Expert Brake Advice
 

High Performance Manual Braking Systems
 
The braking systems recommended below are designed for those searching for higher performance braking capabilities.  These are systems that have been used successfully by our customers and us.  Each component below has been selected to optimize the capabilities of the system.  If an attempt is made to utilize some of the specified components, but not all of them in combination, then braking abilities may not be satisfactory.
 

ATTENTION:

·        For all manual braking setups use the brake pedal from a 1984 4-cylinder Mustang (Ford Part #08BZ2455A), this pedal can also be made by modifying the V8 Mustang pedal as specified in the FFR Manual (this modification should be done by a professional shop).

·        Some of the setups may not clear some wheel sizes and designs. 

·        For all rear disc brake setups, use a proportioning valve on the rear brakes.

·        We highly recommend using Porterfield R-4, Carbotech Panther Plus, or Hawk Blue brake pads.  Though costly, you will find a significant difference in your cars ability to stop.  If these pads are out of your price range, next in line would be Performance Friction Z-Compound pads.
 
4-lug (4.25” pattern)
 
  11”Front    
    Spindle OEM 87-93 V8 Mustang front spindle
    Rotor OEM 87-93 V8 Mustang 11” rotor
    Caliper OEM 87-93 V8 Mustang 60mm caliper
       
  10.5”Rear

Stainless Steel Brake Corp. 87-93 Mustang disc brake conversion kit (Part #A-112-1)
    OR
    Rotor OEM 87-88 Thunderbird Turbo Coupe 10.5” rotor
    Caliper OEM 87-88 Thunderbird Turbo Coupe 1.4375” caliper
    Bracket (If attempting to purchase the parts above separately, be aware that the mounting brackets for the calipers from the Thunderbirds do not work with the 87-93 Mustang axles, and the brackets are not sold by any major manufacturer individually.  There are a few small machine shops that sell custom brackets to make these calipers work.)
    OR
   

Complete 87-88 Thunderbird Turbo Coupe rear axle (This axle measures 61.125” hub-to-hub where the 87-93 Mustang measures 59.25” hub-to-hub, so wheel offsets need to be made accordingly).
Master Cylinder OEM 1982 Mustang Manual Brake ⅞” master cylinder, Bendix # 11764
       
5-Lug (4.5”pattern)
       
  13” Front Spindle OEM 94-newer Mustang front spindle (requires FFR Comp IFS bracket)
    Rotor OEM 94-98 Mustang Cobra* 13” rotor
    Caliper OEM 94-98 Mustang Cobra* 2 piston 1.5625” PBR caliper
       
  11.65” Rear Rotor OEM 94-98 Mustang Cobra* 11.65” rotor
    Caliper OEM 94-98 Mustang Cobra* single piston 1.4375” caliper
(Some salvage yard will confuse these with ’99 and newer IRS Cobra* models, which do not have the same components)
    Bracket OEM 94-98 Mustang Cobra* caliper bracket
   

OR
    Entire front and rear setup is available through Ford Motorsports (Part #M-2300-K)
   

OR
    Stainless Steel Brake Corporation has a rear disc conversion kit in a 5-lug version using stock 87-93 stock width axles.  This kit would use the Thunderbird Turbo Coupe 1.4375” calipers and 10.5” rotors.  (SSBC Part #A-112-2)
       
  Master Cylinder  OEM 1994 Mustang Cobra* 15/16” master cylinder (Plastic)
   

OR
    1984 Jeep Cherokee Manual Brakes 15/16” master cylinder (All steel)
 
  • The Cobra* brakes do not clear most Halibrand style wheels.
  • When using this setup, the ’94 and newer rear axles have a hub-to-hub distance of 61.125” compared to the ’93 and older rear axles that had a hub-to-hub distance of 59.25”.  Wheel offsets would need to be changed accordingly.
 

IRS Setup’s
 

·        Using the FFR Independent Rear Suspension with 89-97 Thunderbird Super Coupe rear disc brakes with the Cobra* front brakes use the 15/16” master cylinder.  With the IRS, the rear discs are 5-lug, so vehicles need to have the front rotors converted to 5-lug to match.  This five lug front conversion can be purchased from Ford Motorsports (Part # M-1102-C), or rotors from a ’91 Lincoln Mark VII can be used.  In both front conversions, the rotors bolt right on to the 87-93 front spindle, and use the 87-93 Mustang caliper.

·        If using Super Coupe rear calipers and Mustang front calipers use a 15/16” master cylinder. The Super Coupe caliper looks almost identical to the Turbo Coupe caliper.  The Super Coupe caliper has a 1.6875” piston and uses a different e-brake cable attachment.
 

4 or 5 lug

 
  12”Front Bear Racing Baer Claw System E7FM-10119-(4or5) DN kit includes spindles, 15/16" master cylinder, 12" diameter - 0.81" thick rotors, aluminum hubs that are separate from the rotor, 2 piston PBR calipers, stainless steel braided flexible brake lines, and pads.  This kit can be purchased in 4 or 5 lug versions.
       
 

This setup will clear 17” Halibrand bolt on wheels where as Mustang Cobra* brakes will not.
       
  11.35”Rear  Bear Racing Baer Claw System F3FM-10610- (4 or 5) BN kit includes 11.35" - 0.81" thick rotors, single piston PBR calipers, caliper brackets, e-brake cables, flexible stainless steel braided brake lines, and pads.  This kit can be purchased in 4 or 5 lug versions.
 

OR
Go a step further
       
  13”Front  Bear Racing Baer Claw System E7FM-10159- (4 or 5) HN kit includes spindles, 15/16" master cylinder, 13" diameter-1.10" thick rotors, aluminum hubs that are separate from the rotor, 2 piston PBR calipers, stainless steel braided flexible brake lines, and pads.  This kit can be purchased in 4 or 5 lug versions.
       
    This setup does not clear Halibrand wheels.
       
  12”Rear  Bear Racing Baer Claw System F3FM-10600- (4 or 5) DN kit includes 12" - 0.81" thick rotors, single piston PBR calipers, caliper brackets, e-brake cables, flexible stainless steel braided brake lines, and pads.  This kit can be purchased in 4 or 5 lug versions.
       
Alignment Specifications
 
Take your new car to an alignment shop and have the car aligned properly before hitting the track.  A minor flaw in alignment can cause very “twitchy” handling.  Avoid temptation and never drive a car without proper alignment.
 

Caster:  3°

Camber:  -0.5°

Total Toe:  1/16”
 
Miscellaneous Brake Information
 
  • The caliper from either Lincoln will bolt on to the Mustang spindle although the piston is 73mm in diameter, so it would not be well suited for the recommended brake setups above.  If this caliper is used, a 1” master cylinder from a ’93 Mustang Cobra*, 84-86 Mustang SVO or Bendix # 12669, although this is not an ideal setup.
  • Thunderbird Super Coupe 5-lug rear brakes have a 4.25” bolt circle where as the Mustang 5-lug bolt pattern uses a 4.5” bolt circle.  The IRS hubs need to be drilled to the Mustang pattern.  FFR supplies new studs with the IRS kit.
  • If you desire a dual master cylinder set up (having individual master cylinders for the front and rear), the following information will help with those installations:
 
  There are several different versions on the market.  Dual master cylinder units usually use a balance bar to proportion the amount of line pressures from the front to rear, so no proportioning valve is necessary.  We have used a unit from CNC brakes (part # 241).  This unit uses the Mustang bolt pattern, so it will simply bolt to the FFR foot box.  Use the following table to determine each master cylinder required.
 

Baer Brakes                                                                       602-233-1411   www.baer.com

Stainless Steel Brakes Corporation                                     800-448-7722   www.ssbrakes.com

Forte’s Parts Connection, Inc. (Ford Motorsports Dealer)  781-647-1530

CNC, Inc.                                                                          619-275-1663

AFCO Racing Products (supplier of CNC components)      812-897-0900   www.afcoracing.com

Mustang Part’s Specialties, Inc.                                           770-867-2644   www.stangparts.com

Porterfield Enterprises Ltd.                                                  800-537-6842

Carbotech Engineering                                                         954-493-9669

Hawk Brake, Inc.                                                                800-542-0972   www.hawkbrake.com
 

·        To calculate piston area, use the following equation:  πr2  (3.14159 x radius squared.)

·        If using calipers with more than one piston, calculate the area for each piston, and then add the areas together.  If the caliper has pistons on both sides of the rotor, disregard one side.
 

Caliper Piston Area (in2)

Master Cylinder Bore Diameter (in)

Up to 3.6

⅝

3.6 to 4.2

7/10

4.2 to 4.5

¾

4.5 to 4.7

13/16

4.7 to 5.5

⅞

5.5 to 5.9

15/16

5.9 to 6.3

1

6.3 to 7.6 max

1⅛
 
*Cobra is a registered trademark of Ford Motor Company and Factory Five does not use this term to describe or market its products.