I'm ideally trying to get the full GSL-SE suspension into my SA 13B-REW swap in order to have better wheel selection and better stopping power. As many of you know finding a donor car is the hard part. I have someone parting out the car but is not willing to ship anything large. I can't get the rear but hoping to get front suspension parts. I've read you can just swap the spindles and brake parts into a 79? I just want to confirm this is true. When I swapped an SE suspension into an 85 12a many years ago I just swapped the entire front end assembly.

1) Is there any benefit to swapping the entire GSL-SE front end into the 79 vs just the spindles/brakes for my goal?

2) If I can just swap the spindles, what parts do I have to have exactly in order to do so I can request all the right parts?

3) If he is able to ship with the entire strut assembly, will these bolt up to my car?

 

See if you can buy the whole car, finding a -SE rear end is not easy these days and would probably cost the same as auto freight if you can find one.
All hydraulic lines are different pitch so either replace them or get 1.25 to 1.00 adapters. I just put 1.00 nuts on mine.
-SE has power steering.. for better or worse.
The complete strut assembly with brakes will bolt up. Struts are different lengths, I believe.

 

I already asked. Also nowhere to store it. I have 3 members that will sell me a rear but all 3 are away due to military and other reasons.

I'm hoping I can just buy the struts with everything attached and connect to my steering. Seems the lower control arm is the same throughout all models and years.

Also I don't mind about line differences. Going to wind up with all sorts of custom work with this project.

 

Ah yeah, Toyota 8" would be a good fit for a REW swap.

 

@Chris79SA I may be interested in your old strut casings, if you go with the -se casings.

 

All S3 front struts and spindles (84 - 85) are the same. GSL-SE = GSL = GS so if you can't find SE front end just get 12A struts and put SE rotor/hub on them. The strut inserts were different, since 13B is a little heavier than 12A, but the spindles, tubes and springs are the same.

 

Good Knowledge, will definitely help me while I rummage around for these parts. I know rotors and calipers can still be purchased new/refurbished, but are the hubs any more available?

 

It doesn't have hubs. The struct tube/spindle is one unit.

The hardest part to find is the front caliper bracket along with rear calipers/brackets.

 

What are these then?

 

I've also just called these the rotors. You are correct, they are also the hub.

 

Yeah that's the rotor/hub. Its all one piece. To replace the front rotors you replace all that. The calipers are not available rebuilt anymore; you have to find those and rebuild yourself. So come to think of it you might be better off buying complete SE front assemblies.

 

Ahh so when you ordered the front rotors when they were still available you got that whole assembly? This is the part autozone gives you for front -SE rotors... from the price and picture it just seems to be the rotor, without the hub. https://www.autozone.com/brakes-and-...ers=4294854978

 

So the rotor IS the hub on these cars. On most modern cars the brake rotor fits onto the hub, and you don't have to mess with bearings or seals to change your brakes. But on the first gen rx7 the rotor and hub are cast as one piece. The rotor/hub gets the axle bearings pressed into it, then the wheel studs pressed in, then it goes on the spindle.
these rotors, the bearings & seals, and the brake pads and hoses are all still available. It's the calipers that arent available anymore from Napa, Knects, Autozone etc..
Also the Mazda strut tubes/spindles and the dust shields (which serve as caliper mounting brackets) are no longer available from Mazda.

 

So, to convert the front of an SA to a GSL-SE front end....
*FB strut assemblies (strut tube w/spindle welded on).
*-SE rotors, bearings, seals, wheel studs.
*-SE dust shields/caliper brackets (same thing, all one piece).
*-SE calipers.

To convert an FB (GSL, GS, or S trims) to a GSL-SE front, it's all the same stuff except you'd already have the strut assemblies/spindles.

Difference from SA to FB struts is length and spindle thickness (FBs have a larger bearing). I've only had a couple FB's so maybe an SA owner can add more info. But I converted my GS to -SE front brakes/bolt pattern so I know that part.

 

larger bearings/axles is only on the 84-85 (S3). that's why it's such an easy swap on the 84-85 12a cars.

 

But the SE still has a different mounting bracket than the other S3 cars for the brake calipers, correct?

 

Yes. It's the dust shield. The "mounting bracket" for the front calipers is a reinforced section of the dust shield. The 12A and 13B cars have different dust shields for the different sized rotors and calipers.

 

those are all the wrong pictures, at best. they show 5 lugs!

 

Chris here are pictures of the brake mounting "bracket", which is welded to the dust shield. This is sold as a single piece so if you find someone parting out an SE just ask for the front dust shields. The SE shields only work with SE calipers, and 12A car shields only work with 12A calipers.


The 4 inner bolts hold it to the strut (around the spindle) and the 2 rearward bolts holt the caliper onto the bracket. Ive always called them dust shields but everyone else is right... it's really a brake mounting bracket with a dust shield tacked on.

 

Sorry autozone link is worthless. I tried with another browser. With my browser cache it comes up as an SE front brake rotor.

 

Thanks for the pics! Much appreciated. I think I'm squared away now.