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Brake guys, critique this: ranger axles on rear disk swap, w/modified SN brackets

117K views 311 replies 92 participants last post by  GT80 
#1 · (Edited)
I'd already bought the North Race cars Cobra conversion brackets to use on my GT, but also wanted to use ranger axles on the LTD. The SN axles are a little too long and spaces the tires out so they rub with passengers and a full load of fuel. After trying to figure out a way to cheaply make the stock SN brackets work I think this may work. I took the right caliper bracket and cut it to use on the left side of the rearend, and vice-versa with the other bracket

I mounted the bracket's flat side to the backside of the rearend flange and mocked it up to see how it would fit. The spacer between the brackets is what came with the Cobra brackets I'd ordered. I may need to get one that is slightly thinner to center the rotor in the bracket

The only thing I'm thinking may be an issue is there's now two bolts holding the brake part of all this to the rearend versus 4 that it had before. But the caliper has two bolts holding it as well the main bracket. I may drill the two holes to put larger grade 8 bolts or come up with a way to tie the two halves together. Here's some more pics:


I should add that since I first did this I've just cut the bracket so it is like a horseshoe that slides over the backside of the axlen flange. Once it is on and bolted up I weld back in the little piece I cut out. It's been working great for many years and miles on the I think five cars I've done since I started this.
 
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#2 · (Edited)
Looking at the pics again I might have been better off to cut the brackets this way instead so all four bolts would still be supporting the entire bracket. Just make sure it is oriented right when you cut it so that the cut is at the bottom when it is installed.
 
#99 ·
Looking at the pics again I might have been better off to cut the brackets this way instead so all four bolts would still be supporting the entire bracket:
Are we confident that there is enough room to leave all 4 holes and still get the bracket to slide over the axle tube?

I am seriously considering this but need to be sure of a few things:

a.) I need to be certain the caliper is pretty centered on the rotor
b.) I need to be sure I can get my anti-moans on (I have the longer antimoans)

The ones on the right:
 
#3 ·
Some guys have done this with the T-Bird Turbocoupe brackets to mount them on the shorter Mustang axles. Some have rewelded the brackets together after installation to make them more sturdy. Plus the ones I've seen have only cut out one of the bolts, the furtherest one from the caliper, I think, leaving 3 bolts in place. That is a pretty good idea.

I'm trying to figure out a way to use my Lincoln brakes with the SN95 axles so I can run ABS one day.

Good luck!
 
#4 ·
I was looking at the brackets again this afternoon. I'm thinking once they're on I'll put a couple welds on each bracket half. I These things aren't coming off once I get them on so no worries about removing them as they don't interfere with anything.
 
#5 ·
This is a really good idea. FRPP has a new cobra rear brake kit for $180 that includes stock brackets plus rotors, anti moan brackets and dust shields. That is a hell of a lot of parts for the $30 more you will spend than for just the NC brackets.

Anyone else modified the stock brackets with success?
 
#6 ·
I just want to verify what you have done here. Pardon my ignorance, but I'm getting ready to go through the brakes on my car and this looks like a viable options.

These are stock SN95 brackets off of what car? (V6/GT/Cobra)

What rotors/calipers are used with these?

These obviously allow you to keep stock Fox track width which suits me nicely.
 
#7 ·
Where did you see the 180- FRPP kit Tony? I want that sucker. That is alot better than pieceing a kit together and then having to buy the brackets as well.
 
#9 · (Edited)
Force Fed 23 said:
I just want to verify what you have done here. Pardon my ignorance, but I'm getting ready to go through the brakes on my car and this looks like a viable options.
These are stock SN95 brackets off of what car? (V6/GT/Cobra)
What rotors/calipers are used with these?
The brackets and calipers came off a '94 V6 car, so I used V6 rotors as well. The rear V6 and GT brakes in those years were all the same.



Stang951 said:
Where did you see the 180- FRPP kit Tony? I want that sucker. That is alot better than pieceing a kit together and then having to buy the brackets as well.
That's a pretty good deal. Wish I had known about that before I bought the Cobra bracket from North Cobra.
Edit> Found more info about this kit at OEM Ford parts.
"Used to install Mustang Cobra Mach I or Special Edition rear calipers on a 1994-03 Mustang GT. Kit includes: production 11.65" rotors caliper mounting brackets moan braces dust shields and dust shield bolts." So the NC brackets are still going to be used.
 
#95 ·
The brackets and calipers came off a '94 V6 car, so I used V6 rotors as well. The rear V6 and GT brakes in those years were all the same.



That's a pretty good deal. Wish I had known about that before I bought the Cobra bracket from North Cobra.
Edit> Found more info about this kit at OEM Ford parts.
"Used to install Mustang Cobra Mach I or Special Edition rear calipers on a 1994-03 Mustang GT. Kit includes: production 11.65" rotors caliper mounting brackets moan braces dust shields and dust shield bolts." So the NC brackets are still going to be used.
FWIW I did use this kit for my 88, modified the brackets like i did the stock ones at the top of this thread, everything fit together well so far. Car won't be running until spring time though.:(
 
#11 ·
tonys90vert said:
David,
If I understand the logic to this correctly, you can still modify the brackets in the kit above to what you did with the V6 brackets. Right?
Yes that should work if you're starting from scratch. As I've already got the NC brackets I'm going to use them.
 
#12 ·
OK, I have the TC/93 Cobra rear end in my 83. I can use my existing brakets or the ones in the FRPP kit (if cut and modified) with the Ranger length axles with 94-up (Cobra if this kit is used) rear brakes? So basically, this will save us $150 for the NC brackets, right?

Sorry if I am slow in picking up on this.
 
#13 ·
83GT5.0 said:
OK, I have the TC/93 Cobra rear end in my 83. I can use my existing brakets or the ones in the FRPP kit (if cut and modified) with the Ranger length axles with 94-up (Cobra if this kit is used) rear brakes? So basically, this will save us $150 for the NC brackets, right?
Sorry if I am slow in picking up on this.
I don't know if the actual rearend is wider on the turbocoupe or if the extra width is from the axles only like the SN rears. Maybe someone who knows can help you out.
 
#14 ·
All the 8.8 rear ends are the same dimensionally. Any width differences are due to axle length and the corresponding brake assemblies and brackets are "wider" on longer axles. I have a TC rear end and modified Mark VII brackets with stock length Ranger axles. It all fit together nicely.

Basically you can not mix and match any of the Ford brake systems due to different rotor and caliper configurations. But you can modify the TC brackets like above to mount the TC brakes with Fox axles and even redrill the rotors for 5 lugs and use the Ranger axles. Or you could use the complete SN95 as above or probably the complete Cobra system, although that one has not been done yet. Since it mounts the same as the SN95, I don't see why not.
 
#15 ·
TRBKRB -- not true. Housings are VERY different. Rangers/explorers/BII use an offset pumpkin. Same with the F series. Then they use leaf springs. The expys use a 4 link type of setup. total lengths of the housings can be very different!

The 99+ mustang uses a wider axle housing then the 79-98 cars.

Not all 8.8s are the same is my point!!!!!


Just a FYI for all you guys trying to do this, NorthRaceCars has a patent on those brackets and the shape of the brackets. So if you do try to make your own, dont copy the NC design!
 
#16 ·
Yes Matt, you are right, I should have said CAR 8.8 rear ends. I didn't even think about trucks since we were talking about TC, Mark VII, Fox and SN95 Mustangs. So Ford did extend the housing on the 99+ cars? I knew they were wider, but thought it was just axles and brackets. So I guess the brackets and calipers are the same 94-04?

Thanks for the info.

Thomas
 
#18 ·
David,
which "spacers" are you talking about and where are they placed? you said they came with the north cobra brackets but i cant see them in the pics.

ive got SN95 axles already going on my car but id like to know if i could use stock length instead so i can fit 17X9 cobra R's

thanks,
adam
 
#19 ·
avbcon12 said:
David,
which "spacers" are you talking about and where are they placed? you said they came with the north cobra brackets but i cant see them in the pics.
They are actually washers that came with NC brackets. Only used to align the caliper so it's centered on the rotor. Look between the caliper and bracket on the second pic.
 
#20 ·
ok, i saw the washers, i didnt know if those were what you were talking about. i wonder if it would work with the cobra rears... maybe ill give it a try.

take care,
adam
 
#21 ·
It should work, I'd buy that set up that's above but I've already got the NC brackets so....
Anyway keep us posted how it goes if you would.
 
#22 ·
yea i will if i do in fact decide to buy new axles (stock length).

adam
 
#24 ·
I've been driving mine with the bracket cut the second way since late April. Just drove it to Wisconsin last week without any troubles, no difference in braking, nor any noises.
 
#26 ·
ok, anybody know the differences in the "hat height" between the stock GT (non-vented) rotors and the cobra ones? im really tempted to do this now that i have everything on the way its supposed to be and my tires are hitting the fenders...

thanks,
adam
 
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