainly is the way to go. This opens up a lot more options in terms of brake pads and upsized rotors and calipers though. And of course off the shelf easily obtainable parts.

    I dont have any testing time, there is about 2 feet of snow right now and sub zero tempuratures...

    Supercharged 5.3L LS4 + Porsche 6spd
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    I am not affiliated with Delorean Midwest in anyway.

  5. #5
    Not a DeLorean Guru
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    Josh, can I have a hug?
    -Mike

    My engine twists my frame.

    1981 DeLorean, Carb LS4 swap completed
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  6. #6
    Guy with a DeLorean Mark D's Avatar
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    Great job on the front brake upgrade and thanks for sharing how you did it. I bet if you put a small kit together for the machined spindles, spacers, and custom caliper bracket you could recoup your initial cost with a few sales. Once you get a chance to get the car on the road you'll have to let us all know how the new setup performs.

  7. #7
    LS Swapper Josh's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mark D View Post
    Great job on the front brake upgrade and thanks for sharing how you did it. I bet if you put a small kit together for the machined spindles, spacers, and custom caliper bracket you could recoup your initial cost with a few sales. Once you get a chance to get the car on the road you'll have to let us all know how the new setup performs.
    Thanks Mark!

    I want to get some testing done before anything like that happens. Of course i would need interest as well.
    Clint and i have been chatting about this as well and he sourced an alternative hub that does not require machining of the spindles. Which would make this even easier. Hopefully he chimes in.

    Supercharged 5.3L LS4 + Porsche 6spd
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  8. #8
    Senior Member vwdmc16's Avatar
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    That's right, Ive found a nearly identical but possibly more suitable bearing hub that literally slips right on the unmodified Delorean spindle, since its larger and 1mm longer it should also be stronger. A cut down or new bearing spacer is still required but is equally effortless to swap out. The stud flange is also thicker without changing the rotor back spacing, Oh and it's about 1/2 the price or the Mazda unit! So all round it appears to be a great solution.

    Prototype #2 will be going on my car and I can begin testing here in California sooner than Josh can with his local climate and transmission work.

    The final step will be figuring out a dust cap for the driver side to drive the angle drive, Im thinking a 3D printed ABS cap may be the solution if a Kit is developed but for prototype testing a hand welded steel cap with a section of square to drive the cable will work.

  9. #9
    Senior Member
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    Quote Originally Posted by Will F. View Post
    ^ Agreed, It still goes with why you wanted more easily accessible parts. But to even get it on the car you need full machine work. lol Still pretty trick though.

    Will
    Machining isn't on wear items..

  10. #10
    Guy with a DeLorean Mark D's Avatar
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    Wow that's excellent news to hear about the new hub that doesn't require spindle modifications. That will save a lot of cost and make the install simpler since it no longer involves removing the spindles and angle drive. Those large hub nuts can be difficult to remove and most people don't have a 1 1/4" (32mm) open ended wrench laying around to remove the angle drive nut.

    After some initial testing is done I'd be interested in installing this setup on my car.

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