Brake Upgrade
The stock brakes are adaquate for normal driving, but not for any serious performance use. I needed to upgrade the brakes, but need to be able to fit 15 inch skinny tires/wheels on the front. This limits me to stock size brake rotors. The 1999-2004 standard Mustang brakes will fit with minor modifications. The Mustang calipers will double the clamping force on the rotors, and increase the brake pad size about 50%.
The stock single piston caliper
You will need Mustang calipers, pads, and mounting brackets,. You will also need to use Mustang Bango Bolts, since the Mustang caliper take a bigger one, with a different thread pitch. When mounting the new caliper, use the Tbird mounting bolts. If you get pre loaded calipers from places like Advanced, you get them with new brackets, brake pads, bleeders, and crush washers for the brake line fittings. You will have to order the 2 new banjo bolts, which are around $17-23 each.
This is a list of the parts I used from Advanced. These were ordered for a 2002 Mustang GT
Pre loaded right caliper 1 164722
Pre loaded left caliper 1 164723
Banjo Bolts 2 484206
Brake Rotor 2 YH141903 (New Thunderbird Rotors)
Large bottle of brake fluid 1
The passenger side caliper will need trimed
to clear the Tbird brake hose fitting.
The calipers will need to be clearanced
slightly to get some clearance at the spindle.
The new dual piston caliper and rotors
To make bleeding easier, I just left the bleeders loose till the new calipers filled with new fluid, forcing the air out the base of the bleeder. As soon as it started flowing fluid, I closed it and topped off the master cylinder, then did the other caliper. When they were both full, I did a touch up bleed the regular method.
To keep from getting brake fluid every where, I put the old calipers in clear plastic bags, put them in the boxs from the parts store, and returned them for my core charge refund.
Ready for the Road
Phase 3, Getting it ready for the Strip
Full Project
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