1.6 & 1.8 Calipers

[Quick silver]

I have read that although disc & pad sizes on 1.6 & 1.8 models differ, the calipers are in fact identical........is this true?

[OnlyMX5ives]

No they aren't identical.

You have to swap the carriers to the other side but apart from that, yes.

[Quick silver]

OnlyMX5ives said:

No they aren't identical.

You have to swap the carriers to the other side but apart from that, yes.

Mark, what do you mean by 'swap the carriers'........I got the info from the MX5 O/C - yeah I know, I'll wash my mouth out with soap.

Quote:
7. Brakes; The brakes will stop the car well, but they will feel poor compared to many more modern cars, due to what feels like excessive pedal travel. 1.8s will stop better than 1.6s, due to larger discs and pads, (but the callipers are identical).

[GravelBen]

Quick silver said:

Quote:
7. Brakes; The brakes will stop the car well, but they will feel poor compared to many more modern cars, due to what feels like excessive pedal travel. 1.8s will stop better than 1.6s, due to larger discs and pads, (but the callipers are identical).

Where on earth did they come up with that? My Mk1 1.6 has probably the firmest, most progressive, feelsome brake pedal I've ever encountered. More 'modern' cars on the other hand tend to have a dead zone, then an over-assisted grab, then less linear gain from there on as you increase pressure.

Edited by GravelBen on Sunday 30th August 03:32

[redgriff500]

The carriers are what hold the calipers on the car.

1.8's have the pins in a different orientation.

If you fitted a 1.8 caliper to a 1.6 the bleed screw would be at the bottom (ie useless)

[skinny]

the calipers are interchangeable as long as you do them in pairs, therefore essentially identical.

[Quick silver]

skinny said:

the calipers are interchangeable as long as you do them in pairs, therefore essentially identical.

Okay.........my head just went pop!

Given that the discs & pads are different, could someone please explain in a little detail, exactly what would be required to convert from 1.6 to 1.8 brakes.

[offroading.net]

Just the caliper hangers.

Looksee here, pictures etc

http://www.bigllama.com/miata/brake/bigbrake.htm

[skinny]

Quick silver said:

skinny said:

the calipers are interchangeable as long as you do them in pairs, therefore essentially identical.

Okay.........my head just went pop!

Given that the discs & pads are different, could someone please explain in a little detail, exactly what would be required to convert from 1.6 to 1.8 brakes.

the difference between the 1.8 set-up and 1.6, is that on the 1.8's the calipers are spaced a little further from teh hub, and the disc (and pads) are bigger. therefore, if you have a 1.6, you can buy the carriers from the 1.8 to upgrade your set-up. if you buy a pair, then you have one of each. people say you need to swap over the left and right, but i don't know how you'd know which was which in the first place!

[redgriff500]

skinny said:

the calipers are interchangeable as long as you do them in pairs, therefore essentially identical.

But as I said they aren't actually identical, in that you can't replace a single front caliper.

Which many have tried, including myself, after people said they were identical.