Brakes FOX BRAKES ISSUES
- Thread starter PonyGTrider
- Start date
FYI--The adjustable proportional valve can be located where the stock proportional valve was at. Looks cleaner IMO. Only 1 adapter is needed for the top fitting, the stock lines will thread right into the bottom and rear of the valve.
Last edited:
For now the prop. Adj. valve will stay where it is now, it is kind of easy to access it to make adjustments for bleeding. Just will delete the stock proportioning valve and leave just the hard lines tucked against the strut tower, it will look clean and maybe latter I will install a lock-line solenoid
Thanks for the info
By the way I will customize the hard brake lines under the master cylinder replacing the mixed size brake line nuts for one size only. It will look simpler and cleaner
UPDATE:
Well I completed all the tasks as planned.
Deleted the stock proportioning valve, with all one size custom brake lines nuts, dumped all the synthetic DOT4 from the master cylinder replacing it with fresh synthetic DOT3 and did a complete bench bleeding, reinstalled the master cylinder, fully opened the Willwood adjustable proportioning valve (Knob all the way in) and started bleeding the system the order I always do; Rear Right / Rear Left / Front Right / front Left.
Purposely Ileft the Willwood adjustable proportioning valve fully opened and went out for a test drive.
The damn brakes feel the same!!! Not enough brakes bite to my dislike!!!
At this point all I have done didn’t make a difference so there are just two more things left to take the blame. Either the ‘95 GT master cylinder is too big, even though too many people are using it and they say they have firm braking.
The other thing is my ceramic brake pads are not good at least for what I’m expecting. And really don’t want to use semi metallics so I will search for better quality ceramics like Power Stop, actually those are Carbon Fiber-Ceramic.
Will see what I can find
Thank you all
Well I completed all the tasks as planned.
Deleted the stock proportioning valve, with all one size custom brake lines nuts, dumped all the synthetic DOT4 from the master cylinder replacing it with fresh synthetic DOT3 and did a complete bench bleeding, reinstalled the master cylinder, fully opened the Willwood adjustable proportioning valve (Knob all the way in) and started bleeding the system the order I always do; Rear Right / Rear Left / Front Right / front Left.
Purposely Ileft the Willwood adjustable proportioning valve fully opened and went out for a test drive.
The damn brakes feel the same!!! Not enough brakes bite to my dislike!!!
At this point all I have done didn’t make a difference so there are just two more things left to take the blame. Either the ‘95 GT master cylinder is too big, even though too many people are using it and they say they have firm braking.
The other thing is my ceramic brake pads are not good at least for what I’m expecting. And really don’t want to use semi metallics so I will search for better quality ceramics like Power Stop, actually those are Carbon Fiber-Ceramic.
Will see what I can find
Thank you all
An you are 100% sure that the calipers are functioning correctly? On these cars about 70%+ of the braking is done with the front brakes. What type of soft lines do you have going from the hard lines to the front calipers? Have you ever replaced the rear soft line between the body and the rear end?
So what are you using for the soft lines? OEM style rubber or SS braided teflon? If rubber how long have they been on the car and were they new when installed?
I'm using OEM style rubber, front replaced with Cobra swap. Rear was replaced a couple years prior to that.
All the calipers working fine.
The rear soft brake lines are new.
At front I don’t have soft lines, I have Goodridge stainless steel braided lines.
Thank you
All the calipers working fine.
The rear soft brake lines are new.
At front I don’t have soft lines, I have Goodridge stainless steel braided lines.
Thank you
Do you have an IR temp gun?
If so, can you go for a drive. Average driving, and periodically shoot the rotors? Maybe go make a couple good stops and check temps? On my two with each having cobra brakes, I get about roughly the same temps after 10 mins of driving with the rears a tiny bit cooler.
Did you ever crack bleeders and check for good flow to the rears? What about sticking the rear end up on jackstands and putting it in first gear and seeing how much brake pressure it actually requires to slow/stop the wheels.
A brake pressure gauge might come in handy too.
I hate to say change the MC without doing the above because I’m not convinced fully it’s the mc yet. At this point I’m still checking things off the list and gathering data
If so, can you go for a drive. Average driving, and periodically shoot the rotors? Maybe go make a couple good stops and check temps? On my two with each having cobra brakes, I get about roughly the same temps after 10 mins of driving with the rears a tiny bit cooler.
Did you ever crack bleeders and check for good flow to the rears? What about sticking the rear end up on jackstands and putting it in first gear and seeing how much brake pressure it actually requires to slow/stop the wheels.
A brake pressure gauge might come in handy too.
I hate to say change the MC without doing the above because I’m not convinced fully it’s the mc yet. At this point I’m still checking things off the list and gathering data
I do have an IR gun, never crossed my mind running that test.
I just replaced the whole brake fluid and paid attention to the flow coming out of the bleeders and it looks good.
I’ll follow your suggestion on purting the rear end on jack stands.
I’m already starting to believe that maybe the ceramic pads are to blame but then I never had a solid braking feeling from the beginning even with the Hawk HPS pads, as you can see I’m getting very confused…
Thank you
Wanted finish my incomplete though with regards to bedding the brakes. If you have done this and you still are not satisfied with the performance of the ceramic brake pads or the Hawk HPS (these need more heat in them to work properly) something is definitely wrong. I had the Hawk HPS on my car when it had the GT/V6 brakes and the 99+ front calipers and it would clamp down hard. I did not like all the dust so I put stock Ford pads on and it still stopped really well.
Just for reference the 93, 95R and 00 Cobra MC has a 1” bore, the 94/95 V6/GT MC has a 1-1/16” bore, the 94/95 Cobra MC has a 15/16" bore, and a stock 87-93 MC roughly has a 13/16" bore.
Just for reference the 93, 95R and 00 Cobra MC has a 1” bore, the 94/95 V6/GT MC has a 1-1/16” bore, the 94/95 Cobra MC has a 15/16" bore, and a stock 87-93 MC roughly has a 13/16" bore.
94-95 Cobra (with vacuum assist brakes) used the 15/16” bore MC, but also had smaller caliper pistons up front. Those units had 38mm pistons.
99-04 cobra calipers are 40.5mm pistons, which is why I personally recommend the 1” bore MC with this setup. The 1/16” larger bore matches the increase in piston surface area.
Also, I fudged up earlier when I said a 94-95 GT 1 1/16” on that setup would make the pedal soft. Opposite actually. It would be firmer. Purely subjective if it’s too firm. Once you get the system up and running and find waaay too much leg effort to stop, then you can make the change.
99-04 cobra calipers are 40.5mm pistons, which is why I personally recommend the 1” bore MC with this setup. The 1/16” larger bore matches the increase in piston surface area.
Also, I fudged up earlier when I said a 94-95 GT 1 1/16” on that setup would make the pedal soft. Opposite actually. It would be firmer. Purely subjective if it’s too firm. Once you get the system up and running and find waaay too much leg effort to stop, then you can make the change.
Yeah those hawk pads are damn dusty!
I just want note that with the Hawk hts pads the braking feeling was a tad better than these ceramic pads.
In fact I’m already starting believing these ceramics are not good, I left a detail aside because never thought it was somehow related to this issue.
When I’m standing after parking I always pull the parking/emergency brake but no matter how hard I pull the lever the car always starts sliding because there is not enough friction to bite the rear discs.
I’m starting to believe these ceramics friction coefficient is too low and that’s why the pads probably bite hard but the pads just don’t stop the car efficiently.
So regarding the master cylinder do you think I should get the 93 cobra 1” bore???
Similar threads
