upgrading 2005 brakes without a remortgage!!
Discussion
I have a 14" Baer brake kit on the way at the moment.
Fronts are 14" cross-drilled and grooved brake discs with aluminium centres. Calipers are aluminium 2-piston claw type.
For the rear, also 14" cross-drilled grooved discs, and a kit to mount the existing calipers onto the new disc.
Cost is just over £1600
Fronts are 14" cross-drilled and grooved brake discs with aluminium centres. Calipers are aluminium 2-piston claw type.
For the rear, also 14" cross-drilled grooved discs, and a kit to mount the existing calipers onto the new disc.
Cost is just over £1600
I did a lot of research on this subject when I was looking to upgrade mine.
The cheapest route is what I did (Hobson's Choice in my case) which is a set of grooved Powerslot rotors and a complete set of Hawk Performance Pads. I had this on my last Z28 and it improved the brakes no end. Haven't fitted them to mine yet as I'm wearing out the originals first. Powerslot also do cryogenic brake discs which you can read about on their website to spare me boring you.
The next up is the Baer GT brake kit. This is basically a twin piston Corvette C5 caliper and disc. They work great on the C5 but the Mustang does weigh more. They also do Baer GT+ which are an inch bigger and I think thery go as high as 15"
Next up is the mid-range Stop Tech and SSC which are either 3 or 4 piston calipers.
After that it's the top of the line Brembos which are very expensive although I believe you can get 6 piston calipers if you sell your house and children.
Whatever you do, visit the various websites where you can download a pattern which you cut out and try inside your wheels. It's not the size of the wheel that's important here. I have 20" wheels and NO brakes fit mine because they're deep dish and the spokes curve in so would foul a bigger caliper (many of which are 4 piston so far bulkier). In fact not even the twin piston Baer GT would fit so it's important to check these patterns before buying. Most will tell you what the minimum size wheel is too - you have to upgrade to an 18" for a lot of them. If you do, buy a wheel with plenty of space inside which normally means flush spokes.
Finally, make sure you need uprated brakes. The stock anchors, according to three tests I've read, stop in a shorter distance than either Brembo or Stop Tech when fitted to various Vortech Mustangs. The aftermarket brakes are, however, leagues ahead in resistance to fade though so can be used time and time again. If it's just occasional fast road use, you may find there's not much point in upgrading the brakes unless you're harsh on the brakes because you'll never get your money back and it might just be overkill. They may also feel better and inspire more confidence without actually being that much better in daily use.
The cheapest route is what I did (Hobson's Choice in my case) which is a set of grooved Powerslot rotors and a complete set of Hawk Performance Pads. I had this on my last Z28 and it improved the brakes no end. Haven't fitted them to mine yet as I'm wearing out the originals first. Powerslot also do cryogenic brake discs which you can read about on their website to spare me boring you.
The next up is the Baer GT brake kit. This is basically a twin piston Corvette C5 caliper and disc. They work great on the C5 but the Mustang does weigh more. They also do Baer GT+ which are an inch bigger and I think thery go as high as 15"
Next up is the mid-range Stop Tech and SSC which are either 3 or 4 piston calipers.
After that it's the top of the line Brembos which are very expensive although I believe you can get 6 piston calipers if you sell your house and children.
Whatever you do, visit the various websites where you can download a pattern which you cut out and try inside your wheels. It's not the size of the wheel that's important here. I have 20" wheels and NO brakes fit mine because they're deep dish and the spokes curve in so would foul a bigger caliper (many of which are 4 piston so far bulkier). In fact not even the twin piston Baer GT would fit so it's important to check these patterns before buying. Most will tell you what the minimum size wheel is too - you have to upgrade to an 18" for a lot of them. If you do, buy a wheel with plenty of space inside which normally means flush spokes.
Finally, make sure you need uprated brakes. The stock anchors, according to three tests I've read, stop in a shorter distance than either Brembo or Stop Tech when fitted to various Vortech Mustangs. The aftermarket brakes are, however, leagues ahead in resistance to fade though so can be used time and time again. If it's just occasional fast road use, you may find there's not much point in upgrading the brakes unless you're harsh on the brakes because you'll never get your money back and it might just be overkill. They may also feel better and inspire more confidence without actually being that much better in daily use.
yep, that was me and husband neil, did have a plymouth prowler before that, sold it, went to atlantic sports cars, luton, saw this one, test drive and job done. nice to have a boot again, looking forward to the summer, nice to do some other meets apart from the american car stuff.
thanks for the advise on the brakes as well, hope to catch up with yu guys at some point.
thanks for the advise on the brakes as well, hope to catch up with yu guys at some point.
Thanks Steve. Silver was probably my last choice, but I just HAD to have one, like, NOW. Now I've got it, I think it looks great, especially with the black stripe.
Collected last Friday. And it's not stopped raining since, so I've not really got much of an idea how it goes yet. Did manage a quick squirt on the M25, when it cleared for a few hundred yards. Giggled like a schoolkid when the supercharger kicked in. The whine and the kick in the back really did it for me.
Just need to drop the back by a couple of inches. Waiting for James to get back to me with a price for the rear springs. Other than that, I just need to get some miles in. Not the best time of the year for that, I suppose.
Collected last Friday. And it's not stopped raining since, so I've not really got much of an idea how it goes yet. Did manage a quick squirt on the M25, when it cleared for a few hundred yards. Giggled like a schoolkid when the supercharger kicked in. The whine and the kick in the back really did it for me.
Just need to drop the back by a couple of inches. Waiting for James to get back to me with a price for the rear springs. Other than that, I just need to get some miles in. Not the best time of the year for that, I suppose.
nice one guys, glad you got the white one steve, as soon as you start them the supercharger is awesome, did have a problem with the belt snapping, luckily it went while getting her out of the garage, but went on the roush website and let our mechanic get on with it, not the best job we have given him, luckily james from atlantic had a spare belt.
can't wait for the summer to find out what she can do, as you say the weather has been pants lately.
hope to catch up with the other cars soon!!!
can't wait for the summer to find out what she can do, as you say the weather has been pants lately.
hope to catch up with the other cars soon!!!
Hi there
I am just looking into doing this now.
My options are:-
1. Saleen 14" Brake kit (14" slotted rotors, 4/6 piston calipers, steel brake lines, performance pads) - $1599 direct from Saleen.
2. Shelby GT500 14" Brake kit (14" blank Brembo rotors, Brembo 4 piston calipers and performance pads) - $899 (I've found for $675 so am going for these, too good a deal!!!)
3. Baer Eradispeed 14" rotors front and rear with Hawk HPS pads all round. No calipers in this kit but its lightweight - $1400
Those were my options, was set to go with Saleen until I got a great offer on the Brembo/Shelby kit so have gone for that. Now I just hope it fits behind my wheels so wish me luck.
I am just looking into doing this now.
My options are:-
1. Saleen 14" Brake kit (14" slotted rotors, 4/6 piston calipers, steel brake lines, performance pads) - $1599 direct from Saleen.
2. Shelby GT500 14" Brake kit (14" blank Brembo rotors, Brembo 4 piston calipers and performance pads) - $899 (I've found for $675 so am going for these, too good a deal!!!)
3. Baer Eradispeed 14" rotors front and rear with Hawk HPS pads all round. No calipers in this kit but its lightweight - $1400
Those were my options, was set to go with Saleen until I got a great offer on the Brembo/Shelby kit so have gone for that. Now I just hope it fits behind my wheels so wish me luck.
Gibbo said:
Hi there
I am just looking into doing this now.
My options are:-
1. Saleen 14" Brake kit (14" slotted rotors, 4/6 piston calipers, steel brake lines, performance pads) - $1599 direct from Saleen.
2. Shelby GT500 14" Brake kit (14" blank Brembo rotors, Brembo 4 piston calipers and performance pads) - $899 (I've found for $675 so am going for these, too good a deal!!!)
3. Baer Eradispeed 14" rotors front and rear with Hawk HPS pads all round. No calipers in this kit but its lightweight - $1400
Those were my options, was set to go with Saleen until I got a great offer on the Brembo/Shelby kit so have gone for that. Now I just hope it fits behind my wheels so wish me luck.
I am just looking into doing this now.
My options are:-
1. Saleen 14" Brake kit (14" slotted rotors, 4/6 piston calipers, steel brake lines, performance pads) - $1599 direct from Saleen.
2. Shelby GT500 14" Brake kit (14" blank Brembo rotors, Brembo 4 piston calipers and performance pads) - $899 (I've found for $675 so am going for these, too good a deal!!!)
3. Baer Eradispeed 14" rotors front and rear with Hawk HPS pads all round. No calipers in this kit but its lightweight - $1400
Those were my options, was set to go with Saleen until I got a great offer on the Brembo/Shelby kit so have gone for that. Now I just hope it fits behind my wheels so wish me luck.
Hi mate - can you PM me the details of where you sourced the GT500 upgrade? Best I've done so far is $1199 for that setup. Saleen price seems v.cheap! The ads I've seen list them as £3.5k for the 6-pots!!
Edited by stig on Sunday 14th January 12:32
Gibbo said:
Hi there
I am just looking into doing this now.
My options are:-
1. Saleen 14" Brake kit (14" slotted rotors, 4/6 piston calipers, steel brake lines, performance pads) - $1599 direct from Saleen.
2. Shelby GT500 14" Brake kit (14" blank Brembo rotors, Brembo 4 piston calipers and performance pads) - $899 (I've found for $675 so am going for these, too good a deal!!!)
3. Baer Eradispeed 14" rotors front and rear with Hawk HPS pads all round. No calipers in this kit but its lightweight - $1400
Those were my options, was set to go with Saleen until I got a great offer on the Brembo/Shelby kit so have gone for that. Now I just hope it fits behind my wheels so wish me luck.
I am just looking into doing this now.
My options are:-
1. Saleen 14" Brake kit (14" slotted rotors, 4/6 piston calipers, steel brake lines, performance pads) - $1599 direct from Saleen.
2. Shelby GT500 14" Brake kit (14" blank Brembo rotors, Brembo 4 piston calipers and performance pads) - $899 (I've found for $675 so am going for these, too good a deal!!!)
3. Baer Eradispeed 14" rotors front and rear with Hawk HPS pads all round. No calipers in this kit but its lightweight - $1400
Those were my options, was set to go with Saleen until I got a great offer on the Brembo/Shelby kit so have gone for that. Now I just hope it fits behind my wheels so wish me luck.
I've got a set of the GT500s coming - came in at a good deal more than $675 though! Had seen for $799, but wanted to use a trusted supplier!
Let me know when you get them Gibbo (and where you got them from?)
Ta
Edited by stig on Sunday 14th January 12:32
evolutionvalet said:
Stig,
How many more days now?
Wish I knew! Importers giving me a bit of a runaround
1st car fell through, but on Friday they came up with a suitable replacement and so (in theory) it's on the way. Should've stuck with Charles - doh! To apologise, they are trying to airfreight it over, so still aiming for March 1st delivery
Certainly aiming to get to the 'pod for the 24th 
Have a huge pile of boxes of parts at home now! Got a bit carried away!!!!
May have to replace my wheels now that I've got the GT500 brakes coming, so yet more for the shopping list
LOL...there wont be much of the California Special left....be more of a Stigmachine Special when ya have done with it.
I only had to wait 8 weeks for Charles to sort the delivery of mine though...I doubt very much they will air freight it as it would cost a huge amount more and they aren't going to want to lose money.
I went to nearly all the importers and got them all saying they ahd the car but in reality its just a ploy to get your deposit money.
When I sold my F150 Harley truck, the new owner asked me for the finance clearance certificate. When I told him I didnt have one as I bought the truck new for cash (business deal), I was told that HPI still recorded a finance agreement on it. I found out that the well known importer had shipped my truck over and paid for it through finance, then when I paid the bill, they were meant to clear the finance but used my cash to help their cashflow.
Unless the importer can send you a photo of the windscreen sticker for you to check and tell you the dealers name so again you can check, I would place moeny they havent got you a car located yet.
Sorry that you're having to wait even longer....
Kev
evolutionvalet said:
LOL...there wont be much of the California Special left....be more of a Stigmachine Special when ya have done with it.
I only had to wait 8 weeks for Charles to sort the delivery of mine though...I doubt very much they will air freight it as it would cost a huge amount more and they aren't going to want to lose money.
I went to nearly all the importers and got them all saying they ahd the car but in reality its just a ploy to get your deposit money.
When I sold my F150 Harley truck, the new owner asked me for the finance clearance certificate. When I told him I didnt have one as I bought the truck new for cash (business deal), I was told that HPI still recorded a finance agreement on it. I found out that the well known importer had shipped my truck over and paid for it through finance, then when I paid the bill, they were meant to clear the finance but used my cash to help their cashflow.
Unless the importer can send you a photo of the windscreen sticker for you to check and tell you the dealers name so again you can check, I would place moeny they havent got you a car located yet.
Sorry that you're having to wait even longer....
Kev
Yeah - I know mate.
In fairness, I knew they had to locate a car first and paid them a nominal deposit as a 'finders fee'.
I won't pay a deposit until I know 100% that they have the car (they have already sent me the window certificate). They were leaving a deposit on the car they'd found (or so they said) and were then going to have it shipped to their 'local' dealer for shipping to the UK.
Will know more tomorrow (I hope!)
Lu5ifer and Zektor
Hi, How are you finding your brakes ? Interested to know how the power slots and hawks are with your supercharger lu5ifer and what did they end up costing you ? Where did you buy them or did you buy direct ?
Zektor i have looked in to the baer brakes if you get a chance and your in the area would love to see your car and test the brakes if possible.
Hi, How are you finding your brakes ? Interested to know how the power slots and hawks are with your supercharger lu5ifer and what did they end up costing you ? Where did you buy them or did you buy direct ?
Zektor i have looked in to the baer brakes if you get a chance and your in the area would love to see your car and test the brakes if possible.
atlanticvipers said:
Lu5ifer and Zektor
Hi, How are you finding your brakes ? Interested to know how the power slots and hawks are with your supercharger lu5ifer and what did they end up costing you ? Where did you buy them or did you buy direct ?
Zektor i have looked in to the baer brakes if you get a chance and your in the area would love to see your car and test the brakes if possible.
Hi, How are you finding your brakes ? Interested to know how the power slots and hawks are with your supercharger lu5ifer and what did they end up costing you ? Where did you buy them or did you buy direct ?
Zektor i have looked in to the baer brakes if you get a chance and your in the area would love to see your car and test the brakes if possible.
My Powerslots and Hawk pads are still under my son's cot. LOL. I won't be fitting them until my stock pads wear out. I've got braided brake lines too. I had the Powerslots and Hawk pads on my Camaro Z28 and they improved the braking no end and cut the fade significantly. I've been on several hard-run Pistonhead runs on the stock brakes and they've been pretty adequate given the velocities and twisting roads involved but I suspect if I really leaned on them, they would fade into nothingness. Having a Maserati GT in front holding you up doesn't help. I'll say this of the stock brakes, they may not be graet but most of the time they're no worse than some of the fancy set-ups the expensive cars use.
Hi there
Just an update, I've had my Shelby GT500 kit fitted now for over two weeks.
Installation was incredibly easy and quick to do, thats the advantage of a kit made by Brembo for a Ford car, no problems with fitment.
The difference is night and day over stock, no fade, better control under hard braking and the car stops so much quicker. Plus they look rather menacing too.
Just an update, I've had my Shelby GT500 kit fitted now for over two weeks.
Installation was incredibly easy and quick to do, thats the advantage of a kit made by Brembo for a Ford car, no problems with fitment.
The difference is night and day over stock, no fade, better control under hard braking and the car stops so much quicker. Plus they look rather menacing too.
[quote=[OcUK]Gibbo]Hi there
Just an update, I've had my Shelby GT500 kit fitted now for over two weeks.
Installation was incredibly easy and quick to do, thats the advantage of a kit made by Brembo for a Ford car, no problems with fitment.
The difference is night and day over stock, no fade, better control under hard braking and the car stops so much quicker. Plus they look rather menacing too.[/quote]
You still need to check they fit in your wheels. No brakes fit my wheels even though they're 20's due to the inward curve on the spokes which would hit any caliper bigger than the stock item. Obviously, had I known this, I would have bought different wheels but my bed is made and I found out when shopping for brakes that i was stuck with stock. That was the main reason I had to go for the Powerslots and Hawk pads otherwise I would have gone for something like the Baer GT which is basically a Corvette C5 system but not even that fits my wheels.
Just an update, I've had my Shelby GT500 kit fitted now for over two weeks.
Installation was incredibly easy and quick to do, thats the advantage of a kit made by Brembo for a Ford car, no problems with fitment.
The difference is night and day over stock, no fade, better control under hard braking and the car stops so much quicker. Plus they look rather menacing too.[/quote]
You still need to check they fit in your wheels. No brakes fit my wheels even though they're 20's due to the inward curve on the spokes which would hit any caliper bigger than the stock item. Obviously, had I known this, I would have bought different wheels but my bed is made and I found out when shopping for brakes that i was stuck with stock. That was the main reason I had to go for the Powerslots and Hawk pads otherwise I would have gone for something like the Baer GT which is basically a Corvette C5 system but not even that fits my wheels.
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