Okay, well a recent thought and test fit I did, along with using my Elantra as a guinea pig, has confirmed that other-Hyundai brakes are not the only ones to successfully work on these cars.
What do you mean 2Liter?
I mean there are other options of course. As some of you may know, I have been a DSMer for years. Here's a little bit of history. The 1990-1999 Non-Turbo, as well as Turbo FWD models all came with a single piston front caliper, and 10" rotors (garbage). Early first gen (1990-1991) Turbo AWD models also came with these horrible brakes. However, in 1992 Mitsubishi decided the heavier (3200++) lb AWD car needs a bit more braking force. So the dual piston, 11" rotor combo was introduced.
So does this mean any 1992-1999 DSM brakes will work?
No. Technically
NO DSM brake will be a complete bolt-on. The reason being, DSM's have a 5x114.3 bolt pattern, where as our Elantras only share a 4x114.3. So technically, if you have a 5-lug Tiburon hub swap on your Elantra, these will work. Another thing to note - The 1995-1999 AWD DSM (aka Eclipse GSX, or Talon TSi AWD) calipers are the exact same as a 1992-1994 AWD DSM. With the exception of brake line fittings. The 1995-1999 share a banjo bolt feed, yes, just like our Elantras. The 1992-1994
does not. These DSM calipers also share the exact same mounting bracket style as our Elantras. The distance between the 2 mounting bolts to hold the caliper to the knuckle are the exact same - 5".
The beauty of this all?
The DSM caliper is 100% compatible with all your factory Hyundai fasteners. The thread pitch and length of both of the caliper mounting bolts, as well as the feed banjo bolt, is the exact same.
Okay, so now I can bolt up a 1995-1999 AWD DSM caliper to my Elantra. What about the rotor?
Well, for one the stock 10" rotor or whatever it is on our cars won't work. You'll have about 1/3 of the pad off the disc. We also determined DSM rotors won't work due to the bolt pattern difference (unless of course, it's 5-lug swapped) So then, what can I do? Well there are a few options. You can go ahead and get the stock DSM rotors re-drilled for 4x114.3. Or you can do what I did. Find a set of early Lancer Evolution rotors!
EVO parts on my Elantra?!
Yes. Some more history: The CD9A and CE9A Evolutions (AKA Evo I, II, and III) between the years of 1992-1996 all share a 4x114.3 bolt pattern, 67.1mm center bore hub - same measurements we have on our Elantras. The disc is also 11". Matter of fact, it's similar to that of a DSM with the exception of the bolt patern. The Evo I, II, and III also use the
exact same dual piston caliper as a 1995-1999 AWD DSM.
What about brake lines?
Well like mentioned earlier, the caliper fittings are the same as our stock Elantra. However, if you're going to be doing this upgrade, it would be very wise to replace the garbage rubber lines with fresh, stainless braided brake lines. Any Elantra aftermarket lines will work. Or if you're into Frankenstein builds like me, a 1995-1999 DSM or 1992-1996 Evolution stainless braided line will work. The fitting that mates to the hard line on the car, is the same thread Evo/DSM to Elantra. So they will thread right in.
And what about clearance?
I am running the brake setup under my stock, factory 15" steelies and they clear by about 2mm. They look really good crammed in there. 15" factory alloys, I cannot confirm since I do not have any. However any aftermarket 16" and up will clear, along with the OEM 15" steelies.
Okay, so I understand the theory - what about install?
Well the install is the easiest part - Once you have everything, it's 100% direct bolt on. No tricks, no surprises, no fasteners needed. If you know how to unbolt the old calipers, old lines, and slide off the old rotors, you will know how to install these brakes. Because it's the exact same process as putting back your stockers. Except you're gaining a lot better braking. Oh yeah. And you will obviously need to bleed the brakes after
Let's do some comparisons.
Here are the stock front brakes Hyundai equipped our cars with:
Here is the stock Hyundai 10" rotor with the DSM/Evo dual piston caliper:
Top and bottom mounting holes:
So there is the caliper. Now for me personally, I bought the rotors and calipers off my friend's Evolution I. Both rotors and calipers were freshly replaced, so they're both well under 10,000 miles. The pads are almost brand new, and the calipers came loaded with race pads for my convenience. I paid $120 for the lot. I got everything sand blasted and refinished everything myself. Now is a good time to clean everything if buying used. Make sure the pistons compress back in, and clean/lube the sliders. Mine are like brand new regardless due to the low miles, but I took the time to verify and clean/lube the sliders since they're all apart. I also bought 2G DSM brake lines, in black for like $58, which also comes with new crush washers to seal off the banjo bolts.
My finished calipers:
And here is everything installed on the car:
And with the rim to show clearance:
The verdict?
I love them. The brakes bite a lot harder, and don't have anywhere near the fade the stockers do. I can lock up the front wheels without much effort. A quick stab on the brake I can find out what the steering wheel tastes like. Since the Elantra is much lighter than an AWD DSM, these brakes make a bigger difference on this car. I also can't stress the beauty of the stainless braided lines. The pedal feel is so firm, and not spongy. The pedal no longer feels like stepping in a fresh pile of dog sh!t. I no longer have to press 1/3 to 1/2 the way to stop the car. 1/4 the pedal travel with a nice firm press stops the car quickly.
Well, I want more. What else fits?
Just about anything will fit a DSM will fit this. However if the rotor size can't be found in 4x114.3, you can get them re-drilled by a professional machine shop.
Here are a few more options (that will require rotors being drilled):
Mitsubishi Outlander 11.6" rotors, and Outlander caliper brackets. The calipers used are the exact same as the DSM/Evo ones, just with this bigger bracket to space the caliper further for the larger rotor. These will
not clear a 15" rim.
https://www.rtmracing.com/xcart/product.php?productid=18794&cat=2683&page=1
Mitsubishi 3000GT/Dodge Stealth VR4 4 piston calipers, and 13" Mustang Cobra rotors. These are HUGE, they will fill up a 17" rim to the lip.
https://www.rtmracing.com/xcart/product.php?productid=17286&cat=1434&page=1
Ford Mustang Cobra calipers and 13" rotors. Again, just like above, these will require nothing smaller than a 17" rim to fit.
https://www.rtmracing.com/xcart/product.php?productid=17640&cat=1433&page=1
Wilwood 4 piston, 12.8" rotor setup.
https://www.rtmracing.com/xcart/product.php?productid=18468&cat=2566&page=1
Those are just some options. Of course there is a lot more out there for these DSMs.
Thanks for reading
Disclaimer: Now I know what I'm doing, and these are my findings that I'm sharing. I am not responsible for any problems or issues or accidents one may have. Only attempt brake work if you know what's going on and understand what to do. Failure to install something like this incorrectly can turn sour.
