cthom

I've been thinking about the rear disc conversion for the '01+ 4-lug cars with rear drums. From what I understand, the whole rear setup off a 5-lug car will bolt up. Only problem is then that you need 5 lug wheels. And then you'd need to convert the front to 5-lug as well. And then you'd 5-lug wheels. This has got to cost at least $500 even if you got an amazing deal on all the parts. Or, you can just import the 4-lug rear rotors. Correct me if I'm wrong on this. So, why not just redrill the 5-lug rotor you got with your rear disc donor setup for a 4-lug pattern? Any decent machine shop should be able to handle this. And I can't see how the integrity of the rotor will be compromised to the point of being unsafe. You won't see the other holes because they'll be behind the hub. I saw something like this on another forum. Any more informed people out there with input on this?

macdaddyslomo

the lugs are pressed into the hub, not the rotor....I certainly wouldnt feel comfortable drilling on the hub

cthom

I guess I wasn't clear. I certainly don't mean redrilling the hubs. Rather, I just mean redrilling the rotor hat, the portion that you slide onto the hub. It would end up looking like a uni-lug rotor.

macdaddyslomo

I think you need to take a closer look at the rear hub assembly...you cant just take the drums off, and slap on a redrilled 5 lug rotor...there is also the brackets and caliper. they arent going to just bolt on there...you need the entire rear hub assembly bolted on there and once again the lugs are pressed into the hub.

Roddimus Prime

yeah, where ae you going to hang your caliper? mount your ebrake cable?

import_tuner19

dude we are studying brakes in my Mechanics class, this isnt even half as easy as you are making it sound the geometry of the lug pattern is different plus like rod said what about the e-brake cable and caliper mount its more cost effective to buy a conversion kit then this good but finacially unfeasable idea. Keep thinking though cause i have the 4-lug/rear drum setup and it sucks.

cthom

Well, I asked for input and I certainly got it. I'm looking at 4-11-22 and 4-11-26 on the online Protege5 manual. Basically I was looking for a relatively inexpensive way to get rear disc for the 4-lug cars. Yes, you need the rear disc setup. Obviously you can't just unbolt the drum and stick a caliper, rotor, e-brake cables etc. Let me try to be more specific and see if this will work at all. I was thinking of taking the 5-lug upright (that's what I'll call the entire suspension assembly) and bolting it on the car, complete with caliper, rotor, e-brake cable, etc. But now you've got a 5-lug hub and a 4-lug wheel. Why can't the 5-lug hub be pressed out of the upright and the 4-lug hub pressed in? Then you'd just need to redrill the rotor to a 4X100 setup. At least I think so. Then you'd probably need a proportioning valve and probably a MC. It's a theory anyway. What do you all think?

import_tuner19

sounds good......on paper but i dont want to be the guinea pig for this one. But as long as the measurements are the same it should work in theory of course.

cthom

Yeah, in theory. It'd help if you could look at both the 5-lug and 4-lug set-up back to back. I'm away in school now and can't really work on my car in the parking lot. But in a few weeks I'll be home and take a look at the rear upright and hub closely. Does anyone have a clear pic of a 5-lug upright and hub, preferrably front and back?

seb_protege

Hello,

you have good idea to take the rear brake kits from P5 and swap the drum for disk. I have better idea than redrill the disk for work with 4 bolt patern. you can look for miata, protege 1&2 gen with rear disk or old mx6 or 626 with 4 bolt patern with rear disk. You probably find some disk are the same size of P5 rear disk will be easyer . only think you need after you found 4 bolt disk. It is press fit 4 bolt hub and about to change the master cylinder i'm not sure if you need to change. But for sure you need booster.

seb

jster28

The protege 1&2 gen Have 10.5 inch rear rotors. I had the whole spindle and hub assembly from the rear of a 1st gen pro w disk. also had the e brake cable. They WONT fit a 3rd gen Pro, everything fits except for the ladder suspension bars, i could have made them fit, but i would have to swap out my ladder bars with the weaker ladder bars for the 1st gen pro, but i wasn't going to sacrfic suspension.
Why do you want to change to disc? Drum brakes are more effective. Rear Disc brakes are 95% bling and 5% functional.

macdaddyslomo

Whoa !...this is off....Drums are equally effective, however the discs are much better at heat dissapation. First few stops, the drums will stop the same, but after that they will start fading due to heat.

As to the swap, you REALLY should look at the rear hubs on a 3rd gen with drums...you wont be able to press in the drum hubs to the 5 lug disc assemblies.

jster28

The drums have more braking surface, ie better stopping. they will fade, but disc also can warp from heat. It depends on how you drive. Most of the stopping power is done in the front brakes anyways, the rear only keeps the car for breaking loose into a skid. So i really dont see the point to change them, unless you going to be doing a lot of track runs.

jster28

I came across a tread on msprotege.com and they said that corksport has a 4lug disc conversion kit, it comes with almost eveything. You need to source your own calipers and e brake cable. Contact corksport and get the whole details, becuz its not listed on their website, but they do have it. Contact info at www.corksport.com

macdaddyslomo

I agree...waste of time and money