Big Brake Kit: Possible Group Buy?

[numba13]

A guy would have to be running 17's or better to fit this setup

[wytbishop]

This pricing is also dependent upon the kits not requiring anything unusual in the way of parts to be made, etc. I’m pretty good about estimating pricing, so it should be close.

This is where it falls apart. If you look at the MX-3 stock spindle the mounting tabs for the caliper are quite long because the caliper sort of slides over them. Because of these tabs sticking as far out as they do, the only way to get a different caliper in there is to move it way out from the stock location by using a really huge rotor. Wilwood doesn't make a 4 x 100 one piece rotor and the cheapest 4x100 two piece hat...just the hat...is $135. Say they use the cheapest Dynalite caliper at $135ea. Hat + Rotor + Caliper + Pads is going to come in at something like $400 min per wheel. And then he has to design a bracket and machine it for you and make a profit.

I predict $1200 for the fronts. It can absolutely be done, but it will never be as cheap as he's telling you. I spent 2 years trying to figure out a cheap way to do this.

[numba13]

I talked to him about this and he said that he does run into setups like this now and then where the mounting tabs on the spindle are tall and he still utilizes a one piece rotor but it isnt a wilwood. The kits would still come with wilwood calipers . If you refer to his website and look at the 11" kits using one piece rotors youll get a good idea of what im talking about. These kits worst case scenario are still only going to be around the 850-900 mark for the front.

[wytbishop]

Well I can't wait to see his solution and how much it costs.

[numba13]

Listen... I thought I would come to the community that ive lurked for years in the hopes to contribute something and work together to try and do something that everyone can appreciate. While I welcome concerns/comments/questions etc from everyone, I dont appreciate your abrasiveness.. You seem quite negative and your responses were completly unprevoked. If you dont have anything nice to say..then please dont say it at all. And please dont clutter this thread with pictures of your brake project, it seems some people are always quick to jump on a guy for not using the search function but when its something youve contributed your more than happy to clutter up this thread. Id like to stay on topic as much as possible and dont have time for politics. I apologize if this message offends anyone.. But things like this are what keeps me from posting and its frustrating.

[wytbishop]

I'm not being abrasive, I'm being direct. I'm an Engineer...it's how we are. I don't mean to be abrasive but I have done a lot of research into this. If you search for the word "brakes" with me as the author you'll find 7 pages of posts on this topic that I have made. I've been almost (okay totally) obsessed with upgrading my brakes for years.

After a lot of measuring and searching for compatible parts and even modeling the components with 3D modeling software I came to the final conclusion that the only way it can be done is by using a really big rotor. Maybe FastBrakes has a better idea...I don't know.

I am genuinely excited to see what he comes up with. If it is under $900 you will get some interest from the forum there's no doubt.

[Ryan]

I betcha this guy is assuming we have similar hardware to the Probe... in which case the upgrade is easy. Bolt on Mazda6 stuff.

[MrMazda92]

So that's why people drive probes? Because it's easy? Honestly, that wouldn't surprise me, too bad there are other reasons though

Oh, and to stay on topic... I like this idea, you and wytbishop should collaborate for this project, you might be able to get the cost down pretty low... It couldn't hurt!

[projectB10]

......ballparked the front kit at around the $650 mark and the rear at $210. Im hoping to round up around 7-10 people to make this as cheap as possible on everybody. Any questions just give me a shout!

Ryan

You might be interested in checking out the following link.


http://www.clubprotege.com/forum/showth ... tall/page2

Take a look at post #20 in the thread. Keep in mind that the thread is more than 3 years old so prices will have moved.

I think you will find that W/Bishop is on the mark with his comments...the 2008 cost of ftjandra's project was about $780 + shipping for the front caliper/rotor set. The killer is the cost of the required 2 piece rotors.

Not knocking you or trying to put you off. If you can put a BB together for the sort of numbers you suggest then I think you will get a few takers.

Chris

[numba13]

Just to give you guys an update..

Brian has ordered a front spindle so that he can get to work on this and said he should have some answers by weeks end. As far as cost goes, he is pretty confident with those numbers but it couldnt hurt to get as many people in on this as possible to maybe get the cost down even more. Im up for any and all help to get this little project off the ground

[wytbishop]

......ballparked the front kit at around the $650 mark and the rear at $210. Im hoping to round up around 7-10 people to make this as cheap as possible on everybody. Any questions just give me a shout!

Ryan

You might be interested in checking out the following link.


http://www.clubprotege.com/forum/showth ... tall/page2

Take a look at post #20 in the thread. Keep in mind that the thread is more than 3 years old so prices will have moved.

I think you will find that W/Bishop is on the mark with his comments...the 2008 cost of ftjandra's project was about $780 + shipping for the front caliper/rotor set. The killer is the cost of the required 2 piece rotors.

Not knocking you or trying to put you off. If you can put a BB together for the sort of numbers you suggest then I think you will get a few takers.

Chris

See now that's very interesting. I did not know that ftjantra had done it that way. When I first decided that I wanted to do something I made a few parameters for my project. 1) It had to be able to fit in a 15" wheel. I didn't want to do something that guys with stock wheels couldn't use. 2) It would not require modification of the stock spindles. Most people don't have access to machine tools and as a rule I don't like to mess with cast iron as it's very brittle and drilling and grinding can lead to cracking and devastation. 3) It had to be relatively affordable. I set a limit of $1000 for the front.

ftjantra's set up is cheap enough and fits a stock wheel but those modifications would be very tricky for someone with less experience. It looks like he just used an angle grinder. That is definitely a possible way to go.

[MrMazda92]

Wyt, in all fairness do you expect a lot of people running stock wheels to buy $800+ brake setups?

Not a bash, just something that made me laugh a bit I'm sure that some people would, but typically people swap out their wheels before doing much else to a car.

[projectB10]

ftjantra's set up is cheap enough and fits a stock wheel but those modifications would be very tricky for someone with less experience. It looks like he just used an angle grinder. That is definitely a possible way to go.

No disrespect to ftjantra intended in any way. He is clearly a doer and not a talker (or should I say poster) and he is certainly generous in the way he shares on that forum.....but .... I am sure he would be the first to say that solution is not the basis for a BB solution.
That sort of BB upgrade (cutting into the respective mounting points on both caliper and spindle) would not pass road use certfication (nor I suspect, pass scutineering for track use) where I live.

so @ Ryan
....sorry mate, a quick cost/outcome sizing on that example BB solution serves to reinforce the W/Bishop assessment ...

I predict $1200 for the fronts. It can absolutely be done, but it will never be as cheap as he's telling you

Chris

[Sleeper6]

Actually Im not even interested if I have to run a rim bigger than a 16", that was the beauty of wyts setup is that it left options open. Theres no real reason to put a 17" wheel or bigger on an mx3, personally I think 90% of them look hideous and the other 10% cost more than the car, let alone the power and aerodynamic loss running a wheel that big.

[MrMazda92]

Sleeper, I agree on wheel size... I've been debating 15s and 16s for my Enkei RPF1s, when I get around to buying them, and have 100% decided on the 15s. The 16s weigh ~3.8 pounds more a wheel, and most tires I checked weights on were within 3/4 of a pound of eachother(I included the change in size, and this was with well-loved and reviewed tires on tirerack).

Basically, the tiny reduction in sidewall flex(which can be matched with overinflation, general consensus being that you don't go overboard with it), isn't worth the nearly 4 pounds a wheel addition of weight.

Cool, I get an extra inch of shiny, at 4 pounds a pop. The tires cost more at that size too, imagine that

This is rather off topic, sorry for hijacking.