Front Brakes

[006]

Front COBRA, BULLITT, MACH1 brakes


BTW, the rears "how to" can be found here:

http://www.svtperformance.com/forums/how-230/420425-rear-brakes-how-write-up.html

Onto this job:

This is a very simple less than one hour job for everything.

Pads:

For regular street driving, I recommend the motorcraft pads. They are anywhere from $55-$75 at most Auto supply stores or performance shops. Motorcraft Part # is BR12B or Ford's part # is 2U2Z-2V001-PA. For aggressive street driving with absolutely ZERO brake fade after 90+ speeds, I recommend Hawk pads. Part # HB111F.610 for the fronts, and HB183F.585 for the rears and are higher priced than the Motorcraft pads, but worth it.

Jack the car up. Place a Jack stand at an appropriate place just incase the jack decides to go on vacation while you’re underneath the car at some point.

These are self explanatory:

Some of the tools needed to do the job...specially if you'll be replacing the rotors. The two 15mm bolts will require a breaker bar, a regular socket wrench and some lock-tite (thread locker) for when you're bolting things up.

1. Take the wheel off…and turn the wheels so that the rear part of the rotor is exposed.

2. Take the C clip (some people call it an E clip) and washer off as shown:

3. Slide the retainer pin off as shown:

4. Slides right off:

5: Raise the caliper from the bracket as shown from the rear:

6: Slides right off:

7: The bracket is exposed. If you’re going to be replacing the rotors, all you have to do is take the two 15mm bolts out. (In this pic, I am using a cheapo old bent torque wrench that I now use as a breaker-bar/leverage wrench because of how long and strong it is.). When the 2 bolts are out. The bracket slides off and you can remove the rotor and replace it with a new one, OR you can have the old one resurfaced with a lathe. Also known as "turning" the rotors. Most auto parts stores charge a simple $6-10 bucks to resurface each rotor. There is a minimum thickness required for each rotor, thus if your rotor is too thin to remove the thin layer, they will not do it. Most rotors can only be resurfaced with a lathe just once in the life of the rotor.

8: When you have the rotors out and replaced, you need to use some thread locker on those two 15mm bolts. Apply as shown:

9: Back to the pads job…Slide the old brake pads off

10: Rotate the old pads, and Flip them upside down so that the flat surface rests against the pistons and the "raised" part of the pad is on the bottom as shown. Helps the tool catch on it to help push the pistons back..

 

[006]

11: Place the caliper push in tool as shown and screw on the tool to push the pistons back in. Some people can sometimes use their palms to push the pistons back in. This tool is available at most Auto parts stores for cheap. Anywhere from $5-10 bucks There are various different ones that are much more efficient and might cost a little more. (NOTE: Front calipers are PUSH IN only!! Rear Calipers are SCREW IN only, thus there are different tools for the F and R).

12: This just shows what I use to hang my calipers. Old Clothes hangar bent to do the job. Cheap and efficient.

13: Assemble the anti-rattle clips on the new pads just as they were on the old ones. I normally transfer the little rubber absorbers from the old pads onto the new clips as well. Every effort to avoid the micro vibration caused by the pads vibrating in their “slot” is best. You know that trailer truck noise that you hear from some car’s brakes sometimes? Those are caused by this micro-vibration.

14: Place the new pads onto the caliper. Then Slide the caliper onto the rotor front in forward first as shown. The pad’s front protrusion part slips into the bracket’s U shaped groove at the front and stays locked in.

VERY IMPORTANT: PAD INSTALLATION ORIENTATION:
I recommend installing the pads as follows

O/I [motor] I/O

The pads with a low pad sensor/scrape clip riveted into the pad goes on I
The pads without it, go O

This way, if the inside pad wears out prematurely or is slightly lower than the outside pad, then you will be able to tell when you hear the sensor/scrape clip scraping the rotor. This is an indication that the pads need to be replaced.

Note: The outside pad can be visually inspected to see how low it is. The hidden pad on the inside cannot, this is why it's better to place the pad with the scrape clip on the inside.

*(you can have the rotors resurfaced at the same time as well if they have enough left).

The pads cannot be backwards, they only fit one way.

Visuals:

See the 2nd pad from the top, that is the scrape clip that is riveted on the left.

See these two pads? They will go on the inside. The top one will to to the right (passenger) side of the car on the inside.
The lower one will go to the driver's side on the inside.

This new pad in the foreground will go on the outside. See, no scrape clip.

15: Push down on the rear part of the caliper, then slide the pin as shown. You can “tap” it gently until it’s all the way in.

16: Next slide the washer into the end of the pin, and lock the C clip into place. You might have to “tap” on it as well to make it lock into the groove on the pin.

17: Screw the cap back onto the brake fluid reservoir. (Oh yeah, and if your engine is this dUrty, clean the damn thing..next mod)

18: Put the wheel back on, tighten your lugs, take the jack-stand and jack out and go for a spin.

(VERY IMPORTANT NOTE: Bedding your pads is very necessary as well as seasoning your new rotors. Do not heat up your pads too soon or unnecessarily or you will GLAZE them. You can also WARP your new rotors if you heat them up too quickly and their metallic composition does not get to set itself. BE gentle for the first few times you drive your car. You can research this for how it’s done with a simple Google search)

 

[texaswrx]

Great write up and pictures.

 

[04cobra13]

props^^!

 

[Wishing4Cobra]

great write up ken!

 

[dsgsnake03]

Awsome write up. Just changed mine and this made it 1000 times easier. I feel dumb that I thought this was a hard thing to do. ANYONE can do this. Thank you for the detailed pics. You Rock!!!

 

[006]

Awsome write up. Just changed mine and this made it 1000 times easier. I feel dumb that I thought this was a hard thing to do. ANYONE can do this. Thank you for the detailed pics. You Rock!!!

You're welcome! :rockon:

 

[vip3r1850]

I seriously wonder how many freakin places know that the caliper itself is removable from the bracket. Everytime I watch my brakes get done they take the damn bracket off as well - more than one place has done this on my 03 and 04 . . . YOU ROCK!!! Im doing it myself next time

 

[CEE1NG_RED]

Nice!! Any rear brake pad "how to?"

 

[canibus]

what is the reason for taking the cap off the brake coolant reservoir. When does one have to bleed the brakes. I always hear this term but I'm not exactly sure how it's done

 

[006]

what is the reason for taking the cap off the brake coolant reservoir. When does one have to bleed the brakes. I always hear this term but I'm not exactly sure how it's done

When starting the job, unscrew the reservoir cap and lay it on the side..make sure no dust/debris falls inside. Reason for this is when you push the pistons on the calipers back in, there can be resistance by the brake fluid inside the lines if you do not open up a vacuum on the other end...and it's a good idea to open up the reservoir in order not to damage any caliper rubber seals. (if you have a straw and cap off one end with your hand, you cannot get your coke out the other side without taking your finger off the other end of the straw)

If just doing a simple brake job such as this one, no need to change the brake fluid.

However, I do recommend changing/flushing it once every 2 years if you can. (I do not have a write up for it right now, perhaps when I do my flush in a few weeks I'll make some instructions as well)

 

[CEE1NG_RED]

Hey Ken... I just bought a regular Mustang rear pads. I hope it works w/ the rear like you said.

When starting the job, unscrew the reservoir cap and lay it on the side..make sure no dust/debris falls inside. Reason for this is when you push the pistons on the calipers back in, there can be resistance by the brake fluid inside the lines if you do not open up a vacuum on the other end...and it's a good idea to open up the reservoir in order not to damage any caliper rubber seals. (if you have a straw and cap off one end with your hand, you cannot get your coke out the other side without taking your finger off the other end of the straw)

If just doing a simple brake job such as this one, no need to change the brake fluid.

However, I do recommend changing/flushing it once every 2 years if you can. (I do not have a write up for it right now, perhaps when I do my flush in a few weeks I'll make some instructions as well)

 

[006]

*bump*

 

[black-plasma]

Will be using this soon, thanks.

 

[COBRA_ESQ]

Link to the rear removal


http://www.svtperformance.com/forums/showthread.php?t=420425

 

[uwood]

I have to say this was very helpful the past 2 night doing my brakes! Thanks for the great write up!

 

[006]

Bump

 

[fordfanaticsvt]

what is the reason for taking the cap off the brake coolant reservoir. When does one have to bleed the brakes. I always hear this term but I'm not exactly sure how it's done

Brakes need bled when air enters the system, from changing parts that you need to disconnect a brake line such as a faulty line needing replaced or putting on a new caliper itself.

 

[85FourEyedGT]

do the bolts need loctite? i just did mine this weekend, i torqued them to 55ft/lbs and i didnt use loctite

what torque should the bolts be at for the caliper mount? and should I go back and put loctite on them?

 

[006]

do the bolts need loctite? i just did mine this weekend, i torqued them to 55ft/lbs and i didnt use loctite

what torque should the bolts be at for the caliper mount? and should I go back and put loctite on them?

Yes, always locktite them. Just like the driveshaft bolts that are prone to coming off with drivetrain vibration, these are a critical component that should not/cannot fail while on the road.

..oh, and BUMP!