Question on the IRS parts

[Rusty_S85]

I'm currently looking for the notebook paper I wrote all this stuff down on but havent come across the IRS components so I will pose this question while I continue to look.

I recall Levy telling me that the 99 Cobra hubs from Breeze wouldnt work with the T-bird spindles but I cant remember if that was true or not. So for piecing a IRS setup together what hubs should I be looking at?

I am trying to replan what I want to get a better idea for over all cost and I just cant find half the paperwork I did on my orignal build idea from a few years back. I also need to piece together a IRS brake kit as well, Levy sells a nice wilwood one for the IRS with parking brake but he doesnt offer non slotted brake rotors. So I have to also look into that, see if Wilwood offers a oem drop in for the IRS Tbird with a better caliper that will work with the OEM rotor.

I am going from memory but this is what I think I had in mind for a IRS build.

1. 8.8" Detriot Tru-Trak
2. 3.27:1 ring and pinion
3. OEM reman T-bird CV-Axles with upgraded boots (found some from summit for a few bucks)
4. Breeze`s IRS knuckles (I see now that they got a ez-pak with the hubs included but no specs on those hubs)

on the brakes I have no idea, I think I was looking at a 4 piston wilwood caliper for the rear but I have to redesign the layout since I am realizing I dont need all these high dollar parts that do nothing other than look good.

So my question lies between the 99 Cobra hub that Breeze sells for the IRS, or going with the spindle kit that comes with hubs that for all I know could be 99 Cobra hubs. What would be the recomendation?

[Tim Potts]

From Marks web site.

M-1109-A Hub,5 lug on 4.5" bolt circle. Fits OEM T-Bird spindles. Accepts modified T-bird Rotor (Breeze #70179) or Mustang Cobra Rotor. Price is for one hub.

http://www.breezeautomotive.com/details.php?prod_id=220&cat_id=36

[Hankl]

Rusty,

Here's what we use on Karen's race Coupe with good results. T-Bird IRS Knuckles, with the Mustang Cobra Hub, Ford racing part # M-1109-A, and Bearing M-1215-A. Use the T-Bird caliper with Carbotech pads. We use the standard T-Bird disk, re-drilled for the correct bolt pattern, and the center opened up to fit on the Cobra Hub. All of the Mustang wheels that you would use for the car are what is called "Hub Centric", they locate off of the center of the Cobra Hub. The T-Bird hub section is smaller, and the wheels will not have the support that they will have with the Cobra Hub. On Karen's Coupe, that was found out the hard way!!

As to the CV joints, DO NOT USE THE SUMMIT PIECES! Buy the Breeze EZ pack axles, you'll offset the cost of the axles by going to Pick & Pull and getting the knuckles from a T-Bird or Lincoln MK IIV. Benefit of going to Pick & Pull, is that you get the calipers for cores, so you get remanufactured ones at a good price, plus all of the bolts and nuts that go with the assembly. You could also scavenge other T-Birds for extra hardware while you're there.

If you need more information, just let us know.

Hank :cool:

[Rusty_S85]

Rusty,

Here's what we use on Karen's race Coupe with good results. T-Bird IRS Knuckles, with the Mustang Cobra Hub, Ford racing part # M-1109-A, and Bearing M-1215-A. Use the T-Bird caliper with Carbotech pads. We use the standard T-Bird disk, re-drilled for the correct bolt pattern, and the center opened up to fit on the Cobra Hub. All of the Mustang wheels that you would use for the car are what is called "Hub Centric", they locate off of the center of the Cobra Hub. The T-Bird hub section is smaller, and the wheels will not have the support that they will have with the Cobra Hub. On Karen's Coupe, that was found out the hard way!!

As to the CV joints, DO NOT USE THE SUMMIT PIECES! Buy the Breeze EZ pack axles, you'll offset the cost of the axles by going to Pick & Pull and getting the knuckles from a T-Bird or Lincoln MK IIV. Benefit of going to Pick & Pull, is that you get the calipers for cores, so you get remanufactured ones at a good price, plus all of the bolts and nuts that go with the assembly. You could also scavenge other T-Birds for extra hardware while you're there.

If you need more information, just let us know.

Hank :cool:

I was going to get OEM reman CV Axles from Advance, I can get them at discount through where I work. Only thing I was going to get from summit was those silicone boots and swap them out I recall reading the plain rubber boots wont handle high speed driving and I rather go for over kill on this area. But if you think the Breeze CV Axles are better than the OEM ones I will go with them. I just can get two reman axles for a Tbird for $120 my price.

But I will mark the Breeze Ez pack axles I got most of the other EZ packs checked off as what I will end up going with. I have to say I am pretty amazed though cause I dropped my over all cost down to $25,000 minus cost of the engine and the ring and pinion carrier. Thing that had my price jacked up was the use of parts that wouldnt gain me an advantage over stock, like the slotted wilwood brake rotors they will only serve to grind the brake pads down quickly with no real improvement in braking. I would like to go with the wilwood calipers to compliment the wilwood pedal box I planned on but I guess I could always measure the piston diameter for the oem pistons and match the tandem master cylinders to those like I did with the wilwood calipers.

The only real issue I am running into is rims. I like the look of the rims that can be bought through FFR but I cant justify the cost. So I was looking at some convential rims and using the specs that FFR lists there are no rim options that I can find on summit that meets the same specs. For example I wanted the 15" rims, I know its hard to find tires for them but with how bad the roads are here more meat in the sidewall area is a better thing for street driving. But on the 15" rims the fronts are 15x8 with 5" back spacing on 5x4.5 bolt pattern, well I was looking at Cragar more than anything for the rims and Cragar doesnt make a single rim in 15x8 with 5" backspacing on 5x4.5 pattern. So I guess I would have to look into alternative width tires or back spacing for the rims. I even checked the 17x9 dimensions with 6" back spacing on 5x4.5 pattern but even on that theres no rim made. I could get a cragar brand rim with a 5" back spacing but that would result in rubbing considering the rim is a full inch wider than the 15" rims. I just have to look into this or wait until I get the kit and then I will have a reason to buy the rim tool that I wanted to get for a while that tells you bolt pattern and allows you to pick the right rim specs for your application. Or I could just break down and buy the 17x9 rims front and rear from FFR and get a 5th one for a spare and just be done with it.

I still need to check with the bank on either a loan or financing the kit. I think the loan route would be better since they arent too picky about monthly payments I understand.

Aside from all that the only other question I really have is what are some good modifications to look into for performance, will mostly be street driven but I would like to go on the track some as well. I did research on this stuff few years back but most of my paperwork is missing so I just have bits and pieces. I remember about setting up the rack for better steering geometery but I think the gen 2 coupes have already been redesigned for better steering geometery so I guess I need to learn what is good modifications suspension, steering, and braking wise for the new updated kit.



Tim, you wouldnt happen to know if the Breeze kit for the Tbird spindles that has the hub with it is the Cobra hub or the Tbird hub? Im sure it doesnt matter but I was looking at going with the OEM parts for braking as far as the brake rotors goes, I would like to upgrade to wilwood calipers if possible. I know lots are using the wilwood complete setup for track use but I dont think those high dollar brake kits would be needed for a car that might see one or two track days in its life.



Thanks for the replies though. Im sure there will be more posts when it comes time to clarify when I start building.

[Tim Potts]

Tim, you wouldnt happen to know if the Breeze kit for the Tbird spindles that has the hub with it is the Cobra hub or the Tbird hub? Im sure it doesnt matter but I was looking at going with the OEM parts for braking as far as the brake rotors goes, I would like to upgrade to wilwood calipers if possible. I know lots are using the wilwood complete setup for track use but I dont think those high dollar brake kits would be needed for a car that might see one or two track days in its life.


.

You will have to check with Mark, but it is probably the 4.5"x5" like the cobra.