I have a 88 SE (shitty edition) and i wanna convert it to 5 lug cause i cant find the BBS wheels that i like in the horrible 114.3x4 lug pattern. How hard is a 5 lug conversion. if it's not too hard i will buy a GXL parts car and do the conversion...is it a matter of swapping hubs, or is there more involved?

 

Swap hubs, brakes (calipers and lines to calipers); master cylinder, proportioning valve, and booster. You might need a puller to get the rear hubs off the halfshafts, but it's pretty simple. The fronts are super easy to swap out. Be sure to torque everything to spec.

*not sure if the MC and P-valve is only for the 4-piston front brake setup, or if it also applies to the 5-lug single-piston front brakes as well

 

i just did the swap and just swapped the whole knuckles. pretty easy job.

 

That's what I mean when I say hubs: knuckles, whatever they're called.

 

the only thing you would have to swap for the brakes are the calipers and the brake lines.... 4 lug front calipers have different brake lines than 5-lug 4 piston calipers, so, they will have to be swapped..im not talking about the entire cars brake lines, just the line that comes directly off the caliper, and screws into the brake line mounted on the fender well!.. everything else is the same! unless the other car has ABS, then thats a totally different ballgame!

not positive on if the masters and p-valve are different, but ive done the swap 3 times on friends cars, never swapping the master or the p-valve and it worked perfectly, thats why i say they dont need to be swapped

 

I dont wanna do it so much for the brakes, but more for the availability of wheels for the 5 lug

 

lol....well, you'll be killing 2 birds with one stone.... your gonna love your new braking capabilities now! i agree with the whole wheel thing... mazda has a very common 5 lug pattern found on alot of other manufacturers...like, mitsubishi, ford, and i think nissan.... its 5x4.5 if im not mistaken