Brakes are clearly the most critical safety feature of any car, so regular inspection and maintenance is vital. Pads and discs are the two main components that will wear out first and have the biggest impact on braking performance. So, how do you know if they need replacing? here's our handy brakes guide on everything you need to know for your MX5...
How do you know if they need replacing?
1. Have a look!
You don't need to be a mechanic to identify if your pads and discs need replacing. Brake pads are made up of two parts: the metal backing plate and the friction material, the latter of which is the part that presses on the disc and wears out. A new brake pad will have around 10mm of friction material. In the UK, the legal minimum thickness for brake pads is 1.5mm so whilst anything in between is legal, it is generally accepted that you shouldn't let the thickness get below 3-4mm before replacing them.
Now for the techy bit - brake pads work by converting kinetic energy into thermal energy when you brake (hence why they get so hot during operation) so the less brake pad material you have, the less able they are to absorb heat and the less efficient they become.
Discs should generally be replaced when they are either heavily scored, have an excessive lip on the outer edge, or have worn below the manufacturers recommended minimum thickness. Much like brake pads, the less material there is, the less efficient they become at dissipating heat so it is essential they are in good condition.
2. Pedal feel
If you notice when driving that you have to press the pedal down further to stop, that's a good indication that your pads and or discs need replacing. As the pads and discs wear, the piston has to move further out of the caliper for the brakes to operate, so if you have noticeably greater pedal travel, it's time to get them checked.
Another thing you may feel through the pedal is juddering. This occurs when the pads and discs have got too hot and the disc has warped slightly and is generally caused by either the pads and discs being too thin or not 'bedding in' brakes properly when they are new.
3. Noises
If you get groaning or grinding sounds when you brake, it is highly likely that something is worn and needs replacing. If the pads have been allowed to wear down to the point where the metal backing is touching the disc then this needs replacing immediately and you should avoid driving the car.
4. Mileage
There is no hard and fast rule as to how long pads and discs should last as it t depends on many factors such as, overall driving style, how much stop-start driving you do, and the quality of the brake parts fitted.
Generally speaking, you should expect to get anywhere between 25k and 50k miles out of a set of brake pads. If you spend more time in busy urban areas where you are constantly braking you will be looking at the lower number. However, if you do a lot of countryside driving where less braking is required, you should be at the higher end of the scale.
But also, really think about your driving. Are you an early braker? Are you late on the brakes? Do you gently come to a stop or tend to be heavy on the metal? All this can affect the life of the pads.
Put simply; heavy driving = a shorter life.
5. Pulling
Does your car pull to one side when you brake? If it does that could be an indication that your brakes are wearing unevenly. This is often caused by other issues such as a sticking or a defective caliper so a thorough inspection is highly recommended.
So if your brakes need changing, what are your options and what do we recommend?
We have a vast array of parts in stock to help keep your braking system in perfect working order. here's a few of the options that are very popular and we highly recommend them...
Brake Pads
We have a huge range of pads to choose from depending on your both your budget or what you intend to use your car for. All pads are supplied as a complete front or rear axle set.
Budget - Starting at just £12.95 a set these are a good quality aftermarket set of pads that won't perhaps last as long as a premium brand but offer good braking performance and represent excellent value for money.
Mintex - These are a premium quality aftermarket brand which offers excellent stopping power when hot or cold. These are low dusting and have good resistance to fade.
EBC - Widely known to be one of the best quality aftermarket brands of brake pad available, and certainly one of our best selling ranges. They start with Ultimax 'black' which are as close to the original factory pads as you are likely to get. We then have Greenstuff for fast road use, and Redstuff and Yellowstuff which are best suited for use on track cars.
Genuine Mazda - As the name suggests these are the original Genuine Mazda pads that were fitted to the cars at the factory.
To complement the pads we also stock the majority of fitting kits such as Genuine Mazda which include all the clips and backing plates, along with the spring clips made by IL Motorsport.
Brake Discs
Much like the pads, we have a good selection of brake discs all of which are supplied in front or rear pairs. The range includes:
Aftermarket - Top quality aftermarket discs that offer very good value for money.
EBC Turbogroove - These are drilled and grooved and offer exceptional braking performance. The wider slot actually draws cool air across the pad surface keeping pads and discs cooler. They also expel dust, dirt, and hot gases better.
EBC Ultra Quiet - The narrower multi slot design of the Ultimax sport disc and the progressive angle at which the slots are machined creates a quiet running sport disc that still has benefits of removing gas, dirt, water, and debris and maintaining parallel pad wear.
Genuine Mazda - As with the pads, these are the original discs that your car would have left the factory with.
Disc & Pad Packages
As MX5 specialists we have put together a great range of value discs and pad packages for all models. Starting with an aftermarket kit that contains a full set of aftermarket discs and EBC Ultimax pads, right through to an ultimate sports package that has EBC discs and pads, stainless brake lines, and even brake fluid.
Your Handy Links for Pads & Discs
- Mk 1.6 1989>1998 Pads & Discs
- Mk 1.8 1993>1998 Pads & Discs
- Mk2 / 2.5 Pads & Discs
- Mk3 / 3.5 / 3.75 Pads & Discs
- Mk4 ND & RF Brakes
Calipers & Hydraulics
We have a huge range of parts for the hydraulic side of your brake system. From calipers to brake hoses, master cylinders to banjo bolts, slider pins to seal kits, here are just a few of the products from the range.
Calipers - We have Genuine Mazda calipers available, along with aftermarket and reconditioned versions for some models. Reconditioned calipers offer the best value for money and are done to a very high standard by taking original Mazda units, stripping them down and completely rebuilding them using all new pistons and seals.
Brake Hoses - Along with the standard Genuine Mazda hoses, we also have a great range of top quality stainless steel versions. Unlike standard rubber hoses, stainless steel ones won't expand when pressure is applied so they eliminate a lot of the spongy feeling you sometimes get when braking. We have available Hel performance brake lines which are available in four different colours, as well as Goodridge and IL Motorsport for some models.
Fittings - Our range of fittings and ancillary parts is too vast to list, however some of the most popular and commonly replaced parts include banjo bolts and washers, caliper slider pins, seal kits, rear caliper adjusters for the Mk1 & 2, complete master cylinders, and brake pedal rubbers.
How to find the right Brakes for your model
Choosing the right Brake parts depends on the model, year and / or engine size. The simplest way to tell on earlier models though is to measure the diameter of the disc as there is no guarantee a car still hasn't been upgraded at some point in its life.
Mk1 1.6 1989>1998
- Front discs - 235mm
- Rear Discs - 231mm
Mk1 1.8 1993>1998
- Front discs - 255mm
- Rear Discs - 251mm
Mk2/2.5 1.6 & 1.8 Standard Brake
- Front discs - 255mm
- Rear Discs - 251mm
Mk2.5 1.8 Sport Big Brake
- Front discs - 270mm
- Rear Discs - 276mm
Mk3/3.5/3.75 2005>2015
These are all the same and there is no difference between any of the years or engine sizes.
Mk4 & RF 2015>
The only difference is between the 1.5 & 2.0 litre engines and all of our kits are listed by the engine size.
Exceptions to the rule
Of course, there are however one or two exceptions though such as the odd Mk2 special edition that had the bigger brakes fitted, and the left-hand drive Mk1 1.6 automatic cars had the 1.8 brakes, so again, the only way to be certain is to measure them - so you can see why we have given you the guide above!
Time for a brake for your MX5 - here's our hot links
As always, if you aren't sure about anything in relation to your brakes or any other part on your MX5, don't hesitate to contact us
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