ABOUT: Mazda 6 brake conversion/upgrade for BJ 4+5 stud

[JDM323]

parts needed mazda 6 parts were from 2004 sedan, mx5 parts were for a 2004 sport turbo nb, handbrake cables were made by brake shop to original protege/astina dimensions + 250mm to the rear.
5 stud :- mazda 6 calipers,pads,rotors,4 x 4-5mm spacers (check first) for rear calipers+new handbrake cables made 250mm longer at the rear.
4 stud :- mazda 6 calipers,pads,nb mx5sp turbo rotors,4 x 4-5mm spacers for rear calipers+new handbrake cables made 250mm longer at the rear.

the front is a straight swap for the original rotor/caliper setup and the original brake hoses bolt straight up, the backing plate needs no modifications at all.
http://i1239.photobucket.com/albums/ff502/shaley2810/brake%20upgrade%20sept2012/SAM_0351.jpghttp://i1239.photobucket.com/albums/ff502/shaley2810/brake%20upgrade%20sept2012/bj2j48mx5spturbo_zps7eabe0a8.jpghttp://i1239.photobucket.com/albums/ff502/shaley2810/brake%20upgrade%20sept2012/newfront_zps9c11f743.jpg
for the 4 stud the mx5 rotors are 2mm thinner than the mazda 6 rotors, to solve this problem i installed the original shims to the new pads by peining them on while the pads were placed face down on a folded towel, pics will tell the story.
http://i1239.photobucket.com/albums/ff502/shaley2810/brake%20upgrade%20sept2012/oldpadshims_zpsf3d2790a.jpghttp://i1239.photobucket.com/albums/ff502/shaley2810/brake%20upgrade%20sept2012/SAM_0362.jpghttp://i1239.photobucket.com/albums/ff502/shaley2810/brake%20upgrade%20sept2012/1stshim_zpscf143259.jpghttp://i1239.photobucket.com/albums/ff502/shaley2810/brake%20upgrade%20sept2012/SAM_0364.jpghttp://i1239.photobucket.com/albums/ff502/shaley2810/brake%20upgrade%20sept2012/SAM_0365.jpghttp://i1239.photobucket.com/albums/ff502/shaley2810/brake%20upgrade%20sept2012/SAM_0367.jpg

[JDM323]

the rears need to be fitted with the left caliper on the right and the right caliper on the left to keep the bleed nipples to the top, the calipers also need to be spaced out 4-5mm for the 4 stud vehicles and 5 stud vehicles would have to check to confirm.
the backing plates have to have the outer lip trimmed or folded flat as i did to mine and a new pair of handbrake cables have to be made 250mm longer than the originals at the rear(inner+outer) and re-fitted with the original mounting brackets and secured to the rear of the trailing arm after connecting to the caliper,the original rear hoses and bolts fit straight up, everything else is just standard procedure for fitting and bleeding brakes but since you are already running new fluid through the brake system now is also the time to bleed new fluid through the clutch too for manual(stickshift) owners.
here's some pictures to fill in the gaps.
http://i1239.photobucket.com/albums/ff502/shaley2810/brake%20upgrade%20sept2012/SAM_0350.jpghttp://i1239.photobucket.com/albums/ff502/shaley2810/brake%20upgrade%20sept2012/SAM_0353.jpghttp://i1239.photobucket.com/albums/ff502/shaley2810/brake%20upgrade%20sept2012/SAM_0356.jpghttp://i1239.photobucket.com/albums/ff502/shaley2810/brake%20upgrade%20sept2012/SAM_0368.jpgrear 1st try then swapped over to get working properlyhttp://i1239.photobucket.com/albums/ff502/shaley2810/brake%20upgrade%20sept2012/SAM_0358.jpghttp://i1239.photobucket.com/albums/ff502/shaley2810/brake%20upgrade%20sept2012/rearpadspringclips_zps4a68ac9f.jpghttp://i1239.photobucket.com/albums/ff502/shaley2810/brake%20upgrade%20sept2012/handbrakecablebackingplate_zps8a8a684d.jpghttp://i1239.photobucket.com/albums/ff502/shaley2810/brake%20upgrade%20sept2012/handbrakecablerouting_zps307700c6.jpg excuse the point+shoot camera skills.

I have since refitted stock handbrake cables and fitted mazdaspeed protege rear calipers.

[chewyryce]

wow. pretty good stuff there. im sure this will be stickied and forever be referenced by every other BJ owner around the world :)

how does it feel when you brake?

[JDM323]

much more control yet still firm, retaining the protege 15/16 master over the smaller bore mazda 6 one turned out to be the perfect choice.

[project.r.racing]

any chance of editted the posts so it can be read. small pics. larges pics. and text that you need to scroll sideways for you read.

did you use NB rotors on the rears also. i just cant really find it in the posts.

[sikwitit]

ok quick question all we need is the mazda 6 calipers pads and discs and it swaps straight over im just looking to upgrade the front brakes

[Orion]

I am going to be installing a 929 master brake cylinder (1 inch bore) in the coming weeks along with braided lines. I'm expecting to retain firm braking but also get a bit more 'feel' in the brakes too. Watch for the write up but this is something else that can be considered too.

[BG1.8sp]

ok quick question all we need is the mazda 6 calipers pads and discs and it swaps straight over im just looking to upgrade the front brakes

Yep, calipers with brackets, rotors pads. That is for the front.
As per my build thread... Stock bolts are all ok (same thread types and lengths).
Stock lines are the same thread type and size... So they are ok to use... However... As the caliper sits much further away from the hub they will not clip back into the strut mount point (that's on the 300mm rotor - which is the preset Mazda 6 size)
Should fit into the clip if you go the 282 or273mm rotor.
I just used 3 large (thick) cable ties per side. So they are attached to the exact same point. But just on the outside of the mount.

[sikwitit]

Cool will be buying them hopefully thursday

[JDM323]

yes i used the nb rotors on the rear also 270mm front 279mm rear.
Orion i will be interested to see your writeup on the 1" master cylinder.

[chewyryce]

another option for the rear callipers are NC or RX-8 callipers as the hand brake lever point toward the centre of the car rather than to the rear so you may not need to get a custom cable made. an option i will be doing. i am unsure if the callipers are the same or not for you to fit it to your BJ

[JDM323]

another option for the rear callipers are NC or RX-8 callipers as the hand brake lever point toward the centre of the car rather than to the rear so you may not need to get a custom cable made. an option i will be doing. i am unsure if the callipers are the same or not for you to fit it to your BJ

cx5 would be another possibility but are unavailable 2nd hand

[rodhog]

I think Cx-5's are not that new- It's just the parts in the 2nd hand world - are all being taken by panel shops. I understand diesel intercooler is $1600 from mazda.

[TheMAN]

best calipers to use are the MSF/MSP/euro spec BJ/Capella (or Euro 626) diesel wagon rear calipers
they use larger pads than what the (regular) 6 uses, and uses the same rear pads as the FD RX-7, so wide selection to choose from ;)

they bolt right in, and no need to do anything to the parking brake cables!
the discs are 280mm, so the mazda6 ones might fit if you have 5 stud, or you can simply get the correct ones from those cars I mentioned.... for 4 stud, those MX-5 discs might work as there's only 4mm difference... the pads probably will sit right on the edge instead

[JDM323]

my pads are flush with the edge on the mx5 279mm rotors, the general idea was an upgrade that is easy to source the calipers and pads off the shelf without having to source rare parts, mazda 6 is common in australia and most other countries and the mx5 sp rotors are available through brake stores with little effort, as for the rear calipers mazda 6 are not known for problems where the bj and the mx5's are. having to have cables made was little sacrifice for reliability and superior braking. my 2c

[TheMAN]

the EDM BJ/GF calipers never have problems like the SP20 calipers.... they do not have the stupid allen adjustment screw... it is a very conventional piston design where you turn the piston to retract it

the dust shield on the SP20 does not have to be trimmed either as it's already designed for the EDM 280mm discs... in other words, using the EDM calipers/pads/discs are a straight up no hassle upgrade... don't even have to replace the cables either!

[JDM323]

the EDM BJ/GF calipers never have problems like the SP20 calipers.... they do not have the stupid allen adjustment screw... it is a very conventional piston design where you turn the piston to retract it

the dust shield on the SP20 does not have to be trimmed either as it's already designed for the EDM 280mm discs... in other words, using the EDM calipers/pads/discs are a straight up no hassle upgrade... don't even have to replace the cables either!

so straight swap for calipers and rotors then Edwin, any pics?

[TheMAN]

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-bJNO2zQsEjA/UGgAPQtzM5I/AAAAAAAABTQ/D4b_2fsdfg8/s800/frontinst1.jpg
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-NlQevMvNhJA/UGgARxhVXVI/AAAAAAAABUc/uzd4OdKBWG4/s800/rearinst1.jpg
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-BMkERNKGm_k/UGgAQqIZ66I/AAAAAAAABT0/zqhVCNPEKho/s800/frontpads.jpg
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-rp9K5fSZTkU/UGgASXI8-4I/AAAAAAAABUs/RzBOZYxb0So/s800/rearpads.jpg

[JDM323]

those are bigger dust shields then my 1.8, are yours definitely the same part as the aussie sp20 rear dust shields?

[TheMAN]

correct

[JDM323]

I have increased the front brakes to 300mm using Gh mazda6 calipers, renault scenic 300mm rotors, hubcentric rings (od=60.8mm to id=54.9mm - 7mm thick, 2mm spacer between caliper and stub assy.

Holding the pedal down stops the master cylinder draining while lines are undone.
http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/a600/sarexrandall/Brake%20upgrade%20300mm%201_zpsgvja2xuo.jpg (http://s1285.photobucket.com/user/sarexrandall/media/Brake%20upgrade%20300mm%201_zpsgvja2xuo.jpg.html)

The rings sort out the hub center bore differences.
http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/a600/sarexrandall/Brake%20upgrade%20300mm%202_zpsxxgco6lb.jpg (http://s1285.photobucket.com/user/sarexrandall/media/Brake%20upgrade%20300mm%202_zpsxxgco6lb.jpg.html)

Shown here with rotor on.
http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/a600/sarexrandall/Brake%20upgrade%20300mm%203_zpsx0prhnpf.jpg (http://s1285.photobucket.com/user/sarexrandall/media/Brake%20upgrade%20300mm%203_zpsx0prhnpf.jpg.html)

And finally job complete.
http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/a600/sarexrandall/Brake%20upgrade%20300mm%204_zpsglhhxmib.jpg (http://s1285.photobucket.com/user/sarexrandall/media/Brake%20upgrade%20300mm%204_zpsglhhxmib.jpg.html)

[bjk]

Bump on an old thread. Any idea if the mounting points are the same for the regular Mazda6 vs the 6MPS calipers? Saw a thread where someone had fitted Evo Brembos to their MPS with relatively minor modifications. Maybe possible for the 323? haha

[Rupewrecht]

Don't use Evo calipers - it will limit your wheel choice massively as the calipers are stupidly large.

[bjk]

Don't use Evo calipers - it will limit your wheel choice massively as the calipers are stupidly large.
Not gonna lie, it is a bit of a bugger with the other car!

Having said that, not something I'd really do, but I'm a curious soul and I like to see where cross-compatibility goes.

[JDM323]

Bump on an old thread. Any idea if the mounting points are the same for the regular Mazda6 vs the 6MPS calipers? Saw a thread where someone had fitted Evo Brembos to their MPS with relatively minor modifications. Maybe possible for the 323? haha

MPS6 or speed6 as it's called in the US brakes do have exactly the same mounting points as the regular mazda6 so yes they will work.

[Jazzy]

Any difference in front callipers between the MPS 6 and standard 6?

[bjk]

MPS6 or speed6 as it's called in the US brakes do have exactly the same mounting points as the regular mazda6 so yes they will work.
Mad. :D Complete overkill, but still mad.
Any difference in front callipers between the MPS 6 and standard 6?
IIRC the MPS has a big single piston but the standard 6 are a smaller twin, someone correct me if I'm wrong.

[HAIGHIE]

Both single piston calipers,
MPS6 is a bigger piston, and 320mm rotor.

Mazda6 GH & GG wagon smaller pistiom then the 6mps but 299mm rotor

Mazda 6 GG non wagon same piston as the wagon but 276mm rotor i think they are.

[bjk]

Both single piston calipers,
MPS6 is a bigger piston, and 320mm rotor.

Mazda6 GH & GG wagon smaller pistiom then the 6mps but 299mm rotor

Mazda 6 GG non wagon same piston as the wagon but 276mm rotor i think they are.
Ahh, I wondered why there were two sizes for the GG 6.