IRS Rear Brakes

[hrosenthal]

Does anyone have pictures of how they installed the IRS rear brakes.
The calipers I received don't match the calipers in the photos from the manual and no matter what configuration I try, they don't mount onto the spindle correctly.
Thanks,
Howard

[Bob Cowan]

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a256/bobcowan/RearSusp.jpg

These are stock Ford T-Bird brakes. If yours don't mount up, maybe they're the wrong calipers. Or the wrong brackets.

[mike forte]

Hi Howard,
Do your calipers look like one pictured from Bob Cowan?

[hrosenthal]

"These are stock Ford T-Bird brakes. If yours don't mount up, maybe they're the wrong calipers. Or the wrong brackets. "

thank you. The calipers I have look like this except black, however, the calipers in manual do not look like this. The package came with a plate and spacers to mount between the caliper and the spindle, which is not visible in your photo. Do you happen to have a shot of this from the other angle, showing how it is bolted to the spindle? Thanks again, I appreciate your help.

[hrosenthal]

Hi Howard,
Do your calipers look like one pictured from Bob Cowan?

They appear to be the same, but I can't seem to figure out how the plate and spacers all fit together. I think I've tried every possibility. Thanks for your help. H

[hrosenthal]

Here are some pictures of mow I Attached the adapter plate. (How do you guys include inline images in your posts? I can only get links to the images) 160121601316014

[hrosenthal]

It may be difficult to see in this picture, but the adapter plate can't swing down enough to line up with the lower mount on the spindle because the bolt attaching the adapter plate to the caliper hits the spindle where the spindle connects to the lower control arm. 16019.

CORRECTION: I removed the bolts and tried to check the fitment of the adapter plate to the spindle without being attached to the caliper and it does not fit because the bottom of the adapter plate hits the bottom of the spindle (the bolt was not the problem as I had though before).

[bwwooster]

And now if I might hijack-- Bob: got any other shots of how you added that rear swaybar? It looks like you through-bolted that angle iron mount plate to the frame.. or is it U-channel?

Thanks!

John

[GWL]

I just finished changing out my axles for the longer FFR axles. I found it much easier to assemble the brakes onto the knuckle on the bench. It was then an easy fit onto the rear swing arms.

Howard, it looks like you have your brackets reversed.

http://i609.photobucket.com/albums/tt180/GWL-FFR/Brakes/MountingofIRSBrakes010_zpsa77e5884.jpg

http://i609.photobucket.com/albums/tt180/GWL-FFR/Brakes/MountingofIRSBrakes006_zps00852ab8.jpg

FFR told me the rear brakes are from a ’94-’04 Mustang Cobra. I've got the 1st Mk4. Now I don't know if they have changed the brakes since, however, I did run into an interference with the brake cable as other have. I had to counter bore the button head bolt that is near the e-brake cable insert.

This is how it looked at first.
http://i609.photobucket.com/albums/tt180/GWL-FFR/Brakes/Mk4RearBrakesmycar009_zps5f42d7b6.jpg

I then had it counter bored
http://i609.photobucket.com/albums/tt180/GWL-FFR/Brakes/Mk4RearBrakesmycar010_zps483e9478.jpg

So it now looks like this
http://i609.photobucket.com/albums/tt180/GWL-FFR/Brakes/Mk4RearBrakesmycar012_zps8bc7d689.jpg

I still had to grind on the cable end to get it to fit properly.

George

[hrosenthal]

Howard, it looks like you have your brackets reversed.[/B]

That appears to be a possibility. I will take a look tonight. On another note, it appears that the caliper came assembled, which is why I was confused by the manuals images. Do I need to remove the caliper from the bracket to install the brake pads. Otherwise, I would need to install them prior to mounting the caliper (if that's even possible). Thanks.

[Bob Cowan]

And now if I might hijack-- Bob: got any other shots of how you added that rear swaybar? It looks like you through-bolted that angle iron mount plate to the frame.. or is it U-channel?

Thanks!

John

The sway bar and brackets come from VMP. They supplied the L-shaped brackets that bolt to the horizontal shock bracket on the frame. Pretty simple.

The only small issue I had was that I had dropped the trunk floor, and the left bracket protruded into the trunk a little bit. Easily fixed.

[CraigS]

Howard, I think we sometimes get the terminology messed up. On a factory car the caliper is the cast piece that the piston is in. The caliper bracket is the cast piece that the caliper bolts to. That bracket then bolts to a permanent or at least semi-permanent part of the rear axle/IRS spindle so there are two parts involved in what is usually loosely referred to as a caliper. When we start trying to use these parts on an FFR, there is usually a third part which could also be called a bracket. In the pics above it is the piece made from 3/8 to 1/2 inch thick flat steel. Since this can lead to discussion of two 'brackets', I usually try to call the flat steel piece a caliper 'adapter'. Back to your question about installing pads. Usually you remove the caliper from the bracket to install the pads. Sometimes, you can get away w/ removing just one of the bolts and rotating the caliper around the other bolt to install the pads. On my FFR I have to remove both bolts since the park brake cable prevents sufficient rotation. BTW, the back side of the pad often has a short little stud sticking up from the surface. The piston needs to be rotated to allow the stud to fit into the slot in the piston. HTH.

[hrosenthal]

Howard, I think we sometimes get the terminology messed up. On a factory car the caliper is the cast piece that the piston is in. The caliper bracket is the cast piece that the caliper bolts to. That bracket then bolts to a permanent or at least semi-permanent part of the rear axle/IRS spindle so there are two parts involved in what is usually loosely referred to as a caliper. When we start trying to use these parts on an FFR, there is usually a third part which could also be called a bracket. In the pics above it is the piece made from 3/8 to 1/2 inch thick flat steel. Since this can lead to discussion of two 'brackets', I usually try to call the flat steel piece a caliper 'adapter'. Back to your question about installing pads. Usually you remove the caliper from the bracket to install the pads. Sometimes, you can get away w/ removing just one of the bolts and rotating the caliper around the other bolt to install the pads. On my FFR I have to remove both bolts since the park brake cable prevents sufficient rotation. BTW, the back side of the pad often has a short little stud sticking up from the surface. The piston needs to be rotated to allow the stud to fit into the slot in the piston. HTH.

Thank you, this is all very helpful.
One question though - When I attach the bracket to the to the adapter, I am supposed to use thread locker on the bolts. Won't that inhibit the ability to remove them (at least easily remove them). H

[GWL]

When I attach the bracket to the to the adapter, I am supposed to use thread locker on the bolts. Won't that inhibit the ability to remove them (at least easily remove them). H

Yes, apply medium Locktite (blue) to the bolt threads that mount the caliper(bracket) to the adapter. Just a drop, you don't need much. Then torque them to the specifications. The two bolts with Nylock nuts just get torqued, no Locktite there. I cleaned up the threads to be Locktited with brake cleaner and dried them with compressed air prior to using the Locktite.

My calipers were bolted on for over a year before I changed out the axles and used Locktite upon final assmebly.

George

[hrosenthal]

Thanks for your help

[bwwooster]

Bob: Thanks!

[hrosenthal]

One more question -- Where did you find the button head bolt? I am looking through my packing list and can't find any reference to the button head bold mentioned in the manual. I'm planning to go buy them, but was hoping that maybe someone knows what box they would be in.
Thanks

[hrosenthal]

Just an FYI - I called FFR for packing information of the button head bolt. Apparently, they are no longer shipping the button head bolts.

[mcwho]

I just finished changing out my axles for the longer FFR axles. I found it much easier to assemble the brakes onto the knuckle on the bench. It was then an easy fit onto the rear swing arms.

Howard, it looks like you have your brackets reversed.

http://i609.photobucket.com/albums/tt180/GWL-FFR/Brakes/MountingofIRSBrakes010_zpsa77e5884.jpg

http://i609.photobucket.com/albums/tt180/GWL-FFR/Brakes/MountingofIRSBrakes006_zps00852ab8.jpg

FFR told me the rear brakes are from a ’94-’04 Mustang Cobra. I've got the 1st Mk4. Now I don't know if they have changed the brakes since, however, I did run into an interference with the brake cable as other have. I had to counter bore the button head bolt that is near the e-brake cable insert.

This is how it looked at first.
http://i609.photobucket.com/albums/tt180/GWL-FFR/Brakes/Mk4RearBrakesmycar009_zps5f42d7b6.jpg

I then had it counter bored
http://i609.photobucket.com/albums/tt180/GWL-FFR/Brakes/Mk4RearBrakesmycar010_zps483e9478.jpg

So it now looks like this
http://i609.photobucket.com/albums/tt180/GWL-FFR/Brakes/Mk4RearBrakesmycar012_zps8bc7d689.jpg

I still had to grind on the cable end to get it to fit properly.

George

George, I have the same interference issue tht you addressed a few years back, can I ask what your kit # is? id like to know how far down mine is. I got my kit mid july 2010, and the # is 7287. I was also looking to see if i could mount the cables reversed, from the top of the caliper with the cable base against the clip, and the lug mounted under the circular holw with some kind of clip.

Bob