Installing ATS Brembos on the Cobra.

SilverGT1

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Highly recommend the Motive power bleeder. This ended up working great. Quickly bled out fluid. Forced out those trapped bubbles I was having trouble with. I was able to re-bleed the entire system in about an hour. I can’t believe I didnt get one of these sooner.
 
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Fastback

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Highly recommend the Motive power bleeder. This ended up working great. Quickly bled out fluid. Forced out those trapped bubbles I was having trouble with. I was able to re-bleed the entire system in about an hour. I can’t believe I didnt get one of these sooner.
Good to hear! Still have to do mine with the motive. Any tips? Never used a power bleeder yet. Only pump and hold.
 

SilverGT1

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It is really, really straight forward. Add fluid to the bleeder, pump up, open bleeder and let flow. It is really that simple. The other nice thing is that as it is flowing, you can softly tap on the caliper to help dislodge any bubbles. As mentioned, once set up, it took maybe a little more than an hour to to bleed the whole system including the MC.
 

Fastback

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It is really, really straight forward. Add fluid to the bleeder, pump up, open bleeder and let flow. It is really that simple. The other nice thing is that as it is flowing, you can softly tap on the caliper to help dislodge any bubbles. As mentioned, once set up, it took maybe a little more than an hour to to bleed the whole system including the MC.
Figured as such, just good to hear from a fellow enthusiast, that had good results. Sometimes I find that, if the old way works just do it that way. But, if it works like that I'm in. Have it on the self.
 

SilverGT1

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I finally took the car out with the new ATS calipers. When I brought it back in I did a real close inspection to see how everything looks. I hadn't noticed this before, but I was shocked to see how much pad was not making contact with the rotor. I swear I had seen other pictures and reports that showed minimal overhang with the caliper relocation kit. The pads are Power Stop Z26. Are there other pads that are being used that do not have as much height to them?

Here is the best shot I could get of the top. it is easily 0.125" if not a little more above the rotor
Pad to rotor top.JPG


The bottom of the pas is sitting right where it is supposed to
Pad to rotor bottom.JPG
 
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Blkkbgt

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I finally took the car out with the new ATS calipers. When I brought it back in I did a real close inspection to see how everything looks. I hadn't noticed this before, but I was shocked to see how much pad was not making contact with the rotor. I swear I had seen other pictures and reports that showed minimal overhang with the caliper relocation kit. The pads are Power Stop Z26. Are there other pads that are being used that do not have as much height to them?

Here is the best shot I could get of the top. it is easily 0.125" if not a little more above the rotor
View attachment 1643768

The bottom of the pas is sitting right where it is supposed to
View attachment 1643769

Wait aren't you using an insert kit? I thought the whole purpose of the inserts was to drop the caliper into the correct position so you don't have to trim the pads? An 1/8th inch of overhang is far to much and exceeds what Brembo allows as well.
 

Mustang5L5

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@Mustang5L5

Just got out from under the dash. Measurements:

Total length = 14.25 (measured to the bottom of the pedal.

Length to the top of the pedal = 11.5

Length to the center of the pedal = 12.75

Pivot pin to booster connector pin = 2.625.

The distance of the pedal changes depending on how I measure it. One way gets the numbers above. Another way gets me 13in to the center of the pad. It's not easy since its curved.

The pivot to the booster pin may be 2.8 assuming I am in the center of the pivot. My previous measurements were outside edge to outside edge (bottom edge to bottom edge looking up).

Either way I am getting a ratio in the mid to low 4s depending on what numbers I use. I wish I could be more accurate but I am not the smallest guy in the world and its still a tight fit for me even with the seat out.


Thanks. That's around where it should be. What year is the car? I think there are two pedals. One for 96-98 and one for 99-04. Yours is the latter I believe?
 

SilverGT1

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Wait aren't you using an insert kit? I thought the whole purpose of the inserts was to drop the caliper into the correct position so you don't have to trim the pads? An 1/8th inch of overhang is far to much and exceeds what Brembo allows as well.
Yes. Using lowranger96 offset bushings.

That's significant overhang. Mine definitely are not that much with the OEM ATS pads. Maybe 1mm tops. Very slight
Very odd. I am using the cobra 13" (12.99) rotors from Summit sum-br-61044. The pads are Power Stop Z26-1001. I can't imagine that there is any dimensional difference pad brand to pad brand. But you can see how well it covers all the way down to the valley on the rotor. I'll check the actual rotor dimension. But again, I cant imagine they are undersized.

These are installed on my 2003 GT.
 
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lowranger96

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Wait aren't you using an insert kit? I thought the whole purpose of the inserts was to drop the caliper into the correct position so you don't have to trim the pads? An 1/8th inch of overhang is far to much and exceeds what Brembo allows as well.

The inserts can only drop the pad down so much, obviously anymore and you’d be hanging off the inside of the rotor surface (not to mention the physical limitation of the insert itself). The whole point of the inserts are to keep you from drilling spindles and also gives the added benefit of using as much rotor that is available. The pad overhang can not be avoided completely without using a larger diameter rotor of some kind or trimming the pads. The pad trimming (if so desired) is certainly less then if you drilled the spindles that is no doubt.


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SilverGT1

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To be clear, I am not blaming the lowranger96 product. I just need to figure out why my set up is riding so high. Can someone measure the height of a "stock" pad for me (edit: see page 23, post #446 where Badger took measurements)? I'll measure and post up the Z26-1001. I have to assume that this pad is a very uniform dimension regardless of manufacturer. I'll also measure the Summit rotor. Again, hard to believe they would be significantly undersized.

I am really not excited about trimming the pad down as I do not want to be exposed to the toxic mess it will create (the fibrous material) even with a respirator.
 
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lowranger96

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To be clear, I am not blaming the lowranger96 product. I just need to figure out why my set up is riding so high. Can someone measure the height of a "stock" pad for me (edit: see page 23, post #446 where Badger took measurements)? I'll measure and post up the Z26-1001. I have to assume that this pad is a very uniform dimension regardless of manufacturer. I'll also measure the Summit rotor. Again, hard to believe they would be significantly undersized.

I am really not excited about trimming the pad down as I do not want to be exposed to the toxic mess it will create (the fibrous material) even with a respirator.

No offense taken at all I just wanted to explain why we can’t use all the pad available is all
 

Blkkbgt

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The pads are just proud of the rotor, I don't see any need to trim them, I did not. If you felt the need it would only need 1mm or less trimmed View attachment 1599118

The inserts can only drop the pad down so much, obviously anymore and you’d be hanging off the inside of the rotor surface (not to mention the physical limitation of the insert itself). The whole point of the inserts are to keep you from drilling spindles and also gives the added benefit of using as much rotor that is available. The pad overhang can not be avoided completely without using a larger diameter rotor of some kind or trimming the pads. The pad trimming (if so desired) is certainly less then if you drilled the spindles that is no doubt.


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Above is a quote from your thread where you state that trimming is not required. Granted your picture shows what most would consider acceptable over hang of the pad material. You also stated in a PM to me months ago that trimming is not required.

Additionally I think we can both agree that if you simply drill the spindles you will still have unacceptable overhang. Hence why you used an offset on the inserts to drop the caliper.

My point is that the purpose of the inserts is two fold.

However Silvergt1 has an obvious issue with over hang. So the questions now are the following.

1. Were the inserts made incorrectly?
2. Was the install completed correctly?
3. Are his pads some how different?
4. Is trimming required or not?
 

lowranger96

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Above is a quote from your thread where you state that trimming is not required. Granted your picture shows what most would consider acceptable over hang of the pad material. You also stated in a PM to me months ago that trimming is not required.

However Silvergt1 has an obvious issue with over hang. So the questions now are the following.

1. Were the inserts made incorrectly?
2. Was the install completed correctly?
3. Are his pads some how different?
4. Is trimming required or not?

1. All the inserts are made on a cnc milling machine in batches, highly unlikely to be an insert issue.
2. Good question, I would have to see pictures, but based on the other side of the pad to rotor I’d say they are installed correctly.
3. Again, good question i do not have the answer to
4. Trimming is up to the end user at the end of the day. My written instructions state that if trimming is deemed necessary by the user then trim them, most people are not. I can pop my pads out for measurement if anyone wants.
 

Mustang5L5

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I still have my calipers on my bench. I can pop the pads out and measure. I just need to remind myself to do so. Tonight is a busy night, but I work from home tomorrow (Friday) so I can probably measure some pads then.

I did measure a spare set of aftermarket rotors. They come in at 12.95" in diameter. I do have a set of Ford OE rotors I can measure. I always thought OEM spec was 13.1". My aftermarket cobra rotors are definitely under 13" by a sliver.
 

cj428mach

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1. All the inserts are made on a cnc milling machine in batches, highly unlikely to be an insert issue.
2. Good question, I would have to see pictures, but based on the other side of the pad to rotor I’d say they are installed correctly.
3. Again, good question i do not have the answer to
4. Trimming is up to the end user at the end of the day. My written instructions state that if trimming is deemed necessary by the user then trim them, most people are not. I can pop my pads out for measurement if anyone wants.


I installed your bushings and have minimal overhang. I'd assume though with the way the bushings could be installed it would be possible to move the caliper a fair amount based off how the bushings are orientated when they're installed.
 

lowranger96

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I installed your bushings and have minimal overhang. I'd assume though with the way the bushings could be installed it would be possible to move the caliper a fair amount based off how the bushings are orientated when they're installed.

Agree the bushings would definitely be installed in a way to make the overhang worse. Seems like there is an oddly wide range of part sizes from pads to rotors or something


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SilverGT1

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I plan on doing an autopsy this weekend. Regarding "installing the bushing in a way to make the overhang worse", I don't know how that could happen. The install instructions are very clear. To get the correct fitment to the spindle, both inserts would have to be equally clocked just right clockwise or counter clockwise. However, that being said, maybe there is something to that thought. maybe rotating them equally one way or the other would provide some drop. But I am sure that Lowranger96 already went through that exercise to achieve the optimal location. Obviously something is awry. Its either the pads, the rotors or the install of the inserts. Not too many variables. I just have to pull it all apart and look. FWIW and maybe worth noting, this condition exists on both calipers. If it was something I did, at least I was consistent...
 

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