Mazda Protege5 Bigger Brake upgrade

I have a 2002 Mazda protege5 and I want to upgrade to bigger brakes. From what I can find on threads available already states:

I need Mazda 6 rotors, calipers, pads, and brackets. It also states to have a 17” wheel diameter or larger.

First Question:
I know this bolts right on to the front, but does apply to the rear as well? Meaning does the mazda6 brake assembly bolt right onto a p5?

Second Question: Does the p5 e-brake and p5 brake lines connect directly to the mazda6 assembly?

Third Question: Am I missing anything?

Thanks in advance and I hope this helps others as well!
 
First answer: Yes, the big brakes will bolt right on to the front and back of the P5.

Second answer: No, the P5 P-Brake cables are too short.

Some guys had custom-built cables made.

Somebody posted about a different vehicle (pick up truck I think) where the cables from it fit but they were really long and had to be swooped around.

Still, other guys just used their P5 brake cables with zip ties. (not a good idea.)

Third answer: Probably, I'm not sure if I remember everything. Lol
 
IIRC the regular mazda 6 front brakes work with 16 inch rims, its only the mazdaspeed 6 rims that you need 17s

The 02-05 mazda 6 brakes are 11 inch rotors and 06-07 are slightly larger, but still work with 16 inch rims
 
"
IIRC the regular mazda 6 front brakes work with 16 inch rims, its only the mazdaspeed 6 rims that you need 17s

The 02-05 mazda 6 brakes are 11 inch rotors and 06-07 are slightly larger, but still work with 16-inch rims "

That's what I thought!!

I was considering the upgrade but changed my mind because my winter wheels are 15".

The stock rims and my summer wheels are 16"
 
I have a 2002 Mazda protege5 and I want to upgrade to bigger brakes. From what I can find on threads available already states:

I need Mazda 6 rotors, calipers, pads, and brackets. It also states to have a 17” wheel diameter or larger.

First Question:
I know this bolts right on to the front, but does apply to the rear as well? Meaning does the mazda6 brake assembly bolt right onto a p5?

Second Question: Does the p5 e-brake and p5 brake lines connect directly to the mazda6 assembly?

Third Question: Am I missing anything?

Thanks in advance and I hope this helps others as well!

Hey gualagann,

If you haven't already read around on here, these are some of the main places I looked for information. There's a ton of reading here, but It's all fairly useful and helpful. Have fun.


I haven't done any brake upgrades myself, but I've done a bit of research on it, so take my advice for what it's worth. There are also some other similar-era Fords and Lincolns which use the same brakes as the MZ6, which increases possibilities of finding parts for cheap. That's all discussed in those threads.

My parking brake doesn't work because of my shot rear calipers, so I've been looking out for the 99+ V6 626 rear calipers and appropriate hardware, because I believe they fit with the cable. I could be mistaken though.

Ben
 
" I've been looking out for the 99+ V6 626 rear calipers and appropriate hardware, because I believe they fit with the cable. I could be mistaken though. "

From what I remember, it was the 626 brakes that I was looking into
(I didn't know there were so many options.)

I'm pretty sure that those were the ones where our stock cables are too short.

The bracket that the p-brake attaches to is facing a different direction on the 626 calipers and our brake cable isn't long enough to swoop around and connect to it.

It's the part on the bottom left of this picture.



I remember one guy just used a bunch of zip ties to attach the end of the cable to the frame or something and it did sorta work but not too reliably.
The whole cable would move when he applied the p-brake.

Keep in mind that I'm not 100 percent sure about the details.
 
Oh boy, this is a fun project! Definitely worth it though

Front brakes are simples, bolt straight up and use all the standard lines. You've got 3 options, GY, GH and Speed6 versions (280, 300, 320mm disks from memory) GH and Speed6 require 17" wheels

Rears are more complicated. I used GH mazda6 calipers and rotors which bolted up but did need custom p-brake cables (350mm longer from memory)
20191025_165441.jpg

Good luck, there's lots of info floating around about this conversion so it can be a bit confusing!
 
Hey thanks, Lanki!!

That really helps to clarify things. A picture is worth a thousand words.
 
Hmmmm. I read
Somewhere that someone got around the parking cable issue by installing the left caliper onto the right side of the car, and the right caliper onto the left side of the car.
 
Hmmmm. I read
Somewhere that someone got around the parking cable issue by installing the left caliper onto the right side of the car, and the right caliper onto the left side of the car.

Huh!!??

That does look like it might work??
 
Read this thread from justin. He got mz6 08 calipers all around. Someone mentioned that the 99+ 626 has the same diameter as the rear mz6 rotors ... Read post #74

http://forums.probetalk.com/showthread.php?t=1701263582
The 99+ 626 rear brakes might be a better choice. This thread talks about the p5 having the same e brake cable length.
 
Read this thread from justin. He got mz6 08 calipers all around. Someone mentioned that the 99+ 626 has the same diameter as the rear mz6 rotors ... Read post #74

http://forums.probetalk.com/showthread.php?t=1701263582
The 99+ 626 rear brakes might be a better choice. This thread talks about the p5 having the same e brake cable length.

See that's what I was thinking, but I didn't want to correct anyone, having not done it for myself. I'd be interested to know for sure whether they are a direct swap, since I've got a line on where I can get a set. Just too busy right now to grab them and install them, but I'll try to at some point.

Ben
 
Hmmmm. I read
Somewhere that someone got around the parking cable issue by installing the left caliper onto the right side of the car, and the right caliper onto the left side of the car.
They wouldn't work reversed, because the bleeder nipple would be facing downward and would leave an air bubble.
 
They wouldn't work reversed, because the bleeder nipple would be facing downward and would leave an air bubble.

You wouldn't flip it upside down, you'd rotate it horizontally a bit like this... (sort of..)



As long as all the bolt holes line up but they should?
 
You could flip them over and make an extension for the bleed nipple to get it up above the caliper, it'd be a bunch of effort but it should work. I think I tried swapping the calipers side-to-side and the p brake cable ended up at a weird angle (It's got to come over the top super close to the strut)
20191025_165424.jpg


If anyone wants I can whip these off and swap them over tomorrow to snap a pic
 
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