2002 RX-7 Spirit R brakes
 

Does anyone know if you can get the Spirit R brakes here in the States? AFAIK, they are identical to the 99+ RS/RZ brakes but the calipers are finished in Red from the factory (or the supplier, or maybe Sumitomo sends them out for powdercoating) and the rotors are either cross drilled or have cast in venting holes. If they are cast with the holes, they are the only ones for the RX-7 stock system that I know of.

See http://www.rx-7.mazda.co.jp/brake.html

I bet they are as expensive as hell but why not find out.

More Info about consuming mighty traffic circles...
 

Just for giggles, I translated the webpage cited above:

(this is the text next to the schematic of the 99 brake ducts)
It continues to attack the circuit by all power. ..In order to acquire the potential which sufficiently it can correspond to also the severe condition such as that, the brake private air intake is provided on front spoiler left and right, in order from the travelling wind which is introduced from here to hit effectively around the front brake, the air duct is designated as the form which faces on the center of the disk rotor. Furthermore the derived wind board which had the form which takes in the travelling wind positively is adopted to the dust cover of the front brake. In addition, also the air bypass system which discharges the ardor which cooled the oil air conditioner from the front wheel arch rear has. Rx-7 improves brake cooling efficiency substantially with these, arranges the condition in order to consume mighty traffic circle power in full.

(this is the text to the right of the picture of the caliper and rotor)
The disk rotor of Rx-7 2 divided the cooling fin of the feather onboard condition which the sandwich is done into every 1 with 2 disk rotors, 2 divided model cooling fin disk rotors are adopted, heat dissipation characteristic of the cooling fin due to the surface area enlargement of the cooling fin and light weight conversion of the disk rotor with cooling fin block construction are actualized. Furthermore, 17 inch wheel corresponding large diameter disk rotor of SPIRIT R Type A and Type B has adopted ƒhƒŠƒ‹ƒhƒ^ƒCƒv which raises heat dissipation characteristic to a greater extent. In addition, besides the fact that we assumed, that the opposition 4 piston aluminum caliper of the SPIRIT R series all car - with the rear caliper - it made lead paint, linear the high rigid stainless steel mesh brake hose which offers pedal feeling was installed from Type A and on Type B.

From the related thread: https://www.rx7club.com/forum/showth...hreadid=131810

Agreed, but do we know for sure that the Spirit R (and the '00 RZ?) have drilled rotors as opposed to rotors with cast in holes? Do your friends with Porsche's who track their cars complain of cracking their rotors with cast in holes? Mine don't, but maybe they aren't driving hard enough! Admittedly, their top of the line rotors are even larger than the RS/RZ/Spirit R rotors so they would be better at absorbing heat.

Try jason at JT-imports.com

Here's a better picture...

https://www.rx7club.com/forum/attach...postid=1267185

:mspank:

wowowowowowowowowow! i'm in love :D

Its alive.... again
 

There has been discussion of the Spirit R brakes in another thread https://www.rx7club.com/forum/showth...5&pagenumber=1 that was a little off topic, so I'll try to throw the issue back over here so we can all refer to this thread if we need info on the Spirit R brakes vs. the 99+spec Type RS or RZ brakes or vs. our 93-95spec systems.

Here is the available info on the 99+ tire and braking units: (Source: http://www.rx7.net.nz/newrx7.htm)

TYPE RS
Tires: F 235/45ZR17, R 255/40ZR17
Wheels: F 17 X 8, R 17 X 8.5
Brakes:
Front pistons - Leading 33.9 mm, Trailing 38.1 mm
Front disk diameter - 314 mm
Front disk thickness - 32 mm
Rear piston - 34.9 mm
Rear disk diameter - 314 mm
Rear disk thickness - 20 mm

TYPE R (Hardware is the same as US 93-95 brakes)
Tires: 225/50ZR16 (TYPE RB has 225/50R16 92V and the rest is the same as below)
Wheels: 16 X 8 JJ
Brakes:
Front pistons - Leading and Trailing 36.1 mm
Front disk diameter - 294 mm
Front disk thickness - 22 mm
Rear piston - 34.9 mm
Rear disk diameter - 294 mm
Rear disk thickness - 20 mm

I have seen no equivalent data for the 2002 Spirit R brakes.

However, jimlab has said:
He specified that this info came from Jason at JT Imports.

God...what I wouldn't give for a new FD. Those brakes are hot.

Couple more pictures...

Front:

http://www.mazdarotaryclub.com/forum...R/DSCF0143.JPG

Rear:

http://www.mazdarotaryclub.com/forum...R/DSCF0142.JPG

The rotors look to be approximately the same diameter front and rear, which leads me to believe (until I hear otherwise) that they're probably the 314mm rotors listed under they Type RS information above.

The price, however, is nearly $800 higher (rear brakes only) than the RS brakes, for the same components (calipers, rotors, backing plates, etc.). I'd hope you were getting something more than red paint and a few holes in the rotor for $800, but knowing Mazda... :)

In which case I'd recommend the RS brakes and some caliper paint, and I'd spend the rest of the money "saved" having someone make me a light-weight 2-piece rotor (aluminum hat) for the rear of the car to match my fronts. :)

benefits of Spirit R brakes?
 

These pictures are kind of dark, but just for comparison here are my 17" wheels with stock US spec rotors and painted calipers.
Front:
https://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/...397c0000000610
Back:
https://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/...397e0000000611
There is a thread https://www.rx7club.com/forum/showth...hreadid=156585 about the Spirit R wheels saying something to the effect that they are 17" x 8" front and 8.5" rear BBS RX or RG-R wheels. Looks like they have a lot of gap between the edge of the rotor and the wheel as compared with other aftermarket setups. Whatever - I liked the Type RZ wheels but wanted wider - got a great deal on these wheels and had the centercaps custom made.

The $800 price difference just for the rear Spirit R brakes over the Type RZ brakes is ricockulous... and like you said all you are likely getting is red paint and some holes in the rotors.

I thought it would make a difference if the holes were cast vs. drilled in the rotors but an article I read today in March Road & Track basically said there is no difference between the two:

TECHNICAL CORRESPONDENCE - by Tom Wilson

Assuming minimal attention to where the holes are drilled, there is no meaningful difference between cast-in and drilled holes in rotors. In fact, all cross-drilled rotors would be cast that way if the company selling them could afford it, as the cost per rotor is much reduced. However, the set-up cost to cast rotors is prohibitive, so only larger manufacturers use that method. Most aftermarket rotors are bought as-is, then machined to fit their new application.

The real difference is between drilled and non-drilled rotors. All those holes detract from a rotor's mass, and high mass content is a main ingredient in avoiding warping [and fading]. As for cracking, all rotors will crack if overheated, and there is little difference between drilled and non-drilled rotors in that regard.

Cosmetics is why most rotors are drilled nowadays--the old gassing problem that holes are supposed to address is negligable with good pads and all but absurdly flamboyant street driving--so, many aftermarket brake tuners offer rotors with or without drilling to suit demand.

Re: benefits of Spirit R brakes?
 

They were all out of the bears, huh? :)

http://www.ronalusa.com/wheels-2002/.../bear/bear.jpg

Just kidding. :)

Nice!!!!!!!!!

Re: Re: benefits of Spirit R brakes?
 

LOL!!!!!!!! :D

I'm working with Roger Mandeville as we speak to have a groupbuy for custom 2-piece RS/RZ rear rotors done. It's meant to be a direct replacement for the large brake setup of the RS/RZ, so it will work with the Wilwood (or maybe AP) 4 pot solution in the rear:

http://www.maxcooper.com/rx7/how-to/...ear/index.html

No idea how much each are going to be, but working on it. For those that are wondering, the benefits of a two-piece rotor are:

1) typically lighter then cast one-piece. Important as that brake rotors are both unsprung and rotating weight
2) replacing rotors is less expensive. Brake rotors are consumables, and replacing just the rotors (hat, of course, does not need to be replaced) is less then replacing the entire one-piece cast rotor. Especially meaningful to track fiends who go thru rotors more often then street drivers.
3) just looks nicer. Cast iron = blah, machined aluminum hats = ohhhh! :D

FYI, MazdaMotorsports (Mazdaspeed USA) no longer sells to the general public, performance or 93-95 OEM parts. You have to be a member (which means being active in racing). That means, we non-members are forced to buy '99 brakes thru other (and likely more expensive) channels.

As soon as I have more, I'll begin setting up GB on this and the other forum, and on the Big List.:)

Re: Re: benefits of Spirit R brakes?
 

The problem with the damn bears is you can only get them in a 7.5 inch width! Otherwise....

Those must look bitchin on a purpleen car

Hmmm, I guess I'll just powder coat my Type RS calipers red. I like the solid faced rotors on the '99 RS brakes. More metal there for heat-sinking.

Count me in. :)

Re: Re: Re: benefits of Spirit R brakes?
 

I wouldn't know... my car is Electron Blue Metallic. :)

Quick question: Since a brake caliper can see temperatures (at least at the rotor surface, not sure about the caliper itself) in excess of 700+ degrees, is it safe to assume that a caliper could withstand the 400-450 degrees necessary to powdercoat the assembly without disassembling the piston and removing the dust seals?

Just curious. Not sure how difficult it is to disassemble the rear calipers, but I'd rather not pull apart a brand new part if I don't have to. Folia Tec caliper paint might be a better option in that situation.

Couldn't you just use the stock front setup in the rear and then install the RS/RZ setup in the front?

Or what about Projet Mu's two peice sloted rotors with billut aluminum hats for the fronts? Since the rears are only 25% of the stopping power, why should I care about the rears anyhow?

http://www.rxecret7.com/pmu-07.html
http://store2.yimg.com/I/rotorworks_1727_10190598

Interesting reading for that question:

http://www.stoptech.com/whitepapers/...tter120601.htm and generally http://www.stoptech.com/

It's all about balance.

does anyone have braking performance numbers for the 99+rx7 with the larger brakes? I'm curious to see what effect modern tires, a larger contract patch, bigger brakes AND 32bit abs has on the stopping distances compared to the US spec cars.

If the rears could contribute 20% and the bias is such that the fronts lock while the rears are only using 50% of their available traction, you are leaving 10% of your total braking force on the table. Plus, the car feels weird under breaking when the bias is too farward. This (mainly the second reason) is why I upgraded my rears.

-Max