HELP-Upgrading to LX brakes and have a problem

[Silentbob343]

I "finished" the fronts and it looks ad though my car is pigeon toed


I think I ****ed up when I jacked up the part of the LCA to push in the lower ball joint. Don't think that's it though as that would be like driving over uneven ground. Haven't messed with the tie rods I popped them out of the old knuckle and put them in the new spindles. Don't know why they are so out of whack

Second issue I just attached one of the wheels and torqued it down to the hub. The wheel/brake disc seem to wobble back and forth. Don't remember my old front discs/wheels being able to wobble like this. I should have a small video to show the what I’m talking about.

Edit to add:
I believe these might be GTX knuckles as I got them from the Greatelbobo. My axles went in to the hub with no problem, i.e. spline counts match or I guess. Damn I posted this in general can a mod move it to Brakes/suspension.

[Silentbob343]

I think I figured out the woble. I think it's a difference in protege steelie lug nuts and miata alloy lugs nuts. I also noticed that even without the wheel on the hub the old lug nut didn't want to thread all the way. Tomorrow I'll purchase a die and run it over the wheel studs.

As far as my crazy alignment...I still don't know. Perhaps the portion of the knuckle that the tie rod bolts to is longer on the LX/GTxthan on the DX? I haven't measured them. Should I adjust the tie rod ends as best I can to get a more normal alignment?

[bmikedaman]

I think I figured out the woble. I think it's a difference in protege steelie lug nuts and miata alloy lugs nuts. I also noticed that even without the wheel on the hub the old lug nut didn't want to thread all the way. Tomorrow I'll purchase a die and run it over the wheel studs.

As far as my crazy alignment...I still don't know. Perhaps the portion of the knuckle that the tie rod bolts to is longer on the LX/GTxthan on the DX? I haven't measured them. Should I adjust the tie rod ends as best I can to get a more normal alignment?

I'd have to guess that you're right, the knuckles have a different length on the tie rod boss. If you can figure out how much different the length is, you can adjust each tie rod the right ammount, but id definately go get an alignment right away.

[Silentbob343]

I'd have to guess that you're right, the knuckles have a different length on the tie rod boss. If you can figure out how much different the length is, you can adjust each tie rod the right ammount, but id definately go get an alignment right away.

Yeah I just took some basic measurements and the boss looks to be 1/2" to 1" longer than my older DX knuckles. Funny how in all the swap threads that fact was never mentioned . I don't even think I could drive the car the way it is now. I needed an alignment before the brake swap and I put it off until I did the swap. I will have to try and adjust it before taking it some place to have it done professionally.

After comparing the lug nuts I tried to use with my miata wheels to my other lug nuts I can say that protégé steelie lug nuts will not work with miata alloy wheels. Our, Mazda, lug nuts have conical seats and on the set I used on the miata wheels the metal past the seat had been rubbed to a shine. On the other sets, only the seat was shiny.

Oh well hopefully I should be done tomorrow. I’m going to try and find a 12MX1.5 die to chase the wheel stud threads. I need to stop by my local J/Y as I can’t find the 4 rear caliper mounting bolts in my garage. I installed the nyoil shifter bushings……I hate shifter bushings and I ran the e-brake cables. I will have to modify the ES frame mounts, stock mounts are too small to hold the ES bushing and wrap around the sway bar and push in the ES trailing arm bushings. An easy way to remove trailing arm bushings is to use a ball joint puller, would also work to remove the lateral link bushings. Last but not least, bleed the brakes and put on the wheels.

Damn, when I list everything I still need to do it looks like a lot.

When I put in the new pads they were contacting the rotor, I have new rotors as well. I’m fairly certain the front pistons were pushed all the way in to the caliper body, is this normal?

[bmikedaman]

Damn, when I list everything I still need to do it looks like a lot.

When I put in the new pads they were contacting the rotor, I have new rotors as well. I’m fairly certain the front pistons were pushed all the way in to the caliper body, is this normal?

IE it was reallllly hard to get the pads around the rotor? I've noticed this being an issue lately. I think some of the pad makers are putting too much material on the pads to squeeze a little more life out of them. On my ZX2 I had to take a couple of the non essential shims out to get the damn thing assembled.

[mike_moss]

If you got the wheels torqued down and the wheel still wobbles a bit, it's probably your wheel bearing.

Did you replace them when you did this major overhaul?

[D323]

moved for ya.

I too have noticed a bit of touching on my pads rotors as well since they are both brand new. I still have to bleed the crap out of the system though.

[Silentbob343]

If you got the wheels torqued down and the wheel still wobbles a bit, it's probably your wheel bearing.

Did you replace them when you did this major overhaul?

No, I don't have cash right now. I know what you are thinking...how the hell did he get all of that crap, and do this swap, if he doesn't have the cash to replace the wheel bearings?

I purchased most everything 5-6 months ago when I was still working. I was just waiting on the front spindles from a forum member. I really did want new wheel bearings, new tie rods, etc. But I I need to buy books for this semester etc.

[Silentbob343]

you guys are going to be sick of me if you arent already:

Passeger side endlink is touching the axle, but not on the drivers side:
Passenger side

Driver side:


For the alignment I disconnect both spindles from the tierod ends and tried to ballparkwhere straight should be with the steering wheel. Looking at the tierod ends it doesn't look like there will be enough thread to shorten the rod length.

[bmikedaman]

you guys are going to be sick of me if you arent already:

Passeger side endlink is touching the axle, but not on the drivers side:
Passenger side


For the alignment I disconnect both spindles from the tierod ends and tried to ballparkwhere straight should be with the steering wheel. Looking at the tierod ends it doesn't look like there will be enough thread to shorten the rod length.

I'm gonna have to say I think you have the wrong spindles. Perhaps the GTX spindles are different in the mounting boss for the tie rods? Are you sure the LX calipers and rotors wont work on the DX spindles?

[Silentbob343]

Christ........don't say that....... I need this car up and running tonight.

I'm not sure what I can and can't use. I was told that the DX calipers could not be used.

If there is somebody in the Atlanta area that has some LX spindles I can pick up tonight? Or does anybody know if my DX spindles will work.....**** I'll go try it now.

How badly would things get ****ed up if I drove on theses spindles?

[bmikedaman]

Christ........don't say that....... I need this car up and running tonight.

I'm not sure what I can and can't use. I was told that the DX calipers could not be used.

If there is somebody in the Atlanta area that has some LX spindles I can pick up tonight? Or does anybody know if my DX spindles will work.....**** I'll go try it now.

How badly would things get ****ed up if I drove on theses spindles?

uh, you'll put a pretty serious hurtin on your tires, not to mention the car is going to handle WAY messed up, it'll be bad. Why don't you pull a caliper and rotor off and bolt them to the DX spindles and see if they fit right, if they do, swap those spindles back on.

Scratch that, you need LX spindles for LX brakes, can you just run the DX spindles with the old DX brakes for now?

[Silentbob343]

uh, you'll put a pretty serious hurtin on your tires, not to mention the car is going to handle WAY messed up, it'll be bad. Why don't you pull a caliper and rotor off and bolt them to the DX spindles and see if they fit right, if they do, swap those spindles back on.

Scratch that, you need LX spindles for LX brakes, can you just run the DX spindles with the old DX brakes for now?

Yeah I'm going to swap on the old brakes. I am so ****ing pissed right now.

[mike_moss]

No, I don't have cash right now. I know what you are thinking...how the hell did he get all of that crap, and do this swap, if he doesn't have the cash to replace the wheel bearings?

I purchased most everything 5-6 months ago when I was still working. I was just waiting on the front spindles from a forum member. I really did want new wheel bearings, new tie rods, etc. But I I need to buy books for this semester etc.

Not at all man, I can understand it. I think you should've taken a bit more time and done the wheelbearings as well though. But doing it like you have, I think you may have saved yourself from pressing wheel bearings into useless hubs (see below).

I'm gonna have to say I think you have the wrong spindles. Perhaps the GTX spindles are different in the mounting boss for the tie rods? Are you sure the LX calipers and rotors wont work on the DX spindles?

I hope Mike's wrong for your sake, but I wouldn't be surprised if he was right. Now that he's mentioned it, the tie rods and steering racks could be slightly different on the GTX based on the following information. The actual frame rail is different and it's alot beefier. Check the attached image. The frame is slightly different, it's totally possible the steering rack is pushed back and the tie rods are different as well as the tie rod end locations. My 4WD is the same way.

[Silentbob343]

Yeah I just swapped on the old calipers and spindles. I just need to bleed the system and put the wheels on.

Some time this week I'll go to the pull-a-part and pull off some LX spindles.









Anybody want GTX spindles