FC3 Caliper retrofit
#1
Elite Member
Thread Starter
iTrader: (8)
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Bellingham, Wa
Posts: 2,712
Total Cats: 4
FC3 Caliper retrofit
I got this set of FC RX7 front calipers for free. For the price of a caliper rebuild kit, pads, rotors and the raw material needed for the new brackets, I can have a 4 pot brake setup. That is if this is going to be at all possible of course. I plan on using 01+ sport brake rotors rather than corrado rotors because I want a vented rotor for the brake ducts I will also be making.
This is a popular upgrade for E30s and Volvos which use basically just a straight bracket adapter that is offset just a tiny bit.
Enter the E30 setup:
And the Volvo setup:
These guys have it easy.
Now, here is a rough mock up I did on the miata spindle:
The ears just dont fit the same as the other cars. I'm thinking about grinding some metal away from both until they clear better. The way it sits in that picture is nearly perfectly offset for the rotor being centered in the caliper.
Here is what I hope to see through my wheel someday. The caliper is just sitting on the rotor since it wont fit correctly with the spindle in place.
So after brainstorming for days, I find an article some crazy japanese guy did on this conversion. He was thinking way more outside of the box than myself and i'm wondering if this is the better way to go.
Whole article here:
http://babelfish.yahoo.com/translate...rUrl=Translate
I've had several captain 'n cokes at this point so sorry if this is lacking coherency.
This is a popular upgrade for E30s and Volvos which use basically just a straight bracket adapter that is offset just a tiny bit.
Enter the E30 setup:
And the Volvo setup:
These guys have it easy.
Now, here is a rough mock up I did on the miata spindle:
The ears just dont fit the same as the other cars. I'm thinking about grinding some metal away from both until they clear better. The way it sits in that picture is nearly perfectly offset for the rotor being centered in the caliper.
Here is what I hope to see through my wheel someday. The caliper is just sitting on the rotor since it wont fit correctly with the spindle in place.
So after brainstorming for days, I find an article some crazy japanese guy did on this conversion. He was thinking way more outside of the box than myself and i'm wondering if this is the better way to go.
Whole article here:
http://babelfish.yahoo.com/translate...rUrl=Translate
I've had several captain 'n cokes at this point so sorry if this is lacking coherency.
#4
got a set of these calipers laying around and currently running the mtuned 11" fronts. ive been planing to swap over to the fc calipers for a bit now just havnt had the time to sit down and start cutting away at some metal to mock up a bracket. but i should be getting started on it next week ill post some pics.
not sure if its the angle of the pic but does that rotor loo off center to you? if not then this should be an easy setup since the bracket this guy used didnt have any change in offset it looked like
not sure if its the angle of the pic but does that rotor loo off center to you? if not then this should be an easy setup since the bracket this guy used didnt have any change in offset it looked like
#8
Elite Member
Thread Starter
iTrader: (8)
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Bellingham, Wa
Posts: 2,712
Total Cats: 4
I've been doing a lot of sitting and staring at the setup in the garage and i'm thinking that cutting the ears off is really the only way to go. I may pull the trigger and just do it this week sometime and pick up a bit of steel to make the bracket. I still need to order up a set of sport brake rotors too.
#13
Elite Member
Thread Starter
iTrader: (8)
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Bellingham, Wa
Posts: 2,712
Total Cats: 4
Does anyone have any reason to believe that mounting the caliper with the bolts that hold the caliper body together is bad? Thats the only thing that keeps bugging me about that setup. I cant think of a good reason why it would be bad in any way.
#14
Cpt. Slow
iTrader: (25)
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Oregon City, OR
Posts: 14,360
Total Cats: 1,184
I've seen some smaller bolts used to bolt calipers together, which would be the only reason I wouldn't do it, however these look beefy enough. Is there a reason why you're not rotating the caliper up or down a bit and using the stock mounting holes?
#15
Elite Member
Thread Starter
iTrader: (8)
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Bellingham, Wa
Posts: 2,712
Total Cats: 4
Here are some more pictures to digest after playing around with it a bit longer. I pulled the rotor forward so the offset is wrong but I wanted to see how much material i'd have to remove from the mounting ears on the caliper to get it to bold onto the stock miata caliper mounting ears. Not sure if i'd like doing it this way at all, seems like it removes too much metal.
#16
Cpt. Slow
iTrader: (25)
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Oregon City, OR
Posts: 14,360
Total Cats: 1,184
I think I see the problem, in order to move it over enough, it look more like X--O-X-O, leaving a big chunk of bracket to flex to it's heart's content.
And I just realized the problem with using the bolts that hold the calipers together. You'll be rebuilding the calipers any time you take them off.
Oh wait, are there four bolts holding it together? Maybe not then. Still, also not the best option.
And I just realized the problem with using the bolts that hold the calipers together. You'll be rebuilding the calipers any time you take them off.
Oh wait, are there four bolts holding it together? Maybe not then. Still, also not the best option.
#17
I think I see the problem, in order to move it over enough, it look more like X--O-X-O, leaving a big chunk of bracket to flex to it's heart's content.
And I just realized the problem with using the bolts that hold the calipers together. You'll be rebuilding the calipers any time you take them off.
Oh wait, are there four bolts holding it together? Maybe not then. Still, also not the best option.
And I just realized the problem with using the bolts that hold the calipers together. You'll be rebuilding the calipers any time you take them off.
Oh wait, are there four bolts holding it together? Maybe not then. Still, also not the best option.
#18
Elite Member
Thread Starter
iTrader: (8)
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Bellingham, Wa
Posts: 2,712
Total Cats: 4
I think I see the problem, in order to move it over enough, it look more like X--O-X-O, leaving a big chunk of bracket to flex to it's heart's content.
And I just realized the problem with using the bolts that hold the calipers together. You'll be rebuilding the calipers any time you take them off.
Oh wait, are there four bolts holding it together? Maybe not then. Still, also not the best option.
And I just realized the problem with using the bolts that hold the calipers together. You'll be rebuilding the calipers any time you take them off.
Oh wait, are there four bolts holding it together? Maybe not then. Still, also not the best option.
I'm still thinking that removing the mounting ears completely and using the two big outer bolts is going to be the best option. I'm picking up some sport brake rotors from JayL this weekend so i'll be starting the main build next week.
#19
Cpt. Slow
iTrader: (25)
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Oregon City, OR
Posts: 14,360
Total Cats: 1,184
Very true, I had forgotten about the different pad mounting method. You currently have to remove the bracket to get the rotor off anyways, so might as well do that.
But for the love of god, once you figure this out, get them bead blasted before final install.
But for the love of god, once you figure this out, get them bead blasted before final install.