Essential Brake Upgrade for AU1s - Ford Forums - Mustang Forum, Ford Trucks, Ford Focus and Ford Cars

JC-XR8 · 05-24-2003, 06:58

We all know that the standard brakes on the AUs couldn't stop a whore in a brothel. I have now done 2 brake upgrades to AU1 XR6 VCTs and both drivers are extremely happy with the results (one of which is me).

Details of the upgrade are as follows:

Front
DBA 500SL (slotted rotors), cost $137.50 per side = $275 a pair
Bendix Advance DB1108 pads - $66 for a set

Rear
DBA 501 SL (slotted rotors), cost $121 per side = $242 a pair
Bendix Advance DB1086 pads - cost $58.00 per set

Braking is now more immediate. ie when you tap the pedal, you can feel the brakes actually working - very similar to the standard AU2 brakes.

While this may not look like a huge performance upgrade, it is definitely a massive safety upgrade. I now feel very confident in the car's braking ability.

For around $650 (if you fit everything yourself), I believe it's also good value and recommend it to anyone with an AU1 who does a bit of hard driving every now and then.

AUForte · 05-24-2003, 07:08

Thanks for the info JC, I actually asked the service manager at my dealer what he'd recommend for an upgrade. He said the AU 1, yes series 1, were the best of the lot

And I said I'd heard the DBA and bendix was a good combination, he said the stocko ones were better and advised against it.

I need to work it out soon as the brakes just don't feel safe to me, the car still stops ok, just not as well as it used to. I even had trouble locking it up in the wet (off the road on disused wet bitumen)

The problem is, I drive my fathers series 2 on occasion and the brakes on it are FAR better than my AU1 but mine used to be much better in comparison.

I'm pretty sure there is something wrong with my brakes, maybe the booster or something? The pedal feel in inconsistent sometimes the brakes do nothing for almost all of the travel then you push hard at the bottom, sometimes there's more pressure behind the pedal with a better progressive brake feel, more like the series 2.

The dealer told me my brakes are fine although I think that means my pads and discs aren't worn out.

Also any idea what a kinda scraping/grinding noise when braking and the car is almost stopped?

The brakes still stop the car, just don't instill me with confidence and so something has to be done. I drive all sorts of cars and mine would be up there vying for worst brakes, even the brakes on my mothers Hyundai are better. . .

Thanks in advance

AUForte · 05-24-2003, 07:18

On another note, those prices look competitively priced, any idea what the standard ford items are worth?

And life expectancy of the two options?

Although personally the cost is not important. They're brakes! You have to ask yourself how much your life/personal safety is worth.

eskyboi · 05-24-2003, 08:35

auforte...

Scrapping/grinding sound? I have that on my EA and i thought the brakes were shot.. ripped the wheel off and fine! Curious on this one.. coz it sounds just like a pad down to metal!

Anyone have a clue on this?

AUForte · 05-24-2003, 09:03

Strange as my girlfriends mothers car has it after having some work done on it. . .?

And in addition to the above re:brakes, my brake pedal feels much much better when running on petrol instead of gas, seems crazy but it is!

WBT56 · 05-24-2003, 16:46

Quote:

Originally posted by AUForte
in addition to the above re:brakes, my brake pedal feels much much better when running on petrol instead of gas, seems crazy but it is!

Don't know much about gas, but to my thinking the only brake related thing fuel could affect would be booster operation, due to the engine running different manifold vacuum on petrol to gas. Remember, lower vacuum will give a heavier pedal feel, and less travel for the same pedal effort.

AUForte · 05-24-2003, 20:08

Quote:

Originally posted by WBT56
Don't know much about gas, but to my thinking the only brake related thing fuel could affect would be booster operation, due to the engine running different manifold vacuum on petrol to gas. Remember, lower vacuum will give a heavier pedal feel, and less travel for the same pedal effort.

Ah, so maybe I'm not

You could be on to something here. It's been pretty much since the panel shop mechanic screwed around with the gas system. It's never run perfectly since.

HOTDBZ · 05-25-2003, 01:13

You can also conside CEBCO's 4-pot AP Racing kits which come complete from hoses to calipers, big ma-ma rotors, pads, and fluids. That is only if you've got around $4500 to spare just for the front pairs. Otherwise, you can go for Mick Webb's big brake package. Price-wise is yet to be confirmed. I'm waiting for Mick to get back to me. I've seen the kit and it is very similar to the 4 pot big brake Herrod package. No shit, it's that good.

BLWNEB · 05-25-2003, 01:25

Unless you got massive power, the upgrade that HOTDBZ is the way to go.

JC-XR8 · 05-25-2003, 03:20

AU Forte - not sure what the standard Ford items are worth, but to me they are worth nothing, as they are complete cr@p. I have the AU1 that I've just done the upgrade to, and I also have an AU2 V8. The AU2 brakes have always been better. For a start they are twin pot callipers, and have about 50% more pad surface, as well as larger discs. It is well documented that the AU1 brakes were hopeless. They are the same as the late E series cars, in vehicles that weigh more and that have more power.

As for the scraping - on mine it was the handbrake shoes inside the rear discs. I replaced the shoes at the same time (cost $40 per side, $80 the set from Ford). Noise is gone for the moment but I am expecting it back soon as it seems to be an AU and even BA problem. Everything works fine, they are just noisy. And the handbrake actually stops the car from rolling down hills now (it was adjusted to the max previously). You may not need to replace the shoes - they may just need adjusting (get a mechanic to do this - should be no more than 1.5 hours labour, or $90).

Also, the prices I got these bits for are the cheapest I have seen in Canberra, so I'll name the business - Better Brakes and Suspension in Fyshwick. So now I have 2 'cheap' suppliers - BBS for brakes & Revell Steering for suspension (although they do brakes as well).

HOTDBZ - for $4500, those brakes had better add at least 35rwkw as well ('cause if they don't, I don't need brakes THAT good). But I was tempted by Herrods package - just couldn't justify it in the end.