• Welcome to the Contour Enthusiasts Group, the best resource for the Ford Contour and Mercury Mystique.

    You can register to join the community.

FSVT rear brake convert question

CLASSVT

Veteran CEG'er
Joined
May 2, 2003
Messages
736
Location
Fort Wayne, In
Just got the the FSVT rear conversion done, and I've read that there is some disagreement as to whether rotors and pads need ground down for fitment, or just the bracket. I guess that part is done already, so not as important. But the question I have is whether you absolutely can or can not run an FSVT front pad in the stock CSVT caliper. Seems like a waste to cover so little of the bigger rotor with stock pads.
 
I'm no brake expert but the bigger surface area will have less of an effect compared to the size of the rotor. With the FSVT rotors being bigger you're gaining more leverage on the hub increasing braking. Looking at it in pad sizes a smaller pad would have greater psi compared to a larger pad but that would (in my mind) make your brakes lock up easier. Spreading the pressure out more would make it harder to lock the brakes up thus increasing stopping power. As I said though I'm no expert.
 
That is an interesting take on it. I haven't heard that perspective before. Seems that the larger pad with greater surface area would be more beneficial than a slightly higher psi. I'm also no brake expert though. Would also like to hear what other have to say too.
 
So fanatic is correct. Moving the leverage point further from the hub give more breaking power. Think of it like putting a pipe on your ratchet for more power to break a nut loose. You are also correct that a larger pad would help but changing out the rear calipers is not really a option at this point while still retaining factory ebrake. I have the same kit along with baer up front and I love the breaking power
 
Right, but I had read on another thread that the FSVT front pds (or maybe the rears?) fit into the stock rear calipers.
 
Solo on the same topic since you have Cobras up front as well is the rear of your car a little more brake bias as well? I've talked to someone else with Cobras up front and FSVT's In the rear and theirs is rear bias as well like mine. Is your car an E0 or E1?
 
Mine is an E1, I had just the cobras installed with stock rear for a month or so and when I slammed on the breaks you could tell the front was doing all the work and the car would try and dive up front. With the fsvt kit in the rear the breaking Is very well balanced.
 
So with the pad making contact with such a small portion of the rotor, will a lip of sorts form and therefor need ground down?
 
eventually yes but the FSVT rotor is a lot thicker and it's made for much more braking I haven't had a grove worn into mine yet and it's been on there for quite some time.
 
I agree with everything they are talking about. WIth using the FSVT front rotor on the rear, the car will be slightly rear bias. Not ideal, but overall a decent setup with the 13" front baer/cobra front kits. Most people won't push the car hard enough to even know they are a little rear bias.

Do not turn the rotors or grind the pads down to make this kit work. Just open up the caliper bracket some with a cutoff wheel, it is very easy just take your time. Then you can swap new rotors and pads in anytime, anywhere, without worry of if they will fit or not.
 
after reading some threads on brake performance and seeing some of the comments in this thread, i thought i would add my 2c.

First of all, bigger pads are always better.

Forget the stilleto principle, you are turning motion into heat and a smaller pad will over heat quicker than a larger one. The smaller pad will end up riding on a cushion of gas before the larger one. This can be reduced by drilled and grooved rotors.

Second, putting the stock rear pads further out with the 278mm CSVT front rotors means that you do have greater leverage on the rotor, but the outer edge of the 278mm rotor travels faster than the 253mm rear rotor at any given road speed and therefore creates more heat. Brake fade again becomes part of the equation especially when you are expecting greater performance from your brakes.

So, despite what you may have read, the rotor swap is not a straight win win swap but a compromise to the cost of larger calipers and pads or two pot calipers.

I have this mod on my car and noticed accelerated pad wear.

I'm looking around for a larger caliper setup that works without too much alteration ...... anyone ? ....G.
 
Makes sense! It would be great to have another caliper option that wouldn't sacrifice the e-brake. I'm not holding my breath though. I thought I had read that a bigger pad could fit in our stock rear calipers, but seems that isn't the case. You come to expect some compromises when modding these cars though.
 
I thought I had read that a bigger pad could fit in our stock rear calipers, but seems that isn't the case. You come to expect some compromises when modding these cars though.
The position of the piston is wrong for a bigger pad, it needs to be central to the whole pad...... you would get uneven pad wear. You could try to find a bigger carrier which comes with larger pads... but the position of the pad to the piston is critical ....G.
 
Gorman's correct, but most of us will never get the brakes to the points you mention with a daily driver.
 
I bet if people run the dragon or mountain/canyon roads then they could heat them up significantly. I've heard that the fsvt swap is a *****.... what do you need to do exactly in regards to grinding the caliper?
 
Back
Top