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My big brake upgrade
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buildyourown
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PostPosted: Sun Mar 07, 2010 9:28 am    Post subject: My big brake upgrade Reply with quote

Well, after 6 months of toiling on this 2 hrs at a time after work, in the dark, I'm just about done. Sorry for the pic quality, again, taken in the dark.
I've received an incredible amount of help from this forum, especially those that have gone before me. Thanks to all who helped.

The rears:
94-04 Ford Mustang Cobra caliper
94-04 Ford Mustang Cobra 296mm vented rotor.
Custom brake lines.
Home made adapter.

I chose these for a couple reasons. I liked the idea of a big enough rotor that I wouldn't have to turn the hubs. I'm not sure why since it isn't that hard. I wanted vented rears. I wanted a turnkey e-brake install.

Adapters for the calipers are nothing special. 1/2" cold roll steel machined to the right shape. I ended up with around .275" of total offset.

Fitting the rotors was easy. Open up the holes by 1/32" and they slip right on. They have a lot of offset to them though. I had to run my 16mm spacer behind the rotor to give some room for an adapter. Not an issue, as I already had spacers. I you were trying to fit ET30 wheels, you would have a problem. One advantage to that much offset, is the caliper is far enough outboard the access to the lower shock bolt is not an issue.

The brake lines I had done for me at a local hydraulic shop for $60/set. I was told that the lines off of a ~2000 Cadillac Eldorado would bolt right up. The picture looks right. I went to my NAPA and the guy said, why bother searching for lines when you can just have them made? Fair enough. They are a perfect fit and I'm pleased. Pacific Rubber for anybody in Seattle.

E-brake was the same as Loogy's. Turn the end of a piece of 4" long plumbing pipe to lengthen the cable housing. The cable itself is perfect.

Only thing left is to make a bracket to secure the brake line. It would probably be fine, but it won't hurt either.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.
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Christopher Schimke
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PostPosted: Sun Mar 07, 2010 9:38 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Nice job, man! Curious to know how you like them/how they perform for you..
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r39o
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PostPosted: Sun Mar 07, 2010 10:43 am    Post subject: Re: My big brake upgrade Reply with quote

buildyourown wrote:
I chose these for a couple reasons. I liked the idea of a big enough rotor that I wouldn't have to turn the hubs. I'm not sure why since it isn't that hard. I wanted vented rears. I wanted a turnkey e-brake install.

Because it is easy to do. Easy later to replicate. It is simple. It follows certain rules for retrofitting and updating. One of the main rules being change as little as possible.

I sort of put this rear brake thing on the back burner myself. I used Mercedes rotors in the front which slipped over the old hubs and want the same brand for the rear. No luck yet, but I have not looked in quite some time.

It is a nice job you did. Please let us know haw it works and any other details you need to adjust to make them work well. Thanks for sharing.
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240Gordy
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PostPosted: Sun Mar 07, 2010 10:57 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

nice. love the way this works without machining, and Ford Mustang parts must be the most common aftermarket and performance parts now and in the future. a great future proof conversion.
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jeremysmithatshawdotca
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PostPosted: Sun Mar 07, 2010 4:30 pm    Post subject: Re: My big brake upgrade Reply with quote

buildyourown wrote:

Adapters for the calipers are nothing special. 1/2" cold roll steel machined to the right shape. I ended up with around .275" of total offset.


Any chance of posting a drawing?
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ZimZam
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PostPosted: Sun Mar 07, 2010 4:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Bravo! Thanks for the beta. If you get a chance could you throw up a pic of the adapter.
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buildyourown
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PostPosted: Sun Mar 07, 2010 5:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The adapter looks just like every other one posted on here so I didn't see a picture as being that informative.
But yes, I can throw some dimensions on it and post a screen shot.
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r39o
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PostPosted: Sun Mar 07, 2010 5:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Is it the same one you can by from Burley?
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Click to see my ads for Cup holders, Subaru clutch fix and CLK wheels (no wheels currently)
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buildyourown
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PostPosted: Sun Mar 07, 2010 6:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

r39o wrote:
Is it the same one you can by from Burley?


No. I believe the Burley one uses Audi calipers and much smaller rotors.
I meant the same as in every other machined, homebuilt adapter is visually the same.
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240Gordy
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PostPosted: Sun Mar 07, 2010 6:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

buildyourown wrote:
r39o wrote:
Is it the same one you can by from Burley?


No. I believe the Burley one uses Audi calipers and much smaller rotors.
I meant the same as in every other machined, homebuilt adapter is visually the same.


don't be so modest. some of us are not quite so handy matching VW with Ford.
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Tencentlife said,
"So, now that you know what you're doing, go to town."
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1985 GL now with more! a 2.1L
H&R SPORT(RED) Springs FRONT , SLAM SPECIALTIES RE6 AIRBAGS REAR
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r39o
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PostPosted: Sun Mar 07, 2010 8:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I was leaning towards the Mercedes 140 423 06 12 rotor as from an S420, but those Ford rotors are like $21. Hard to resist. Wonder if I can play games with the Burley brackets and get strictly buy and bolt on solution? Emmm......
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1990 Multivan EJ 22, Rancho trans 0.82 4th, Small Car front AC, CLKs w/ 215/65-16, homemade big brakes 303mm, Konis, Recaros, etc....

Click to see my ads for Cup holders, Subaru clutch fix and CLK wheels (no wheels currently)
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240Gordy
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PostPosted: Sun Mar 07, 2010 9:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

what holds the rotor in place? just the wheel nuts?
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Tencentlife said,
"So, now that you know what you're doing, go to town."
2010 GOLF TRENDLINE 2.5
1985 GL now with more! a 2.1L
H&R SPORT(RED) Springs FRONT , SLAM SPECIALTIES RE6 AIRBAGS REAR
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buildyourown
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PostPosted: Sun Mar 07, 2010 9:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

240Gordy wrote:
what holds the rotor in place? just the wheel nuts?

Yeah, that's how most setups work. Once the bolts are to proper torque, the wheel / rotor/ hub /spacer will act as one piece.
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buildyourown
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PostPosted: Sun Mar 07, 2010 9:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

r39o wrote:
I was leaning towards the Mercedes 140 423 06 12 rotor as from an S420, but those Ford rotors are like $21. Hard to resist. Wonder if I can play games with the Burley brackets and get strictly buy and bolt on solution? Emmm......


I don't think the Burley adapters would work at all with this big of a rotor. Your caliper position is going to be fixed and it won't fit over the rotor.
Don't make design decisions based on relatively cheap parts. If you save $100 and it takes 8 hrs of dicking around, how far ahead are you really?
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240Gordy
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PostPosted: Sun Mar 07, 2010 9:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I thought so. The bolt pattern is a tad off, just making the holes a little bigger works okay, what is it a tenth of an inch?

I guess if someone was real picky one could have a shop machine a 5X112 pattern?
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Tencentlife said,
"So, now that you know what you're doing, go to town."
2010 GOLF TRENDLINE 2.5
1985 GL now with more! a 2.1L
H&R SPORT(RED) Springs FRONT , SLAM SPECIALTIES RE6 AIRBAGS REAR
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buildyourown
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PostPosted: Sun Mar 07, 2010 9:49 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

240Gordy wrote:
I thought so. The bolt pattern is a tad off, just making the holes a little bigger works okay, what is it a tenth of an inch?

I guess if someone was real picky one could have a shop machine a 5X112 pattern?


1/32" = .03125

I was planning on redrilling them when Loogy suggested opening up the holes. I figured I had nothing to loose. I could always still redrill them.
The are not scary at all.
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240Gordy
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PostPosted: Sun Mar 07, 2010 9:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

ah, Loogy. He's the little devil that sits on your shoulder and says "just do it!"
I mean that in a good way.
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Tencentlife said,
"So, now that you know what you're doing, go to town."
2010 GOLF TRENDLINE 2.5
1985 GL now with more! a 2.1L
H&R SPORT(RED) Springs FRONT , SLAM SPECIALTIES RE6 AIRBAGS REAR
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Alaric.H
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PostPosted: Mon Mar 08, 2010 1:58 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

How is the E brake clamping force I wonder if it is better with lager rotors.
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mordeaux
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PostPosted: Mon Mar 08, 2010 7:13 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Is this fitment based on larger diameter wheels or would it work with stock 14" alloys?
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240Gordy
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PostPosted: Mon Mar 08, 2010 8:35 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

mordeaux wrote:
Is this fitment based on larger diameter wheels or would it work with stock 14" alloys?


the rotor in this conversion is 11.45667"
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Tencentlife said,
"So, now that you know what you're doing, go to town."
2010 GOLF TRENDLINE 2.5
1985 GL now with more! a 2.1L
H&R SPORT(RED) Springs FRONT , SLAM SPECIALTIES RE6 AIRBAGS REAR
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