Time for new brakes... What are your favorite?!

[san~man]

Cobra / Mach 1 brake upgrade from BuyFordRacing - unless you are building a TRUE race car (and not just a weekend warrior), you're pissing away money for overkill bling. Now go get that big bookshelf wing for the back and talk to us about all the downforce you gain (like you really need it...)

I would argue that a 4 pot caliper would be the most that anyone would need.

A 6 pot caliper, however, would most likely be overkill.

 

[ReefBlueCoupe]

The brakes on my 04 GT aren't gone yet, but when they do go, the 2000 Cobra R brake kit is what I'm getting. Yes, the PBR 2 piston Mach/Bullit/Cobra setup is cool, and adequate. Then again, a Tercel is adequate if you're just going from point A to point B

I want a brake setup you don't see every day, yet doesn't cost thousands of dollars. The Y2K setup fits the bill at $900 bucks.

For the rear, I will use the Baer kit for 94-04 GTs which is simply a 13.25" rotor and a spacer to move the stock caliper out.

Here is a pic of that setup on the rear of my old 95 GT:

 

[san~man]

That rear Baer kit hasn't gotten many good reviews. You should think twice about that.

 

[ReefBlueCoupe]

That rear Baer kit hasn't gotten many good reviews. You should think twice about that.

Are you talking to me? If so, I don't need to think twice because I've already bought, installed, used, and sold the car it was on. I have nothing bad to say about it.

I should say that I bought it knowing it wasn't going to help much with braking, but with a Baer kit up front, it just looked gay to have the tiny, rusted stock rotors out back.

 

[Mustang5L5]

I should say that I bought it knowing it wasn't going to help much with braking, but with a Baer kit up front, it just looked gay to have the tiny, rusted stock rotors out back.

I agree with you about the puny brakes out back, but your statement is slightly contradictory.

You said that the CObra 2-piston brakes were just "adequate" and want a high performance front brake setup, but then compliment it with a 1/2" thick solid rear rotor.

The Baer 12" or 13" track rear setup or even the Cobra 11.65" rear setup all feature thicker vented rotors which will perform better.

But then again, with huge powerful front brakes doing all the work, you don't need to be as picky in the rear.

 

[ReefBlueCoupe]

But then again, with huge powerful front brakes doing all the work, you don't need to be as picky in the rear.

That's mainly the reason I would run that setup. It is a daily driver, albiet a dry weather only daily driver. I might autocross it once or twice a year, and I would like to try open tracking it at some point since that's something I've never done. Because I wouldn't need so much braking power, I don't think I'd need the Cobra rears.. Also with the Baer setup, it's really easy to take off and sell should I decide I need to uprade the rear brakes.

I have always loved the Brembo Cobra R brakes, and I should make it clear that I wouldn't only want it for looks. I have always had a hardon for nice looking brakes but I think the price difference between PBR and Brembo is worth it for what you get with the Y2K brakes. I know they would perform very, very well. Looking great is just an added bonus.

 

[01Steeda]

True I overlooked that. Physics says that moving the pads out farther from the center of rotation will produce an enhanced braking effect. But one needs to consider radius not diameter in this situation. The change in radius is not a lot...

but another thing to note is the change in radius is proportional to the change in diameter so therfore it is =.

I feel mart

 

[the_rooster]

anyone have ebs breaks, i;m getting a set next week

 

[Kilgore Trout]

but another thing to note is the change in radius is proportional to the change in diameter so therfore it is =.

I feel mart

He said an "extra 2.2" but he was considering diameter. The correct number is 1.1" because radius is what needs to be considered. Again as I said, not a lot especially when you look at the actual pad positions.

 

[007]

The amount of rotor area that the pad contacts goes up with the square of the radius.

 

[Kilgore Trout]

No the pad size is the same on both.

 

[Mustang5L5]

I think the GT's PBR caliper is a better caliper.

The pads area is slightly larger than the cobra and the pistons are 44.5mm vs the 40mm of the 99+ Cobra caliper (38mm for 94-98)

It's ugly as sin though in my opinion

 

[DerekStangGT]

Brake fade has to do with the material the pads are made from and if you fluid is boiling ONLY.

what about how well the rotors dissipate heat?

 

[DerekStangGT]

True I overlooked that. Physics says that moving the pads out farther from the center of rotation will produce an enhanced braking effect. But one needs to consider radius not diameter in this situation. The change in radius is not a lot...

i think +1.1" in radius? thats a substantial amount, even on a street car. the reasons after market brakes perform better are thus:

1) larger rotors add more radius, thus make braking easier/enhancing the feeling of braking.

2) many times (not always, as in the case of the Cobra/Mach upgrade) aftermarket calipers will have more pistons to increase stopping power. more pistons= a bigger area for fluid to press against, thus providing more stopping power. this is why '00 Cobra R 4 piston > Cobra/GT 2 Piston and Willwood/Brembo 6 piston > all

3) Many times, the rotors are higher quality as well. stronger metal will better resist warpage, and larger rotors will absorb more heat. also, slotted rotors will dissipate heat better, thus greatly reducing brake fade. brake fade is a drop in braking performance due to heatsoak basically. brakes need to be warmed up, but not too hot.

4) pad material affects braking tons also. it may be one of, if not the biggest factor. im no genius when it comes to pad material, but there are many out there. metallic, semi-metallic, organic, ceramic. ceramic is supposedly the best performing b/c it resists heat the best and clamps better i think. again, not too sure about pad material.

 

[whyask]

have the 6 piston series "Gran Turismo" Brembo set on the front. and rear, 14" cross drilled and i love the stopping power...The pads alone are as much as some rotors..kinda a PITA, but it gets the job done