How-to; DIY 2 pot brakeupgrade

[KAinjection]

You would have to make a custom offset balljoint. A custom bracket offset to one side made to accept a readily available off the shelf balljoint to keep the price down. Sounds like to much trouble doesn't it?

[300BHPZE]

Yes I see it now too. I think my desire to have this work out blinded me. I'm still going to go through the motions though.

[300BHPZE]

Well I broke down and went out and sourced everything to do the swap as it was done by the OP. The cost breaks down like this...all prices in $CDN

323F BA V6 spindles...$110 (I got a wicked deal from a UK member so that was mostly shipping)
EBC MX-3 blank Rotors...$100 (with shipping)
SS Brake lines...$40 (this is half the cost of the set I bought last year)
94' Subaru Legacy Turbo Wagon calipers...$115 ($45ea + shipping from a wrecker in Calgary)
89' MX-6 caliper brackets...$15
Brake pads...$70
Wheel bearings and seals...$80
MX-3 hubs...$20
Misc...$30 (paint for calipers and brake fluid and stuff)

TOTAL: ~$580
It could be done quite a bit cheaper than this. If you got a good deal on the spindles like I did and reused your stock rotors or bought cheap ones, no SS brake lines, reuse your stock hubs...this could be done for $350 or so I think.

I will post pictures when I do the installation.

I also have not given up on the dream of an easy upgrade not requiring the UK spindles. It will require cutting but I'm working on at least making it easy.

[FE3-323]

pics man!!!

[atomicEGT]

Why MX3 rotors instead of ones from a MSM?

[dave0r]

just to update as this upgrade was done MANY years ago and i should have updated

option 1 you can use some Honda civic and Integra rotos (262x21) not the thickist rotors but work well and give NO overlap for the pads <-- my current setup front bias is better than my GTX brake setup, 220kg sq vs 340kg sq on the test rollers. rears are 10kg sq less than stock...

option 2 ..use Nissan Pulsar GTiR rotors are they are 257mmx25mm thick and have the same offset as BG rotors much better for option 2 as the calipers are ment for 26mm rotors

Dave

[300BHPZE]

Why MX3 rotors instead of ones from a MSM?

Well now I haven't done much looking into that but I'm guessing the MSM are all 5 lug and I'm not converting. I'm sticking with 4 lugs. The MX-3 rotors will work fine and I had already purchased them before I found the 323F spindles.

GTiR parts are not available over here. That would be a great option if I could find them.

[atomicEGT]

no, NA and NB chassis Miatas are 4-lug.

[300BHPZE]

...which of course I know if i'd stop to think.

I had these already though, so I will use them for now.

[300BHPZE]

After a couple of weeks on the Subaru calipers the pads are nicely bedding in and the car stops like a welder at quitting time. Much better pedal feel adn must less effort.

I am going to upgrade the master cylinder to a Millenia 1" bore unit to reduce the pedal travel, which is a bit longer. The Millenia and MX-3 GS masater cylinders are similar so this is a straight swap with just a bit of re-routing of lines as the lines come out the other side of the M/C. You BG guys would not be able to do this easily as your M/C is quite different IIRC.

[300BHPZE]

I just wanted to point out something that I figured out this week that had never occurred to me before.

In the process of doing this swap I installed new wheel bearings in the spindles so that I could put the 4 lug hubs in place of the 323F 5 lugs. I've done this many times over the years and never had a problem with a bearing but this time I damaged the bearing slightly and I knew it.

I had to wait to replace it because my facilities for this type of thing are limited. It was clear that the car stopped better, but the more I drove it the less impressed I was with the new brakes. Until this week when I finally got to repalce that bad bearing.

Because there was considerable play in the right front wheel bearing the rotor was actually being pushed away from the caliper when I pressed the brake pedal making the whole thing very sloppy. Now that everything is rigid, the pedal is hard and the car stops very very hard. In fact I would go as far as to say that I need to increase the bias to the rear a bit.

Lesson here is...if you are having diminished braking performance and you know that the brake system is good, check your wheel bearings.

[dave0r]

i should have posted a rear brake upgrade here to to help with the fronts

due to the extra force at the front with the two pots, im now running a larger rear pad from a .......Mazda GE base MX6 , Cronos or Capila in your country

bolts right up to the MX3 caliper mounts that we get here in NZ
made the difference, but im still looking for a 15/16 MC to complete the setup

sadly the car hasnt been driven in a while and the rear calipers have siezed
gona have t oget some new ones now

[300BHPZE]

I have 9.8" rotors and calipers from an 06' Mazdaspeed Miata on the rear and I still find I have significantly more front brake than rear.

The stock MX-3 master is 15/16. I have a 1" master from a 929 Millenia that I want to install but having trouble finding the time. I expect it will reduce my pedal travel. I think I may also go to an aftermarket adjustable proportioning valve.

[FE3-323]

im still on the hunt for a sufficient 5 lug rear rotor in 10.1" or slightly larger
(so long as i can fit it under 15" wheels)

[Mazda_Powered]

98+ 626 V6 have +10" rear rotors Ryan. I know they come with 16" rims from the factory, but I'm sure the spare is only 15"