How to: 5 Stud / lug swap

[marcdh]

I've been receiving quite a few PMs about how I converted my mx3 to 5 stud.

The front part was already known to fit due to the millenia 2 pot / subaru calliper upgrade:
Mazda 323F BA V6 / Lantis Type R spindles bolt right up to the mx3.


Front Component List:
323F v6 spindles
Mx-3 / 323 wheel bearing (same)
323F v6 hubs
323F v6 brake discs (slightly larger diameter - specs will be added)
323F v6 callipers (an upgrade in piston size and no more sliding pins to sieze up)
323F v6 brake pads (large SA also I believe)


All this bolts right up. Uses mx3 axles. ABS functionality is retained.

The rear was the gamble, being unknown territory, however it turned out to be the easiest part. The wheel bearing & hub assembly is a one piece unit, just like the mx3. It bolts on to the axle stub, just like the mx3 part. Simply use 323F v6 brake disc and retain the rest mx3 parts. Again ABS functionality is retained.

Front Component List:
323F v6 wheel bearing & hub assembly
323F v6 brake disc
The rest your standard mx-3 parts.




Front Brake Specs in mm :
PAD SIZE:
Mx3 91.7 71
323F* 128 53.3

DISC SIZE:
Mx3 45 257 22
323F* 45 274 22

BRAKE PISTON SIZE:
Mx3 53.9
323F* 57

Rear brakes use same parts, discs are virtually the same except 5 holed.

*323F V6 model only








I'll pad this out later with more pics etc later.

[WhiteFinish]

Nice going Marc !

For me its not clear where the ABS ring attaches to? Is this the 5 lugs hub or some other part?

[marcdh]

On the front it remains on your outer CV joint as part of the axle.

On the rear the ABS ring is attached to the hub/wheel bearing assembly, as it is the rotating part, and the stub axle is static. In the last pic in the bottom right you can see the 4 stud mx3 wheel bearing and the ABS ring on the base. The 323 part comes fitted with the ABS ring, which is the same diameter.

[DeadMaker]

Great post..!
The 323f v6 spindle and hubs are different from 1.5 model?

[marcdh]

Yep, 1.5 BA has:
4 studs
Similar if not the same calipers as mx3
Similar if not the same spindles

I know this because my brother has one and from doing work on his car.

[Josh]

To add a little bit onto this for the US guys. The 323F is virtually the same as the Mazda Protege 5. SO, after some research I have found the front hubs of the MP5 and MAZDASPEED Protege to use the exact same barring as the MX3 meaning it is a direct swap.

I have not been able to confirm the rears yet however.

Thanks again Marcdh for the info!

[Tavman_1213]

That would be awesome if the Protege 5 was the same as the 323F cause then I would just steal it off of my wifes car!!! If you want I can pop the wheel off and take some pictures if that would help??

[fowljesse]

Thanks, Marc! now that I'm back, I'm going to steal almost all of your ideas. Thanks for the additional info, Josh!

[RogueWolf]

Maybe I'm missing a newer thread on the matter, but did anyone ever confirm that the Mazdaspeed Protege's front and rear spindles are direct swap with our MX3?

[RogueWolf]

The spline count on the Mazdaspeed Protege's hubs are 26 teeth.

What is the spline count of the MX3's axle?

[MrMazda92]

26, IIRC.
So far as I have ever seen, the fronts are workable, but the rears are not. 1st gen Probe/MX6 rear discs are an improvement over factory, and performance pads/rotors are available as well. Popular cars, although the V6 and Turbo models were less common.

[Josh]

The fronts are a direct swap using GS axles. The rears I have not confirmed, as I had not intended on using the rears. I have been told they do swap in, but have not been able to check the bearing specs. They are not very common to come across in the wrecker.