323 GTR Brake Pad possibilities

[MD323]

i can see where you would think they are cast pieces by the rough finish but this is just a sign of the times as last sand molds were the cheapest option for such a production piece. and since i still cant find the link ill provide one about determining cast iron vs steel :http://bbs.homeshopmachinist.net/showthread.php?t=31869

[jay]

I wouldn't be a fair test. I break stuff that normally just doesn't break. Seems I'm rough on things, that's one reason why I don't **** with caliper swaps that involve brackets or grinding on knuckles...if it turns out they're forged, I'll very much look into this, cuz I'd have to assume the millenia/mvp stuff is more biggerer.

[MD323]

i have a spare knuckle im willing to donate to this project. i dont know how soon ill be able to break it tho

[heinze.ketchum]

I did the shim solution with my GTR, used 2000 P5 calipers and pads though. The Mazda6 calipers bolt up, but the bolts are thinner so you will still need shims (collars?) to get them centred. Can't remember if it needed spacers, as I ended up not going with the 6 brakes - turns out the caliper is so large it won't fit inside the stock rims. Something else to consider when you're lining everything up.

[Johnny_boy]

If protege 5 brake fit, i guess mazdaspeed protege calipers will fit also?

[heinze.ketchum]

They should, trick will be making sure they all line up though. The bracket spacing on the knuckle was the same for the calipers, the difference was in the distance from the centre of the caliper to the centre of the rotor, and then also the diameter and length of the bolts. In short, the caliper bolt holes line up fine with the knuckle, and everything after that is a challenge!

[Johnny_boy]

Do you have any pics of all the setup?

[gofanu]

Knuckles are cast - something.
"Something" is a ferrous alloy.
If the carbon is low < 1% then it qualifies as cast steel, if high typical 3-4% it is "A" cast iron,
There are dozens, and it will not be "cast iron" which normally means "grey iron" like cylinder blocks or brake discs, though even those are no longer plain grey iron.
You can weld to cast steel, and some parts are made by welding cast steel bits to rolled steel or each other, but it gets questionable on any "cast iron", and impossible on regular grey iron.

Anyway, I am puzzled by this brake pad thing.
I do not have the faintest what a GTR pad is like, but surely it is not so different from others?
Anybody got a pic or drawing with measurements?
Bigger ones could easily be cut to fit.
Real printed parts catalogues from Arnley and such used to have drawings of all of them. You might suppose that that stuff is on a computer someplace, but then again...

FRM

[jay]

I'll see if I can't at least put up a pic with a measuring stick in it later...