How-to; DIY 2 pot brakeupgrade

[300BHPZE]

Here is a comparison shot of the BG spindle side by side to a 2nd Gen probe/mx6 spindle.


The larger ball joints for the cars that have them will fit perfect on the probe/mx6 spindle and the bolt spacing for the strut mount is the same but the probe/mx6 mount is wider. If any of you are wondering about the ball joint size, refer to the thread about using RX-7 ball joints to increase front track.

This looks to me like there's more difference than just the thickness of the strut mount. It looks to me like if you lined up the strut mounting holes the wheel bearings would be at different heights.

It looks to me like the 626 knuckle would raise the BG wheel about 1/2". This could potentially be a good way to lower the front end...who knows.

It also looks like the strut mount is slightly farther forward on the BG knuckle...although that could just be the perspective of the picture. Has anyone tried installing the GE knuckles?

[monoxidechild]

the 89-92 spindles are also swappable with the 93-97's ive been told on probetalk.

and also, keep in mind the 89-92 probe/mx6/626 guys are also using the full mazda6 brake set up also lately as a bolt on upgrade. im actually running a wilwood brake set up on my 92 probe.

[KAinjection]

This looks to me like there's more difference than just the thickness of the strut mount. It looks to me like if you lined up the strut mounting holes the wheel bearings would be at different heights.

It looks to me like the 626 knuckle would raise the BG wheel about 1/2". This could potentially be a good way to lower the front end...who knows.

It also looks like the strut mount is slightly farther forward on the BG knuckle...although that could just be the perspective of the picture. Has anyone tried installing the GE knuckles?

You are right there are more differences and its hard to tell from the perspective of the picture. I never did measure anything else except the strut mount so I dont know how much different the BG is from the probe one. It would also require a custom axle unless you swapped the hub somehow. If I had a shop press I would try and see if the BG hub would work in it, since I still have it sitting in storage collecting dust.

[300BHPZE]

So I’ve been looking at stuff trying to figure out a way that this could be done without having to import parts and I think I’ve got it.

I was looking at the 99-05 Protégé Collision guide and I noticed that the basic arrangement of the spindle in the sketch is the same as the MX-3 but with larger spacing of the caliper mounting tabs. So I did some searching.

Here is the 89' 626/MX6/Probe front caliper on the left and the 99’ Protégé caliper on the right...



I wanted to see if the BJ Protege seems to have the same spacing and it seems close.

Also the BJ and BG/EC knuckles use the same wheel bearing.



The last remaining issue that may be a stopper is the steering arm. The knuckles look very similar, but it remains to be seen I guess if the steering arm will work with the BG...hard to tell for sure from the diagrams...Protege on the left, MX-3 on the right...






All of this still has to be confirmed. So if anyone out there has a 99-03' 1.8L Protege and could check this I think we'd have it.

[KAinjection]

That is a good idea. I am very sure that the BJ protege will accept the probe/mx6 brake stuff. Maybe someone could confirm that for sure?

I would be more worried about the placement of the balljoint and the strut mount rather then the tie rod end attachment point, since if its a a different height, I will just drill out the hole and use a female rod end with spacers to fix it. I remember back a few years ago I tried to see how close the struts were from a BJ to a BG and it seems the only difference in front was it was wider where it mounted to the spindle, which is no big deal anyway.

[KAinjection]

Well I went to go pick up a BJ spindle I found locally at a yard for $40 today and they already sold it. there is another one for $60 that I may go pick up tomorrow.

[300BHPZE]

Pardon me if this is all old news, but...knowing that the 00'-03' Protege came with either 2 disc or 4 disc brakes and that the 4 disc cars are all 5 lug hubs I figured this out...

Looking through all the parts catalogues and the EPC the 00'-03' Protege 2 disc and 4 disc cars both use the same front steering knuckle so the 5 lug hub from the 4 disc cars is interchangeable with the 4 lug hub...which is the same hub as the BG. So the front 5 lug conversion is as easy as that.

There are 2 different rear spindles for the 2 disc and 4 disc cars so I can't say for sure if the 5 lug rear hubs would interchange with the 4 lug rears...which are also the same as the BGs...but I bet they do.

So I'm betting that all the BG/EC guys could do the 5 lug conversion just by getting 4 5 lug hubs from a BJ with 4 discs.

Can anyone confirm that? Cuz there's a few MX-3 guy who would love that.

[dave0r]

you can bolt on front and rear spindles/hubs from a BA Lantis V6 into a BG and EC

and if the BJ uses the same front and year hubs/spindles as the BA Lantis v6 (more than likely)

then the short answer is YES

[Henchman]

you can bolt on front and rear spindles/hubs from a BA Lantis V6 into a BG and EC

and if the BJ uses the same front and year hubs/spindles as the BA Lantis v6 (more than likely)

then the short answer is YES

Nope, different part numbers

[dave0r]

Nope, different part numbers

gutted on the BA and BJ differences, thought it might make it easy for your US folks to get some 5 studs / brake upgrades

oh well.

[300BHPZE]

Yeah My bad. This was clearly discussed on like page 3 by Geronimo.

The 5 lug front hubs will definitely swap straight onto the BG knuckles though and I'd be shocked if the rear hubs didn't as well.

[300BHPZE]

Well I have been working on this very hard for a couple of weeks now and I have to say that without those BA V6 knuckles it is no easy task to do an inexpensive parts bin upgrade on the front brakes.

I have been looking at the Wilwood Powerlite radial mount calipers because they have 0.86" rotor width which is ideal for our 22mm rotors and they're only $145ish each which is comparable to a good quality recon Miata caliper if you don't have a core. But I have determined that there is not enough clearance for those calipers to be adapted to the existing BG mounting lugs without going to a larger rotor.

So I looked for a larger rotor with a 4x100 pattern and roughly 22mm width...no luck there. You can build 2 piece Wilwood rotors 11" x 22mm with 4x100 bolt pattern but they come in at around $180 each. booo.

So then I looked at using a different Wilwood caliper but clearance is not much better and they start getting expensive really fast. My main criteria was to keep this reasonably priced. There are other big brake kits out there but no one can afford them. I want to do something that anyone could do for just a bit more than stock parts.

I haven't given up yet, but it's not looking good at this point.

Swapping hubs to 5 lugs would really open up the range of stock rotors available...something to think about.

[Kirk525]

HELP! HELP! HELP im looking forward to do the 5 lug swap.but im not shore if i get the 5 lug from the 02-03 BJ if it will work on my 94 BG. i want make shore before i go ahead and all the parts.so im looking for any advice out there.let me know ASAP thanks.

[Henchman]

There's a guy over on imazda that can help you source the parts you need.

[300BHPZE]

HELP! HELP! HELP im looking forward to do the 5 lug swap.but im not shore if i get the 5 lug from the 02-03 BJ if it will work on my 94 BG. i want make shore before i go ahead and all the parts.so im looking for any advice out there.let me know ASAP thanks.

90-94 BG rear hub R/L B455-26-15XA

99-03 BJ rear hub w/o Rear Disc Brakes R/L B455-26-15XA



90-94 BG front hub B01A-33-060A

99-03 BJ front hub w/o Rear Disc Brakes R/L B01A-33-060A



The BJ with rear drum brakes uses the same mazda part numbers for front and rear hubs as all BG's. That should mean that the 5 lug hubs will fit. I got these part numbers from the collision guides posted on the mazdaspeed site.