Brakedown!

[giganto]

My '95 Mystique has been braking fine without any maintenance for 13 years, and now it's time to pay the piper. Except for that little brake line-metal shavings no-brakes issue that first year, the brakes have worked well. I have had to top off the fluid reservoir three times in the last year, so I figured I needed new front pads. I was overdue for a tire rotation, so I had the tire "Experts" take a look. For $15 I learned I needed new front pads and rotors, rear shoes and rear cylinders (they were leaking). $464.27 in parts and $273 in labor. Since I now have a '96 Mystique which will probably need similar work, I guess I'll have to buckle down and do the work myself. I bought the '96 as a backup for the engine rewiring and other work on the '95. So, it's looking like $2400 if the mechanics did the wiring harness and brakes, so my $1900 backup doesn't look like such a bad deal.

I've never worked on brakes, except to pump and hold for my dad. Sure would've been nice to learn about such things, but patience in the garage was always running on empty. I've got the Shop manual (both Haynes and Ford), jeckstands, power bleeder, and a nice new 11pc. set of 6pt. metric combination wrenches. I've got a couple of friends at Church and brothers-in-law with some experience. Any advice? Anything missing from the manuals? Where's the best place for a good deal on brake parts? Should I do it at all? BTW, my mother-in-law would probably end up driving it (or her 17-year-old great-grandson), and since she's really nice and 80-years-old, a good brake job is necessary. I've been trying to get her to get rid of my wife's '91 tempo for years!

If all goes as planned, I'll get the '95 back in shape. Then convert the '96 to electricity. Then give the '95 to my mother-in-law. Then this morning I thought I'd do a Top Gear Africa Special to the tempo. I'll take off everything the law will allow, including the doors, spray bedliner on the interior and install waterproof seats and drill drain holes in the floor pan. It doesn't have functional air conditioning anyway. It'll be a "fun" backup for the electric car while it's charging, and at least safer to drive than a motorcycle.

 

[blu_fuz]

If you were already going through all the work to put all OEM parts back on, you mind as well change the rear brakes to disc and put even a SVT front brake kit on your pre-98. Plenty of people have them for sale or even have someone post a wanted add for you to get some. You will be much happier and it might even cost less :shrug:.

 

[striker2]

If you were already going through all the work to put all OEM parts back on, you mind as well change the rear brakes to disc and put even a SVT front brake kit on your pre-98. Plenty of people have them for sale or even have someone post a wanted add for you to get some. You will be much happier and it might even cost less :shrug:.

I just did that to my pre98. and i thought it stopped fast before the upgrade, boy was i wrong. :laugh::laugh:

to upgrade the fronts to SVT all you need is new pads for your calipers, SVT sized rotors, and the caliper bracket from and E1 SVT. the E0 use a different caliper and so the bracket wont work with your caliper. rear discs were the same on all contours (even SVTs) so you can either find the parts at the JY or buy them from someone on here. i would recommend buying new Ebrake cables though instead of using the old ones.

in the way of tools you will also need a torx bit (not sure what size off hand but just get a set of them as they are used in lots of other places in the car) the rotors will be fun getting off since it sounds like they havent been touched in 13 years.


on second thought, you might just want to replace the whole steering knuckle/hub assembly as the wheel bearings are probably shot in your existing ones. that way you dont have to worry about trying to pull the rotor off. just a thought.

 

[giganto]

Thanks for the help. I bought a set of metric impact sockets and Torx bits (and an electric impact wrench). I figured since I needed a set of metric sockets, I'd get just one set. I've been reading up on the subject, and some readers didn't notice much difference in braking power; presumably comparing fully functional systems. There are a few of these cars in the JY around here, but I don't know if they have rear discs. Someone had suggested using the thin front rotors on the rear, so I guess they are made a little differently besides the e-brake. Cheaper sounds good, as the drums are covered in black slime.

I'm at least glad I decided against ABS back in the day; the wiring harness is much more expensive and this brake job would probably be more if I go with the disc upgrade. Thanks for the advice for the knuckles; I'll let them soak in PB blaster while I work on the wiring harness. At least it's a Southern car. My '96 from Chicago/Minnesota will most definitely have more rust. I'm afraid to look now, so I'll look after the '95 repairs are complete.