Larger front disk upgrade, keeping 4-lug?

[Fett]

I searched and only found info about upgrading front brakes via 5-lug swap. I don't want to upgrade to 5-lug, as I like pony rims, and I have two sets of them. Plus upgrading rims and tires would put the cost of a brake upgrade too high.

I would like to get larger front disks, possible two piston calipers...but something that would be fairly cheap to do. All th etime kepeing my 4-lug, 16" rims.

 

[bill302]

there out ther but they are expensive click on link
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/79-9...ryZ33564QQssPageNameZWD1VQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

[795.0pacecar]

Those aren't any bigger than the stock brakes, they are just drilled and have 4 piston calipers.

 

[Fett]

Thanks guys, I appreciate the info. I actually found some info by searching Yahoo.....which ironically enough turned up a thread on here that I didn't find by searching within the forums. I guess I just suck at using the search feature.

In case anybody else is looking at this thread for the same info, here is the link I found.

It basically says that getting 91 Mark front calipers give you a 73mm piston (steel) vs the 60mm stockers. That and upgrading to SS brake lines and steel caliper bushings will probably get me what I want. I just want better stopping power, I am not looking for any "cool" upgrades...I just want to get better brakes. I figured that larger rotors would be what I was looking for, but doing these inexpensive upgrades should help with the stopping power.

http://mjbobbitt.home.comcast.net/mustang/tech_page.html#Brake Bushings

 

[JAM]

check out

maximum motorsport fox upgrade kit
used it in my 92notch, seem to lock em up whither i want to or not

 

[LEE93COBRA]

I run a 4-lug Baer setup on my cobra. 13" rotors, 2 piston calipers. Best upgrade that can be done to a fox, PERIOD!

You could not use this kit with your 16" pony's though but I am positive that they offer a 12" rotor upgrade.

I don't think you will notice a difference in the Lincoln upgrade

 

[Lscman]

Oversize 12" disc 4-lug kits used to be sold by Baer. Folks running in SCCA used to run them for certain ponycar road track stock classes. I'm sure they are expensive, if they're even sold anymore.

It's generally cheaper to buy 4 new 5-bolt wheels because you save by choosing from many price-competitive 5-lug brake kits. A decent set of 5-lug wheels is $500....easily the cost differential between a low production oversize 4-lug brake kit and a BETTER 5-lug system.

The bigger piston calipers for Mark VII and Crown Vic are a stupid update for Mustang with drums. They do nothing more than overwork the already overworked 10.9" rotors and throw off your brake bias.

 

[Lscman]

I just completed upgrading my '79 4 cyl turbo front brakes. I switched from the tiny 9" Pinto carryover setup to the modestly upsized 10.2" disks found on most early V8 Fox cars and all '87-'93 Fox 4 cyl only. Clearly Ford engineers realized that the marginal 10" brakes were needed on a 4 cyl car.

This conversion from 9" to 10" required new bearings, new spindles, new calipers, new hoses, new brake pads & revisions to the steel formed lines on the chassis. Basically this is a BBK upgrade...and not much simpler. This upgrade would be quite cost prohibitive, unless you have used parts laying around like I do. I still think I blew $300 on this mod, including fresh Brembo rotors.

An unexpected complication involved retrofitting brake hoses. The hoses for the larger brakes have a different size fitting thread on the end that goes to the steel formed lines in the engine compartment. I think the original lines for 9" brakes had 3/8" thread and the lines for 10" brakes need to be 7/16" thread. Anyway, I had to fabricate a new steel line for the driver's side to the proportioning valve and form a short piece of line with copler and double flare for the passenger side. That set me back $75 for tubing benders and double flare tool. What a friggin' hassle to gain 1" of rotor size...Ford's brilliant idea to bastardize every setup & thwart mechanics.

The improvement in braking is significant. The 10" setup provides more torque bias to the front & that was welcome. They don't overheat as quickly either.

I decided against installing the larger '87-'93 10.9" V8 setup because they do not allow the use of 14" rims. I have fresh 14" tires mounted on nice T-Bird wheels for winter snow season and my car is driven all year....so not throwing those away to gain 0.7" more rotor diameter.

I might win the record for installing the smallest BBK ever (lol). They still look tiny through my SN-95 Cobra R repro wheels, but the rear drums look even stupider.

 

[Lscman]

dupl

 

[Lscman]

dupl2

 

[Lscman]

.............I don't think you will notice a difference in the Lincoln upgrade

I agree. The Lincoln caliper's larger piston will not improve braking at all. They are specifically used to provide proper bias and mate with the 11.35" rear rotors on SVO/Saleen/Motorsport. In other cases, all it does is throw too much bias to the front on cars that do not need that. It makes the overworked front brakes work even harder which leads to premature fade.

The limitations associated with the stock 10.9" rotor setup involve insufficient rotor size. Installing a bigger piston only aggravates the heat issues.

The Lincoln oversize pistons were rolled out for two reasons:

1) to provide proper pedal effort on 3800# Lincoln Conti or Mark VII that used totally different brake booster strategies.

2) Before Lincoln Continental/Mark VII, these larger pistons were sized to provide proper pedal feel in 2 ton Crown Victoria. They do not offer stronger or more fade resistance braking, they only allow 100lb girls with scrawny leg muscles lock up wheels in a panic stop. Less pedal pressure is seldom helpful under performance conditions.