ES Front Brake Swap

[txmzdspd2gen]

how much for the oem replacement rotor for the lx 97? any estimated price? im thinking on getting just regular ones. Since ive notice PIGEON already had a experience with the two.

[txmzdspd2gen]

what i meant was the replacement in places like NAPA and the likes...sorry..

[JZProwler]

ok, just re-reading this, i saw someone saying you needed new front spindles to do the swap, but midnightblue97, your saying i can just get a mounting peice? is this right?

[NegatiZE]

IIRC my rotors themselves were really cheap, like $15 or so each through Mazda Motorsports. (99 LX)

[pigeon]

how much for the oem replacement rotor for the lx 97? any estimated price? im thinking on getting just regular ones. Since ive notice PIGEON already had a experience with the two.

there was a huge debate when it comes to cross drilled rotors
its pretty much settled though that they are unnecessary

non-cross drilled are cheaper and have more structural integrity and more surface area <-- better stopping power, better cooling ability

none of the racers here in ontario use cross drilled rotors or slotted rotors, they ALL use brembo blanks (what KVR uses BEFORE they drill them)

I did do over 20 laps with my cross drilled rotors and heated my brakes up to the point of having the fluid boil on me... however didnt crack a rotor
so I thought they were alright... however

everyone there was convinced that if I did a comparison test of the cross drilled rotors, vs the brembo blanks... that the cross drilled would crack first

and i trust their opinion because they've been racing for years and years, and that was my first time

the initial reason for cross drilled rotors was to prevent gases from the brake pads from creating a 'film' between the pad and rotor

but pads havent been made like that since the 80's, so really... they're just a trend right now

the ONLY thing that has not been answered yet, that im wondering...
is if cross drilled and slotted rotors are useless, why do porsches and motorcycles come with them from the factory?

ok, just re-reading this, i saw someone saying you needed new front spindles to do the swap, but midnightblue97, your saying i can just get a mounting peice? is this right?

i may be wrong, cause now i cant remember exactly... so someone please correct me if you know for a fact that im wrong

but from what i remember, i believe that the spindle is the mounting piece... its all one big hunk of metal

i dont know suspension terminology well at all, my apologies

[pigeon]

i was just told that the porsches and motorcycles use cross drilled rotors to reduce unsprung weight

unsprung = weight of rotors/tires/brakes

[Intruder]

I was reading an article on light weight rims at tirerack.com and I remember something like this: Unsprung weight is generally the stuff that is not supported by the car's suspension.

[JesseSays]

I was reading an article on light weight rims at tirerack.com and I remember something like this: Unsprung weight is generally the stuff that is not supported by the car's suspension.

it's the stuff that moves when the suspension moves.... all that weight, including half the weight of the spring is considered to be unsprung.

also, porsche sells them because it's "cool". there was an article by a porsche engineer confirming it.

another thing, cross-drilling does increase surface area, but it reduces mass, which cancels out the effect of more surface area.

[pigeon]

another thing, cross-drilling does increase surface area, but it reduces mass, which cancels out the effect of more surface area.

so reducing mass makes cooling less effective?

[bruce95fmla]

ok, just re-reading this, i saw someone saying you needed new front spindles to do the swap, but midnightblue97, your saying i can just get a mounting peice? is this right?

When I tried to fit mine up. I realized that I need the spindles. However, I can't speak on any adapter parts. I know nothing about them
B

[JZProwler]

ok, thanks. i didnt think there could be brackets, everything ive worked with mounted straight to the spindle, but you never know right? tomorrow ill be going out and checking prices and seeing how much this may cost me if i buy new

[BobbyCoffins]

is the 95-97 ES 4-bolt or 5 like the later Proteges?

i've read all this and i'm seriously considering putting 4-wheel discs on my 323, is there any reason why the same approach won't work on the BG?

[Intruder]

You should do a search in the BG section. People have done it.
All 95-97 Protege's have 4-bolt wheels.

[beetle_orange]

i would like to make this thread active again. i read in the first page of this thread about what bruce said. it is not enough that you find a 1st gen LX but that LX has to have a DOHC engine so that it'll have rear disc brakes. i wasnt doing a lot today and decided to stop by a local JY and to my amazement it had a black 1st gen LX and since i read about this thread a long time ago looked immediately at the rear and had rear disc brakes and the vaunted BP DOHC engine.

if it is not too much to ask. can someone pls just list the parts i need to take from the 1st gen to make this swap work on our 2nd gen.

btw, if i do go ahead with this i will also get the front spindles, caliper, and rotor of the 1st gen.

i hope this thread could be a sticky as well.

[95ProLeila]

whoa . . . i was just looking at this thread last night. anywho, i think bruce mentioned all the parts you'll need earlier, so i don't think you'll need anything in addition to the stuff you mentioned, although new pads might be a good idea.