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We ship world wide. All international orders must be paid online. Checks or money orders drawn on non-US banks will not be accepted.
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Improving the Mustang's Brake System
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These glowing front rotors are a testament to how much heat is generated during braking. Street circuits like Trois Rivieres are particularly hard on brakes, with very little time between corners and no air movement on the course itself.
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Along with all the upgrades to the rest of the Mustang for the 1994 model year, the brakes were also improved. Four-wheel disc brakes were now standard on every model – rear drum brakes were gone. ABS also became optional on all Mustangs beginning in ’94. PBR two-piston front calipers, similar to the ones used by GM on the F-bodies and Covettes were introduced on the Cobra, along with larger 13-inch front discs.
All of this made a great improvement to a car that already had plenty of acceleration, but lacked in the braking department when compared with the Camaro/Firebird of the day. Things only improved with the 2000 Cobra R, which came with four-piston Brembo front brakes, and even carbon- fiber brake ducts, standard from the factory. That’s wonderful stuff, but for those of us without an R model, where should we begin to improve our brakes?
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Brake Fluid The easiest brake improvement is also the least expensive. Changing your brake fluid every 24 months on an every- day street car enhances braking performance. Brake fluid is hygroscopic, which means that it has an affinity for water. A typical DOT 3 brake fluid, found in most cars, begins life with a boiling point around 400 degrees F. After only 24 months, water absorbed into the brake fluid can lower the boiling point over 100 degrees! The brakes are susceptible to fade as the fluid boils in the caliper, especially if the brakes are used two or three times in short succession.
The moisture absorbed into the brake fluid also causes premature corrosion in the brake system, leading to early replacement of master cylinders and calipers. Some lube shops and garages are now testing brake fluid with electronic testers to determine the amount of water absorbed and the actual boiling point of the fluid in some cases. While this is all well and good, I prefer to just change fluid based on time and usage. Consider brake fluid to be like some of the food in your refrigerator, you know, the stuff with a “best before” date on it. The “best before” date on your brake fluid is 24 months from the date you drove your new car off the dealer’s lot. If your Mustang is second hand, don’t even think about it – just change it. Since this usually requires two people, just consider it a bonding opportunity with that special someone in your life. Obviously, if you use your Mustang for open track events like SVTOA events, or weekend drag racing, changing your brake fluid should become a more frequent event. Open-track driving demands that brake fluid be changed a week or two before the event, and bled after the event as well.
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Weekend drag racers should change fluid at the beginning of every season, and then bleed the brakes once a week to once a month depending on speeds achieved and number of passes per weekend. Road racers already know all about brake fluid; that’s why you see them bleeding the brakes virtually every time the car comes off the track, between practice, qualifying, and race sessions. Even the best fluid available can have localized boiling in some areas, and if you need a consistent, hard brake pedal, constant bleeding is required.
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DOT 4 Brake Fluid is a good choice for a street-driven Mustang. Castrol CMA and Valvoline Synpower are two commonly available brands.
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Different types of driving require different types of brake fluid. DOT 3 brake fluid is what your Mustang came with from Ford and the type most garages use to top up or change fluid. A typical DOT 3 brake fluid has a dry boiling point of 400 degrees F. The minimum level of brake fluid I recommend is DOT 4 fluid. A quality DOT 4 brake fluid has a dry boiling point of 500 degrees F, and is readily available at auto parts stores and even Wal-Mart. Castrol LMA and Valvoline Synpower are two commonly available brands. DOT 4 fluid is fine for every day cars, weekend drag racers, and the once-a-year open-track driver. Pro drag racers and open-track warriors (you know who you are), you guys and gals need something better. Motul 600F is my preferred fluid for this middle level of performance. It has a 600-degree-F dry boiling point, and it’s reasonably priced at around $18 a pint. You need to find a performance outlet or mail order supply house for performance brake fluid, as you are not likely to find it at the average auto parts store. Other good brands in this range are Wilwood Hi-Temp 570 F brake fluid and AP Racing 550 F brake fluid.
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For open track and road racing, you want a brake fluid that can stand up to some heat. This Motul Racing brake fluid has a 600 degrees F dry boiling point.
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Professional road racers use Castrol SRF brake fluid. It costs $70 a quart, which is a lot of money by anyone’s standards. But as with most things in life, you get what you pay for, and it’s the best racing brake fluid available, period. It has a higher boiling point, at 660 degrees F, and works the best of any fluid in an extreme racing environment.
People ask, “What about DOT 5 silicone brake fluid, isn’t it better?” The answer is yes, and no. DOT 5 fluid does not absorb water like a conventional fluid. Unfortunately, it also has a relatively low boiling point, which renders it useless for performance enthusiasts. It’s also incompatible with other types of brake fluid, requiring a complete system flush. The best application for DOT 5 is for museum cars, which are seldom driven, and then only at moderate speeds.
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So, now we know which type of fluid is appropriate for our needs, and next we need some equipment to help us bleed the brakes properly. A brake-bleeding bottle is nothing more than a clear container with a piece of transparent hose that slips over the brake-bleeding nipple on the caliper. Tilton makes a dandy brake bleeding kit with two bottles and hoses, or you can make your own for next to nothing. Just take an old Gatorade bottle, cut a hole in the top, and get some clear nylon tubing from the hardware store. Just check that the plastic used to make the bottle won’t dissolve when exposed to brake fluid by pouring a tiny bit of brake fluid in the container. Place the end of the tube over the bleeder nipple and the old brake fluid collects in the bottle. The clear tubing allows us to see when the old dark fluid is gone, and the new fluid has reached the bleeder. In a road-race car, watch the tubing for bubbles in the fluid, which is a sign of boiling fluid. Once all the bubbles have disappeared in the fluid traveling through the line, the boiled fluid has passed.
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This Tilton brake bleeding kit contains two bleeder bottles with hoses to attach to the brake bleeder nipples.
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Brake bleeding is usually a two-person job: one in the car, and one outside to loosen and tighten the bleeder screw.
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Brake bleeding is best accomplished with the assistance of another person. One person sits in the car and operates the brake pedal, while the second person operates the bleeder screw. Make sure the master cylinder reservoir is full, and then pump the brake pedal three or four times and hold. The person at the caliper then opens the bleeder screw, allowing the old fluid to travel out through the clear line into the bottle. Once the pedal has reached the floor, the bleeder screw is tightened. This process is repeated several times at each corner, filling the reservoir as required, until new fluid has reached each corner of the car.
Do not allow the master cylinder reservoir to get completely empty (keep filling it with new fluid). Air gets sucked into the lines, requiring you to start the process all over again. The brakes should be bled in the following sequence: right rear, left rear, right front, and left front (from the furthest away from the master cylinder to nearest). If you don’t have anyone to help you do this, another option is to install solo bleeders. These are replacement caliper bleed screws with a built-in check valve. This allows one person to bleed the brakes by themselves, the only disadvantage being that you cannot see the quality of the expelled fluid when doing this by yourself.
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Solo-bleed screws allow one person to bleed the brakes by themselves. A spring-loaded check valve releases the fluid from the brake system and then reseals, preventing air from entering the brake system.
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Previous | Next
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This has been a sample page from
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High-Performance Mustang Builder's Guide 1994-2004 by Sean Hyland
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High-performance ‘94-‘04 Mustangs represent the high-water mark for late- model Mustang enthusiasts. From the ’94-’95s with the 5.0L, through the ‘96-‘04 models with the 2- and 4-valve 4.6 Ls, to the Bullitt, Mach 1, and factory supercharged ’03-‘04 Cobras – never before has such a range of highly modifiable performance cars been available. These Mustangs were amazing performers straight from the factory, but they can be even better with the right combination of performance parts. Regardless of which ’94-’04 Mustang you start with, the availability of high- performance parts is unparalleled. You can build your Mustang for drag racing, road racing, or improved street performance – and High- Performance Mustang Builder’s Guide 1994-2004 will show you how! Author Sean Hyland uses over 300 photos to explain how to upgrade your Mustang’s engine, suspension, chassis, transmission, rear end, brakes, and body. There’s even a special chapter on getting active in various forms of organized racing.
Sean Hyland is the proprietor of Sean Hyland Motorsport, which builds and supports internationally competitive Mustangs for road racing, drag racing, and everything in between. Sean recently did a complete Mustang build-up for Speed Channel’s Sports Car Revolution and is also the author of the bestselling title How to Build Max-Performance 4.6-Liter Ford Engines.
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Click below to view sample pages from each chapter.
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Chap. 1 - Chassis Chap. 2 - Wheels and Tires Chap. 3 - Suspension Chap. 4 - Brakes Chap. 5 - 3.8 Engines Chap. 6 - 4.6 Modular Engines Chap. 7 - Transmissions Chap. 8 - Rear Axles Chap. 9 - Aerodynamics Chap. 10 - Safety Equipment Chap. 11 - Get Involved! Chap. 12 - Project Cars
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8-1/2 x 11" Sftbd. 144 pgs. 300+ color photos Item: SA106 Price: $22.95
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Click here to buy now!
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This is a great book that any Mustang enthusiast will enjoy!
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Other items you might be interested in
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How To Build Max Performance 4.6 Liter Ford Engines With Mustang buy-in prices dropping and aftermarket support booming, there has never been a better time take your 4.6-liter’s performance to the next level. In How To Build Max-Performance 4.6-Liter Ford Engines, renowned engine builder and tuner Sean Hyland gives you a comprehensive guide to building and modifying Ford’s 2- and 4-valve 4.6/5.4-liter engines.
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Price:
$22.95
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Building 4.6/5.4L Ford Horsepower on the Dyno Building 4.6/5.4L Ford Horsepower on the Dyno takes the guesswork out of modification and parts selection by showing you the types of horsepower and torque gains expected by each modification. More than 340 photos & 185 dyno graphs show you which parts increase horsepower and torque, and which parts don’t deliver on their promises.
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Price:
$22.95
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The Mustang Performance Handbook The Mustang Performance Handbook is a comprehensive resource to help you modify your Mustang’s 5.0-liter engine and drivetrain for maximum performance. Hundreds of photographs and drawings enable you to custom build you 5.0-liter engine for any performance application, from high performance street to drag racing, road racing and autocross. The latest bolt-on hardware is covered in detain to help you select the proper combination of components.
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Price: $18.95
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Shipping is combined and discounted for multiple item purchases! Buy more and save on shipping! We ship Worldwide! See International Shipping for more information!
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