Brakes, need advice

[NoVaGT]

Sorry for stealing you thread OP, but I'm getting ready to do my brakes too.

So......painting the rear calipers;

Just light sanding, then some special paint? I think there's a thick, brush-on high-temp black enamel specifically for brake calipers?

Grimace427 ruined the paint job on my rear calipers when he did my Steeda suspension install, so it's his fault!!!!

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[Norm Peterson]

G-loc in GS-1 (or Carbotech's Bobcat/1521, much the same compound) is what you want for everything up to casual/local autocross. R6 for more serious autocross for a bit better bite at some expense in terms of dust and noise, R8 and up for road course work . . . even R10's aren't much harder on rotors than HPS, while being better for track duty than HP+ which are horrible on rotors in street duty.

Side note #1 - Hawk's HPS used to be good, like 15 years ago or so. Mass-market OE-replacements (especially mass-market ceramics) . . . just say no.

Side Note #2 - my wife just got back from driving her new car with a mild complaint about its brakes not having the same bite that she was used to on her previous car (which was running . . . wait for it . . . GS-1's).



Norm

 

[ctandc72]

Tool Alert!!!

I do believe you need a special tool to screw-in the rear pistons. Can anyone confirm this, maybe tell us what the tool is? Some sort of turny thingy?

Sure - new tools are cool. You can also use a pair of needle nose pliers. I have a pair that was messed up years ago and I ground them down to almost nubs to use for screw in piston calipers. Works for me.

 

[ChitownStang]

I'd strongly recommend trying GLOC GS1 pads for a mix of street and autocross. They're kind to rotors, low dust and noise, and have more bite than the stock pads. Also, if you get bit by autocross, you can easily swap in their R series pads without having to clean up the rotor because they share material family.

Any negatives with going with these over stock pads?
Do you also recommend changing fluid at this point or not necessary?

 

[ChitownStang]

First off I would search this site for the threads detailing early failure on a wheel bearing assemblies on the mustang. At 36,000 miles it is doubtful, But possible that the factory brake pads are worn out. Thing is, when the brake pads get to the wear Indicators, you get the squeal whenever the break is applied.

How do you know the bearings are going? Wouldn't I have noises at higher speeds, not just when I am coming to a stop?

 

[BmacIL]

Any negatives with going with these over stock pads?
Do you also recommend changing fluid at this point or not necessary?

No negatives with those. If you're still on original fluid I'd strongly recommend a flush and bleed. You'll get better feel and consistency from that, outside of the improved boiling resistance of new fluid (only an issue on track really).

 

[BmacIL]

How do you know the bearings are going? Wouldn't I have noises at higher speeds, not just when I am coming to a stop?

If you hear significant noise that's not tires (sometimes hard to distinguish between the two with some tires), and there is play in the wheel end, bearings are bad. If everything feels solid it's unlikely yours are bad.

 

[ChitownStang]

Tool Alert!!!

I do believe you need a special tool to screw-in the rear pistons. Can anyone confirm this, maybe tell us what the tool is? Some sort of turny thingy?

If you hear significant noise that's not tires (sometimes hard to distinguish between the two with some tires), and there is play in the wheel end, bearings are bad. If everything feels solid it's unlikely yours are bad.

Ok, thanks Brian,
stock brake fluid ok?

 

[BmacIL]

Ok, thanks Brian,
stock brake fluid ok?

For what you're doing, any decent DOT4 is fine. No need to get racing fluid.

 

[NoVaGT]

For what you're doing, any decent DOT4 is fine. No need to get racing fluid.

Is synthetic brake fluid also hygroscopic?

 

[Norm Peterson]

Tool Alert!!!

I do believe you need a special tool to screw-in the rear pistons. Can anyone confirm this, maybe tell us what the tool is? Some sort of turny thingy?

The fancy kind is called a 'brake piston retracting tool', and they're really nice once you get the hang of how to work them.

My son-in-law used to be in the automotive repair shop business, and when he got out of that to go drive an 18-wheeler one of the tools he brought home was a kit much like the one above.


Norm

 

[NightmareMoon]

If you've got the time, go rent the tool pictured above to rotate the rear pistons back from an Autozone or whatever.

If you don't have the time, you can spin the piston pretty easily with a small pair of needle nose pliers. Its not a big deal.

Either way lubricate those rear brake piston dust boots before you rotate them or they may tear.

 

[Norm Peterson]

Either way lubricate those rear brake piston dust boots before you rotate them or they may tear.

Good call.


Norm

 

[ChitownStang]

Geez, All this talk is making me want to just pay my performance shop to do it.
I’ve never done a brake job and it seems like there’s a lot of special tools and other things needed on this car that may exceed my level of automotive skill, especially if I do pads, rotors, and fluid.

 

[BmacIL]

Geez, All this talk is making me want to just pay my performance shop to do it.
I’ve never done a brake job and it seems like there’s a lot of special tools and other things needed on this car that may exceed my level of automotive skill, especially if I do pads, rotors, and fluid.

It's really not hard. Don't let all of this worry you. This is very high on the list of things to NOT pay a shop to do. You'll save a lot of money and it's not a difficult job.

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