We all know how important power isùit throws you back in the seat, shreds tires, and makes driving just plain fun. We spend so much time trying to find more power, but what good is it if you can't stop?
With our Three-Valve Fox getting closer to hitting the street, it's time to put some emphasis on the binders. Because this Mustang sat for so long in New Jersey, the brakes took a beating. Subpar brakes are a huge safety factor, and we discovered rust on the lines and other problems when the lines were removed from the car. There was no chance of reusing parts that were rusty.
Wilwood Engineering sent us...
Wilwood Engineering sent us a set of its Dynalite disk brakes for our Three-Valve swap Fox-body. This kit will allow us to run a 15-inch wheel without sacrificing any braking performance. The front and rear kits come with everything needed to make your Mustang stop on the street and strip.
The front and rear kits come...
The front and rear kits come with everything needed to make your Mustang stop on the street and strip.
1 Before starting the project,...
1 Before starting the project, the Fox spindles needed some modification to fit with the new fixed calipers. As per Wilwood’s instructions, two sections need to be cut off (the stock caliper mounting points). We recommend having a machine shop perform this work as it is a structural suspension component.
Another issue was the lack of space for a power brake booster. The width of the Hot Rod Three-Valve crate engine took up a large chunk of the real estate once occupied by the booster. With this space gone, we had two optionsùinstall the later-model Hydroboost setup or go with manual brakes. Wanting to keep things as simple as possible, we opted to take the manual route.
In order to get all of the parts for our braking system, we turned to Wilwood Engineering for a set of its Dynalite Pro Series four-piston brake kits. These come in separate kits for the front and rear, and use the same fixed-caliper, four-piston design.
The front kit (PN 140-11018) uses 11-inch vented rotors with fixed four-piston calipers. It includes the rotors, calipers, hub assemblies, inner and outer wheel bearings, brake lines, and all of the hardware to mount the kit. The front kit uses the stock Fox-body spindles, but some modifications are required to make the system work.
The rear kit (PN 140-3018B) uses 12.19-inch vented rotors with fixed four-piston calipers, and comes with the rotors, calipers, mounting brackets, and all necessary hardware.
Once each corner was taken care of, it was time address what connects the system. Wilwood also sent us one of its 1-inch bore aluminum tandem master cylinders (PN 260-8555-P). With the switch to manual brakes, this master cylinder will give us all of the flow needed to stop our Fox. Lastly, Wilwood included one of its compact proportioning valves (PN 260-8419), which will allow us to fine-tune the brake bias front to rear.
With all of the hard components in hand, it was time to put it all together. When it comes to lines, there is only one place to turn. Classic Tube offers all of the stock brakes lines for the Fox-body Mustang in durable stainless steel. The lines arrive pre-bent and simply need to be stretched out and installed. As we are switching to manual brakes, the absence of the power brake booster meant some lines had to be altered to fit.
We are ready to go. Follow along as we install our upgraded brakes.
2a Next, the three holes...
2a Next, the three holes on each spindle for the dust shields need to be drilled and tapped. The holes will serve as the mounting location for the new caliper-mounting bracket.
2b The holes will serve as...
2b The holes will serve as the mounting location for the new caliper-mounting bracket.
3a Ensure the new caliper-mounting...
3a Ensure the new caliper-mounting bracket sits flush against the face of the spindle...
3b ...If it doesn’t, more...
3b ...If it doesn’t, more cutting may be necessary.
4 Next up is the hub and...
4 Next up is the hub and rotor assembly. The hat bolts to the rotor; once torqued, the hardware is held in place with safety wire. The hat and rotor then bolt to the back of the hub completing the assembly.
5 With the inner wheel bearing...
5 With the inner wheel bearing packed with grease and the grease seal installed, slide the hub onto the spindle.
6a Be sure to pack the inner...
6a Be sure to pack the inner and outer bearings with plenty of high-temperature axle grease...
6b ...Then slide the outer...
6b ...Then slide the outer bearing into place and secure the hub to the spindle.
7 The four-piston fixed caliper...
7 The four-piston fixed caliper then slips over the rotor onto the mounting bracket.
8 Before installing the brake...
8 Before installing the brake pads, check the distance between the caliper and the rotor for proper alignment. A misaligned fixed caliper can cause the brakes to drag and create premature pad wear.
9a Our spacing was slightly...
9a Our spacing was slightly off...
9b ...So we used the shims...
9b ...So we used the shims supplied by Wilwood to space the calipers correctly.
10 To finish the fronts,...
10 To finish the fronts, the pads slide in from the top and are held in place with a Cotter pin.
11 The rear brakes are held...
11 The rear brakes are held in place with a bracket mounted to the C-clip eliminator. We started the installing the rear brakes by unbolting the C-clip eliminators and removing the axles.
12a With the axle pulled...
12a With the axle pulled out, simply slip the new caliper-mounting bracket into position...
12b ...between the axle flange...
12b ...between the axle flange and the mounting block on the C-clip eliminator, and tighten.
13 The hat and rotor assembly...
13 The hat and rotor assembly then slides over the axle.
14 Like the front, the hardware...
14 Like the front, the hardware is secured with safety wire.
15a The caliper then slides...
15a The caliper then slides over the rotor and is tightened to the mounting bracket. Be sure to check the spacing between the caliper and the rotor, and adjust to make each side equal.
15b The rotor, seen finished...
15b The rotor, seen finished here.
16 With all four corners...
16 With all four corners complete, we shifted our attention to under the hood. With the power booster removed, we now have space to mount our new master cylinder.
17 Wilwood sent us one of...
17 Wilwood sent us one of its tandem dual-outlet, 1-inch-bore master cylinders. We simply marked the firewall where it needed to mount and drilled two new holes.
18 With our switch to manual...
18 With our switch to manual brakes, Wilwood recommends a pedal ratio of 6-6.5:1. We changed the mounting location of the pushrod on the brake pedal to achieve this ratio.
19 With our car being from...
19 With our car being from the Northeast, we have found some rust in a few areas. one being the brake lines. Since the brake lines are critical for stopping, we decided to swap all of the lines for fresh ones. Classic Tube supplied us with a set of its pre-bent stainless steel lines for the Fox-body Mustang. The kit is easy to install and everything is labeled clearly, making the installation a breeze.
20 The double-flared ends...
20 The double-flared ends and new fitting ensure everything fits properly without leaks.
21a Wilwood sent us one of...
21a Wilwood sent us one of its compact proportioning valves...
21b ...This valve installs...
21b ...This valve installs in the rear brake line and allows us to fine-tune brake pressure to the rear binders.