Big Brake Kit-first pics

[So Cal Mark]

We've completed the fabrication to retrofit the front brakes from the new Fiat 500 onto the Spiders. This upgrades the brakes from the original 9" solid rotor to a 10.25" vented rotor and also uses the 500 caliper. Here are the first pics



URL=http://smg.photobucket.com/user/socalma ... 0.jpg.html][/URL]

[Tobi]

Does it move the hub further out and how big in diameter do the wheels have to be?

[So Cal Mark]

the hub is still in the original postion as are all other steering and suspension pieces. It's a pretty easy upgrade.
The system won't fit 13" wheels. 15"s fit without any issues and we'll by trying 14"s in the next day or so

[SLOSpider]

That is nice. Having the 500 come on shore seems to be helping us spider owners. WHo would have thought they would have kept the bolt pattern the same

[divace73]

looks great Mark, is it okay to use the same master cylinder?
And also what cost are we talking about?

[So Cal Mark]

the same master cylinder works fine. Kits will come in various levels. I'm trying to source calipers from 500 owners that upgrade their stock brakes to keep costs low. So we'll be selling kits like this;
starter kit; includes brackets and braided hoses. Owner provides their own calipers, pads and rotors
basic kit; includes brackets, hoses, stock rotors, pads, calipers
perf kit; includes brackets, hoses, EBC slotted rotors, EBC perf pads, calipers

Sorry but pricing isn't completed yet

[azruss]

Mark, do you have any idea how much unsprung weight is added.

[htchevyii]

Fingers crossed that14" turbos will fit.

[ga.spyder]

Great idea.That is an upgrade I will be very interested in.

[So Cal Mark]

I haven't compared weights between the two sets of components, but I will be doing that. Obviously the rotor will be heavier and the adapter bracket is a little heavier than the oem caliper mount but I feel the trade-off in improved braking will be worth it.

[v6spider]

Very nice indeed! I'm guessing there's possibly more choices in aftermarket wheels in that bolt pattern since the release of the 500 in the states...

Rob

[manoa matt]

You can loose almost 1/2 pound of unsprung rotational weight if you ditch the stock steel wheel spacer and use an alloy one. There is a common aftermarket universal one that is the right thickness and extremely light.

[So Cal Mark]

good news! the 14" alloy wheels fit the big brakes!

[Holshot]

Hey Mark,

Looks great! Way to bring the Spider into the 21st. century with more modern braking... One question, aside from the mounting and proving that they fit can you give us som feed back of how they perform? Brake pedal feel, stopping distance compared to a well working stock original setup, vibrations, pulsating ect... I know you said the stock master will work with this setup but i know in some cases with other platforms by increasing to larger diameter brake discs and calipers didn't really do much or give the results expected do to other areas that were not addressed like master cylinders, proportioning valves ect... Thanks for the pics and all the R&D looks very promising!

Regards,
Giuseppe

[So Cal Mark]

I haven't finished all of the other work on this car yet, so it's been short test runs on our street. There are no vibrations or pulsations, the brackets are steel and very strong, so no flexing at all. In fact, the caliper mounting brackets are much sturdier than the brackets the Spider came with. Once we finish this car, I'll do some distance comparison, but I can tell already that the car stops much quicker