Thank you for your interest in my oversize front brake conversion. I have been researching many options for the last year and have come up with something that works well and is cheaper to maintain than the stock front brakes. The SVT/T-bird brakes will fit the stock 15” “basket weave” wheels and aftermarket wheels 15” diameter or larger. They will not fit the “flat spoke” 15” wheel without A .20” wheel spacer or slight modification to the calipers. What it boils down to is with the following parts you can have more rotor swept area, more brake pad area, more brake pad choices, more piston area and less cost than the stock XR items. I hope the following information may be of help.

Rotors
The rotors are from a Ford Contour SVT, part number F8RZ-1125-CA. They are perfectly hubcentric on the XR hub and match the wheel stub pattern. They fit as well as the stock XR rotors. The “hat” offset is not as deep as the stock rotor, but this works out well as the difference in offset allows for the caliper adapter plate. The SVT rotors are listed in the local parts house computers, but the diameter of the items I checked was wrong. I think they have the stock Contour rotor mixed up with the SVT version. The SVT rotor should measure a nominal 11” diameter. Before you buy them check the diameter. The stock Ford items I purchased cost about $65 or so.

Complete Brake Warehouse (800-581-2339) has both drilled and stock SVT rotors. Drilled rotors, CBW part number AR8156L & AR8256R cost $92.50 and “premium” stock rotors, CBW part number AR8156, are $47.85. White box generic rotors are not available for the SVT.

Calipers
The calipers I used are from a 95 T-bird. For you junkyard guys the calipers from a 93-96 T-bird and 94 and up Mustang will work. If you get T-bird and Lincoln calipers make sure you the ones from the standard and not the ones from the sport suspension as the mounting holes are different. This caliper is a single piston design and has one of the best sliding pin designs I’ve seen. The piston area is 19% larger than the standard XR caliper.

The local Auto Zone list remanufactured calipers for $35 with a $20 core charge. There has been some confusion on buying rebuilt calipers. Make sure you ask for calipers with brackets. The factory sliding pin caliper bracket is needed and this is what bolts to the adapter brackets I sell.

Rebuild kits cost $3.95 each with a hardware kit, 1 required for both calipers, at $18.95.  Don't be afraid to buy these calipers from a salvage yard as they seem to be very durable. They are also very easy to rebuild.

There are many different pad options available ranging from stockers to carbon metallic. I chose some Bendix semi-metallic pads.

CBW has the correct calipers listed under part number 40-81057 (left side) and 40-81058 (right side).  The complete calipers with the mounting pin sliding bracket are $45.05. Core charge for these calipers is $45 each.

 Note that the caliper has a unique to Ford 10mm x 1.5 thread pitch banjo bolt thread. If  you get your calipers from a junkyard make sure you get the banjo bolts also. The banjo bolts from a TC rear caliper will work also. CBW has the correct banjo bolts listed under part number H9469 at a cost of $6.60 for 4 pieces.

 Note that there are many differences in what parts stores call a rebuilt caliper. For some the caliper is the piston housing only. If you get them from a parts store perhaps the best way it to ask for loaded calipers with brackets. This should get you the whole thing. These calipers are a very good design so don’t hesitate to get them from a salvage yard if necessary. You can save on the core charge this way.

Brake hoses
I looked at various ways to connect the XR hard line to the T-bird calipers and settled on a pre-made stainless steel brake hose, part number 3-14-S-B, from Pegasus Racing (800-688-6946).  The hoses have crimped on ends and are pressure tested to 3K PSI. Brake line adapters, part number 3265-16 (also from Pegasus Racing), are required to go from the XR 10mm flare nut to a –3 AN male fitting. The stainless steel hose cost $16.95 each which is cheaper than the stock replacement T-bird hose.

Banjo bolts
The brake hoses from Pegasus racing have a narrow banjo fitting on one end. The stock T-bird caliper bolt can be used if a couple of extra crush washers are installed. Perhaps the best banjo bolt to use is the one from the 87-88 Turbo coupe. It is shorter and only one crush washer per side is required. A banjo bolt from either the front or rear caliper will work.

Caliper brackets
The adapters are CNC machined from 1018 series steel and allow the T-bird caliper to be bolted to the XR spindle. Included with the adapters is the hardware required to bolt the calipers to the brackets and the brackets to the spindle. All hardware is metric grade 10.9 or better.
 
Installation
This is a bolt on installation and the parts install just as easily as the standard XR brakes. All required hardware is included with the caliper brackets.

Remove the stock calipers and rotors. Leave the calipers brake line connected for now as this reduces the mess from the brake fluid. Let the calipers hang down but supported under the car.

The brackets bolt to the spindle where the stock XR caliper goes. Install the brackets with the counter sunk holes facing outward. Insert the supplied bolts and put the nuts on the opposite side. Torque the nuts to 45-ft lbs. Install the rotor than slide the caliper to position.

Bolt the caliper to the bracket with the supplied 12mm socket head cap screws.  Note that the calipers are handed left and right. The calipers install with the bleed fitting on top. Torque the cap screws to 50-ft lbs.

Install the brake line to the caliper using the banjo fitting and crush washers. Disconnect the stock flex hose from the hard line and install the fitting adapter and connect the new brake flex hose. Loosen the bleeder fitting until brake fluid comes out. Finish bleeding the brakes and install the wheel. Be sure to check for clearance of the brake line routing against the wheel and suspension at full lock in both directions. I installed a rubber grommet in the frame bracket where the stock brake hose was clipped to and secured the hose with a nylon tie strap.
  
Required parts
 

Item	Part Number / Application	Quantity	Source
SVT rotor	96 and up Contour	2	Varies
T-bird caliper	93-95 standard suspension	2	Varies
T-bird caliper	stock T-bird or 87-88 TC	2	Varies
brake hose	3-14-S-B	2	Pegasus Racing
hose adapter	3265-16	2	Pegasus Racing
copper crush washers	3241-3/8	4	Pegasus Racing

Bracket kit contents:
CNC machined steel caliper brackets    (QTY. 2)
10mm x 1.5 flat head socket cap screws grade 10.9   (QTY. 4)
10mm x 1.5 nuts grade 10.9     (QTY. 4)
12mm x 1.75 socket head cap screws grade 12.9  (QTY.  4)
 

Cost of the caliper brackets is $95, which includes shipping in the US. Canadian orders cost $5 additional to cover the extra shipping cost. US orders can be paid for by either a check or money order. Canadian orders need to be paid for with a money order payable in US funds. Sorry for the inconvenience, but the regional Federal Reserve Bank cannot handle checks from foreign accounts. My address is:

122 Tessie Drive
Owens Cross Roads, AL  35763
256-428-2513 (W)
256-534-0251 (H)

David Godfrey

For more information, send David an e-mail at  DGodfrey@DRS-TEM.com .

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