Sure, we'd all like to have massive, Formula-One-style disc brakes to haul our cars down to a stop in a matter of nanoseconds. But few of us have the racing-team-level budgets you need to acquire all that slotted and cross-drilled hardware. And what if you don't really want to mount 18-inch (or larger) rims to clear those massive rotors?
Thankfully, there are a lot of brake upgrade options that don't require corporate sponsorship to pay for. For example, Brothers Performance Warehouse sells brake kits for Fox chassis and newer Mustangs that are available in a number of performance levels. Depending on your needs, you can get anything from a street-oriented rotor and pad replacement kit to a full-race Brembo Cobra R system.
Since the high-end stuff tends to get a lot of media exposure, we thought we'd take a look at one of the Brothers' Level 1 kits. These include a set of Gripp slotted rotors and Hawk Brake high-performance pads. (Gripp is a division of BBK dedicated to suspension, chassis and brake components.) The rotors are the same diameter as the stock pieces, and the kit re-uses the stock calipers and brake lines to cut down on the expense and installation complexity.
This kind of upgrade will more than likely reduce stopping distances and stopping time. But where it's most noticeable is in its resistance to brake fade. Heat is a braking system's number-one enemy, and most brake upgrades are there to combat the effects of heat buildup. The slots in the rotors act to dissipate heat, and they also cut across the surface of the brake pad to shave off any glazed material that may have accumulated. So in a situation where you're using your brakes hard and often--autocrossing, for instance--an upgrade like this will not only improve your stopping power but also retain it longer.
And here's the good news: A system like the one shown here, installed on a '00 Mustang GT, costs less than $500 for both ends of the car. If you're really scrimping, doing the fronts alone will set you back less than $300. And since most of your braking is done with the front wheels, upgrading just the front half of the car will still result in viable stopping improvements.
To show you how this upgrade is done, we photographed Kevin Murphy of American Muscle (one of BBK's authorized installers) doing the deed. Along the way, Kevin offered some sound advice in addition to expert wrenching. Like this tip, for example: After your car is secured on jack stands or a lift, make sure the key is turned in the ignition so you can turn the front wheels to gain access to the brake parts. Also, start and complete the upgrade on one wheel at a time. If you were to disassemble both front brakes, for instance, compressing the pistons in one caliper would push the pistons out of the caliper on the other side. Finally, if you're running aluminum wheels, torque the lug nuts to their proper spec before putting the car on the ground, and then be sure to re-torque them a second time after you've driven the car and gotten everything hot.
