In stock form, our Mustang...
In stock form, our Mustang mustered a stopping distance of 164.92 feet from 60 mph. Aside from getting just two good stops before it faded into oblivion, the brake pedal was so wooden that it could have given us splinters. Notice the amount of dive that this and every '79-'04 Mustang has. This is primarily due to the poor amount of antidive in back that lifts the body off the rear axle when reverse torque is applied to the 8.8 housing. It's the same reason why it will squat when you accelerate.
We all love Fox Mustangs, but let's be honest-the stock brakes are pretty much useless for road-course use or when trying to stop a fast drag car. From 1987 to 1993, Ford equipped all of its Mustang 5.0s with a braking system that was a true compromise and surrendered performance to reduce production costs. With its puny rotor size, sloppy single-piston calipers, and poor braking geometry, it's painfully obvious that the bean counters won out before Job 1 ever rolled off the assembly line.
It makes no sense that with all the go-power the 225-horse 302 churned out (14-second e.t.'s, 147 mph top speed, and so on), that mere 10.84-inch brake rotors and 9-inch drums were deemed adequate to slow things down from breakneck speeds. If you think about it, these "GT" brakes were only a slight improvement on a 10-inch design that was intended to stop an 88hp, 2,700-pound Fairmont. Even scarier is that on certain '79-'81 models, a ridiculously small 9-inch setup was also available from the factory.
For any Fox Mustang, a simple brake upgrade would be a switch to full SN-95 Cobra specs either from a parts car or from Ford Racing Performance Parts under PN M-2300-K. Although it would be the most effective move, it's also the most involved, requiring a spindle and rear axle change to allow the 13.0-inch front and 11.65-inch rotors in back to bolt on. You'd also need to spring for a new set of wheels and tires, as the later cars all rolled on 17-inch-or-larger five-lug rims. If you're like us and can't swing that much money at one sitting, it's best to work with what you have. By improving our existing brakes for substantially less, we'll have more money to spend on speed parts and, as we all know, that's what really matters, isn't it? Although antiquated, your Fox Mustang's braking system can improve drastically with a few choice and affordable mods.
For this Pony, we went with...
For this Pony, we went with the time-tested and proven Maximum Motorsports brake upgrade kit for '87-'93 Mustang V-8s. It includes brand-name goodies such as Hawk HPS front pads and Maximum Motorsports' own stainless steel brake hoses, caliper guide sleeves, and performance brake shoes for the rear drums. For around $250, it's the most affordable and convenient way to improve upon what must be the weakest component in the Fox Mustang.
The easiest and best way to reduce stop-ping distances and minimize pedal effort while improving brake feel on your Mustang is to install Maximum Motorsports' brake upgrade kit, designed for all '87-'93 V-8 Mustangs. PN BP-1 ($257.04) includes all the essential components to beef up your braking. Its performance-oriented Hawk HPS front pads greatly improve braking performance right off the bat. To help the front calipers stay in proper alignment when squeezing these new pads, the factory rubber caliper sleeves are replaced by a set of solid stainless steel units. For maximum grip (pun intended) in back, Maximum Motorsports offers its own high-performance brake shoes to give the rear of your Mustang a much needed bump in deceleration. Finishing off the kit is a set of stainless steel braided lines to firm up pedal feel and provide a consistent application of hydraulic fluid each time the middle pedal is depressed.
For installation, we relied on our own home shop. With the car on four jackstands, we performed what is essentially a four-wheel brake job, with the biggest chunk of time spent on replacing the rubber brake lines with the new braided steel pieces. Once complete, we put some street miles on the car and, upon Hawk's recommendations, bedded the pads after some mixed street driving (see sidebar). For consistency and repeatability, we tossed a set of fresh Nitto performance tires onto our factory five-spoke "Pony" wheels using NT450s in front and NT555R Drag Radials in back, all measuring 245/50/16.
Before the brakes were upgraded, our Stalker radar-based test equipment recorded an atrocious 164.92-foot stopping distance from 60 mph. Afterward, we were able to achieve an incredible 128.25 feet-a difference of 36.67 feet for an improvement of 22 percent. We don't know about you, but 36 feet is more than two car lengths and can be the difference between avoiding an accident and becoming a statistic or making that corner with some late braking.
Starting on the rearend (where...
Starting on the rearend (where we often like to begin), we pulled apart the rear brakes and applied a little grease to the areas where the brake shoes rest. This prevents rust from building up and makes for noise-free operation.
On all dual-servo drum brake...
On all dual-servo drum brake systems, there's a leading shoe and a trailing shoe. The leading shoe has less friction material on it as it's designed to wedge itself internally when applied between the drum and the other shoe. The trailing shoe does the bulk of the work when butted against the upper pin during operation. The leading shoe goes toward the front of the vehicle.
It's best to use the proper...
It's best to use the proper tools when removing and installing the heavy springs here. They're cheap ($10-$20) and can prevent serious personal injury if you're still relying on an old screwdriver to pop the springs on and off.
The brake adjuster will have...
The brake adjuster will have to be turned in (shortened) to allow the thicker new shoes to fit inside the drum. If your adjuster is tough to turn, take it apart and clean out the threads. With a little grease and some sweat equity, it will be as good as new.
With the spindle stripped...
With the spindle stripped down and cleaned off, it's a good time to take a close look at it to make sure it's not bent anywhere. Here, we're checking our nuts (yeah, real classy) and putting in new cotter pins.
Dust shields should be removed...
Dust shields should be removed on any car that sees major competition and be replaced with functional brake ducts. For street use, the shields should be left on, as they deflect water from the backside of the rotors.