Cpotts13
Well-Known Member
Ladies and gentlemen, the following will break down some important aspects of buying, piecing together and properly setting up a BBK and will include cost and piston surface area etc. It will be organized beginning with the benchmarks being sn95 caliper and rotor specs and New edge caliper and rotor specs. This post will mainly cover front brakes and will be organized according to price. To keep things from getting out of hand this will be limited to $2000. The intention of this post is to inform sn95forum members about the different options for BBK for out cars. I will not be responsible for anything not fitting or working. Do your research for proper wheel fitment etc. Without further adieu...
The Benchmark:
1994-1998 GT/V6 OEM
Piston Size(s): 66mm
Piston Count: 1
Piston Surface Area: 10.6 in2 front axle
Rotor Diameter: 10.87"x1.0"
Lines: OEM Rubber
Description: I guess these brakes are so unpopular that there isn't hardly any information on them online regarding the piston sizes.. These brakes are at the bottom of the totem pole when it comes to mustang stopping power due to their single piston small rotor design.
1999-2004 GT/V6 OEM PBR
Piston Size(s): 45mm
Piston Count: 2
Piston Surface Area: 9.86 in2 front axle
Rotor Diameter: 10.87"x1.0"
Lines: OEM Rubber
Description: The difference between these and the 1994-1998 brake set up is the use of a twin piston caliper VS the single piston. This brake setup is a common upgrade for the 1994-1998 guys and fox body guys as well. For most a good set of pads and SS lines with these is all they will ever need.
Price: $350 (New). A used set can be found at or around $200.
The Upgrades:
The OEM 13" Brake upgrade (Cobra, Mach 1, Bullitt):
Piston Size(s): 38mm (94-98 Cobra), 40mm (99-04 Cobra/Mach 1/Bullitt)
Piston Count: 2
Piston Surface Area: 7.02 in2 front axle (94-98), 7.79 in2 front axle (99-04)
Rotor Diameter:12.99"x1.1"
Lines: OEM Rubber
Special note: The Mustang Bullitt and Mach 1 have the same front brake set up as the 99+ cobra. The only difference is the caliper colors; Red with running pony for the Bullitt, gloss black for 03 Mach 1 and bare metal for 04 Mach 1.
Description: This is by far the most common brake upgrade made on any mustang. But as you can see not all cobra calipers are made the same. The earlier year cobras (94-98) had slightly smaller caliper piston size. With a good rotors, pads and ss lines these brakes are all you will ever need for a stock power level Mustang. There are a plethora of aftermarket PBR style calipers available including the SVE (pictured below) and Baer calipers.
Price: $300(used)- $560+(new)
FTR Retrofit S197 14" Brake Kit
Piston Size(s): 43mm
Piston Count: 2
Piston Surface Area: 9 in2 Front Axle
Rotor Diameter: 13.97" (07-12 GT500, 12/13 Boss)
Lines: OEM Cobra OR SS lines
Description: Also known as the "working man's big brake kit". Retrofit using 05-09 GT calipers and 07-12 or 12/13 BOSS 13.97" Rotors. 18" wheels required.
Price: ~$600 (sourcing used parts) - $650+ (sourcing new parts)
Support our Vendors: Buy Now!!
Revolution 13" and 14" Wilwood Forged Superlite Internal BBK
Piston Size(s): 41.2mm
Piston Count: 4
Piston Surface Area: 16.5 in2 Front Axle
Rotor Diameter: 12.97"x1.1" OEM Cobra Rotors OR 13.97" (07-12 GT500, 12/13 Boss)
Lines: OEM Cobra OR SS lines
Special note: This kit can either be purchased as a whole or pieced together for MUCH cheaper. The bracket kit from Revolution comes with shims of different thicknesses to move the caliper in and out for fine tuning.
Description: Revolution Brakes makes a caliper relocation brackets to utilize the Wilwood Forged Superlite Internal caliper with either the OEM spec cobra rotors or GT500 14" rotors depending on the bracket purchased. There are several advantages to this kit over any other BBK. The big one is the cost, you can also choose the exact piston size(s) you want from Wilwood as there is many variations. However be sure not to overload your master cylinder.
Price: 13" $770 (source your own parts), 14" $900 (source your own parts) and 13"/14" kits $1150 (from revolution)
Vintage Venom GT500 BBK (Discontinued)
Piston Size(s): 40mm/44mm (07-12 GT500), Unknown (13/14 GT500)
Piston Count: 4 or 6
Piston Surface Area: 17.2 in2 Front Axle (07-12 GT500),
Rotor Diameter: 13.97" (07-12 GT500, 12/13 Boss) OR 15" (13/14 GT500)
Lines: OEM Cobra OR SS lines
Special note: This kit requires you to buy S197 spec wheels enable to clear the calipers.
Description: Vintage Venom sales a bracket kit with spacers that allows the use of GT500 Brembos to adapt to our cars.
Price: $800 (07-12 GT500)- $1400 (13/14 GT500)
Baer 6P 6 Piston Caliper Upgrade Kit
Piston Size(s): Unknown
Piston Count: 6
Piston Surface Area: Unknown
Rotor Diameter: 12.97"x1.1" OEM Cobra Rotors OR 13.97" (07-12 GT500, 12/13 Boss)
Lines: OEM Rubber OR SS lines
Special note: This is a caliper only kit that replaces the stock cobra/mach/bullitt calipers with Baers 6P caliper. It reuses stock rotor OR can be used with a 14 rotor.
Description: Utilizes stock cobra sized rotors. These are unique because they can be ordered from Baer powder coated in almost any color (for a charge of course). You can reuse OEM rubber lines or upgrade to SS lines. These calipers with a 13" rotor will clear most 17" wheels.
Price: Starting at $1200 (for basic colors, pads and lines)
FTR SN95 GT500 Brembo Brake Kit
Piston Size(s): 40mm/44mm
Piston Count: 4
Piston Surface Area: 17.2 in2 Front Axle
Rotor Diameter: 13.97 (07-12 GT500, 12/13 BOSS)
Lines: Sn95 Cobra or SS Lines
Description: Fully Torqued Racing will provide the adapter brackets, custom wheel spacers. They will also include arp wheel studs (required) and OEM FoMoCo GT500 calipers at an additional cost. Rotors and brake lines are sold separately. This kit will require the use of s197 spec wheels in order to clear the calipers.
Price: ~$1180 (sourcing used parts)- $1500+ (sourcing new parts)
Support our Vendors: Buy Now!!
Ford Racing 2000 Cobra R BBK
Piston Size(s): 36mm/40mm
Piston Count: 4
Piston Surface Area: 14.09 in2 front axle
Rotor Diameter: 12.97"x1.1" OEM Cobra Rotors
Lines: SS lines
Description: Aside from the Cobra front brake upgrade this has to be the 2nd most popular option. What's to say? If it was good enough for the Cobra R it should be good enough for most v6/GT/Mach/Bullitts/Cobras, right?
Price: $1225
Baer Track-4 Front Brake Kit
Piston Size(s): Staggered, Unknown.
Piston Count: 4
Piston Surface Area: Unknown
Rotor Diameter: 13" Rotors
Lines: SS lines
Description: Again like all Baer Calipers these are available in many different color options (for a fee) and can tuck behind most 17" rims. This is Baers entry level complete bolt on BBK.
Price: $1400
Wilwood Forged Narrow Superlite Front BBK 13" and 14"
Piston Size(s): 41.15mm/28.45mm/28.45mm
Piston Count: 6
Piston Surface Area: 16.12 in2 front axle
Rotor Diameter: 12.88" Wilwood GT48 Rotors, 14" Wilwood GT48 Rotors
Lines: SS lines (purchased separately)
Special notes: This kit comes with shims of different thicknesses to fine tune the caliper placement.
Description: This is Wilwoods entry BBK for the Mustang. It will clear most 17" wheels (13" kit). The benefit to using Wilwood BBKs is that replacement calipers and pads are super cheap. For example a caliper from this kit costs $330. Some of the above BBK's you cannot buy calipers separately.
Price: $1670 (13"), $1790 (14")
Vintage Venom F14 BBK (Discontinued)
Piston Size(s): Unknown
Piston Count: 4
Piston Surface Area: Unknown
Rotor Diameter: 14" (07-12 GT500)
Lines: OEM rubber lines OR SS lines
Special notes: The Vintage Venom kit utilizes the Brembo calipers along with 14" GT500 rotors all affixed with ARP hardware.
Description: The Venom Technologie F14 package offers a comprehensive solution to upgrading your SN95 set up to huge front Brembo brakes, for optimal performance and looks.
Price: $1855
The Benchmark:
1994-1998 GT/V6 OEM
Piston Size(s): 66mm
Piston Count: 1
Piston Surface Area: 10.6 in2 front axle
Rotor Diameter: 10.87"x1.0"
Lines: OEM Rubber
Description: I guess these brakes are so unpopular that there isn't hardly any information on them online regarding the piston sizes.. These brakes are at the bottom of the totem pole when it comes to mustang stopping power due to their single piston small rotor design.
1999-2004 GT/V6 OEM PBR
Piston Size(s): 45mm
Piston Count: 2
Piston Surface Area: 9.86 in2 front axle
Rotor Diameter: 10.87"x1.0"
Lines: OEM Rubber
Description: The difference between these and the 1994-1998 brake set up is the use of a twin piston caliper VS the single piston. This brake setup is a common upgrade for the 1994-1998 guys and fox body guys as well. For most a good set of pads and SS lines with these is all they will ever need.
Price: $350 (New). A used set can be found at or around $200.
The Upgrades:
The OEM 13" Brake upgrade (Cobra, Mach 1, Bullitt):
Piston Size(s): 38mm (94-98 Cobra), 40mm (99-04 Cobra/Mach 1/Bullitt)
Piston Count: 2
Piston Surface Area: 7.02 in2 front axle (94-98), 7.79 in2 front axle (99-04)
Rotor Diameter:12.99"x1.1"
Lines: OEM Rubber
Special note: The Mustang Bullitt and Mach 1 have the same front brake set up as the 99+ cobra. The only difference is the caliper colors; Red with running pony for the Bullitt, gloss black for 03 Mach 1 and bare metal for 04 Mach 1.
Description: This is by far the most common brake upgrade made on any mustang. But as you can see not all cobra calipers are made the same. The earlier year cobras (94-98) had slightly smaller caliper piston size. With a good rotors, pads and ss lines these brakes are all you will ever need for a stock power level Mustang. There are a plethora of aftermarket PBR style calipers available including the SVE (pictured below) and Baer calipers.
Price: $300(used)- $560+(new)
FTR Retrofit S197 14" Brake Kit
Piston Size(s): 43mm
Piston Count: 2
Piston Surface Area: 9 in2 Front Axle
Rotor Diameter: 13.97" (07-12 GT500, 12/13 Boss)
Lines: OEM Cobra OR SS lines
Description: Also known as the "working man's big brake kit". Retrofit using 05-09 GT calipers and 07-12 or 12/13 BOSS 13.97" Rotors. 18" wheels required.
Price: ~$600 (sourcing used parts) - $650+ (sourcing new parts)
Support our Vendors: Buy Now!!
Revolution 13" and 14" Wilwood Forged Superlite Internal BBK
Piston Size(s): 41.2mm
Piston Count: 4
Piston Surface Area: 16.5 in2 Front Axle
Rotor Diameter: 12.97"x1.1" OEM Cobra Rotors OR 13.97" (07-12 GT500, 12/13 Boss)
Lines: OEM Cobra OR SS lines
Special note: This kit can either be purchased as a whole or pieced together for MUCH cheaper. The bracket kit from Revolution comes with shims of different thicknesses to move the caliper in and out for fine tuning.
Description: Revolution Brakes makes a caliper relocation brackets to utilize the Wilwood Forged Superlite Internal caliper with either the OEM spec cobra rotors or GT500 14" rotors depending on the bracket purchased. There are several advantages to this kit over any other BBK. The big one is the cost, you can also choose the exact piston size(s) you want from Wilwood as there is many variations. However be sure not to overload your master cylinder.
Price: 13" $770 (source your own parts), 14" $900 (source your own parts) and 13"/14" kits $1150 (from revolution)
Vintage Venom GT500 BBK (Discontinued)
Piston Size(s): 40mm/44mm (07-12 GT500), Unknown (13/14 GT500)
Piston Count: 4 or 6
Piston Surface Area: 17.2 in2 Front Axle (07-12 GT500),
Rotor Diameter: 13.97" (07-12 GT500, 12/13 Boss) OR 15" (13/14 GT500)
Lines: OEM Cobra OR SS lines
Special note: This kit requires you to buy S197 spec wheels enable to clear the calipers.
Description: Vintage Venom sales a bracket kit with spacers that allows the use of GT500 Brembos to adapt to our cars.
Price: $800 (07-12 GT500)- $1400 (13/14 GT500)
Baer 6P 6 Piston Caliper Upgrade Kit
Piston Size(s): Unknown
Piston Count: 6
Piston Surface Area: Unknown
Rotor Diameter: 12.97"x1.1" OEM Cobra Rotors OR 13.97" (07-12 GT500, 12/13 Boss)
Lines: OEM Rubber OR SS lines
Special note: This is a caliper only kit that replaces the stock cobra/mach/bullitt calipers with Baers 6P caliper. It reuses stock rotor OR can be used with a 14 rotor.
Description: Utilizes stock cobra sized rotors. These are unique because they can be ordered from Baer powder coated in almost any color (for a charge of course). You can reuse OEM rubber lines or upgrade to SS lines. These calipers with a 13" rotor will clear most 17" wheels.
Price: Starting at $1200 (for basic colors, pads and lines)
FTR SN95 GT500 Brembo Brake Kit
Piston Size(s): 40mm/44mm
Piston Count: 4
Piston Surface Area: 17.2 in2 Front Axle
Rotor Diameter: 13.97 (07-12 GT500, 12/13 BOSS)
Lines: Sn95 Cobra or SS Lines
Description: Fully Torqued Racing will provide the adapter brackets, custom wheel spacers. They will also include arp wheel studs (required) and OEM FoMoCo GT500 calipers at an additional cost. Rotors and brake lines are sold separately. This kit will require the use of s197 spec wheels in order to clear the calipers.
Price: ~$1180 (sourcing used parts)- $1500+ (sourcing new parts)
Support our Vendors: Buy Now!!
Ford Racing 2000 Cobra R BBK
Piston Size(s): 36mm/40mm
Piston Count: 4
Piston Surface Area: 14.09 in2 front axle
Rotor Diameter: 12.97"x1.1" OEM Cobra Rotors
Lines: SS lines
Description: Aside from the Cobra front brake upgrade this has to be the 2nd most popular option. What's to say? If it was good enough for the Cobra R it should be good enough for most v6/GT/Mach/Bullitts/Cobras, right?
Price: $1225
Baer Track-4 Front Brake Kit
Piston Size(s): Staggered, Unknown.
Piston Count: 4
Piston Surface Area: Unknown
Rotor Diameter: 13" Rotors
Lines: SS lines
Description: Again like all Baer Calipers these are available in many different color options (for a fee) and can tuck behind most 17" rims. This is Baers entry level complete bolt on BBK.
Price: $1400
Wilwood Forged Narrow Superlite Front BBK 13" and 14"
Piston Size(s): 41.15mm/28.45mm/28.45mm
Piston Count: 6
Piston Surface Area: 16.12 in2 front axle
Rotor Diameter: 12.88" Wilwood GT48 Rotors, 14" Wilwood GT48 Rotors
Lines: SS lines (purchased separately)
Special notes: This kit comes with shims of different thicknesses to fine tune the caliper placement.
Description: This is Wilwoods entry BBK for the Mustang. It will clear most 17" wheels (13" kit). The benefit to using Wilwood BBKs is that replacement calipers and pads are super cheap. For example a caliper from this kit costs $330. Some of the above BBK's you cannot buy calipers separately.
Price: $1670 (13"), $1790 (14")
Vintage Venom F14 BBK (Discontinued)
Piston Size(s): Unknown
Piston Count: 4
Piston Surface Area: Unknown
Rotor Diameter: 14" (07-12 GT500)
Lines: OEM rubber lines OR SS lines
Special notes: The Vintage Venom kit utilizes the Brembo calipers along with 14" GT500 rotors all affixed with ARP hardware.
Description: The Venom Technologie F14 package offers a comprehensive solution to upgrading your SN95 set up to huge front Brembo brakes, for optimal performance and looks.
Price: $1855
