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TCP Products' Four-Wheel Disc Brake Upgrade - Slow That Horse DownOur TCP project car finds plenty of whoa power through Wilwood disc brakes From the June, 2011 issue of Modified Mustangs & Fords By Mark Houlahan
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We’ve been looking over the shoulders of the installers at Total Control Products (TCP) for several months now as they turned their general manager Patti Rieger’s ’65 Mustang coupe into a rolling TCP catalog of sorts. They started off by upgrading her Mustang with a TCP rack-and-pinion steering kit in our Jan. ’11 issue, followed by a complete coilover front suspension setup in our Feb. ’11 issue. Out back, the Mustang received a TCP g-Link Four-Bar suspension and Fab9 rear axle assembly in our March ’11 issue, and we tied the whole chassis together using the TCP tower brace package in our May ’11 issue. This month, we’re wrapping up the project as we watch TCP give the coupe some much needed stopping assistance. These improvements go hand-in-hand with the coupe’s upgraded handling upgrades, as well as the fresh Ford Racing 351 crate engine that was recently dropped between the front framerails. TCP carries Wilwood products, and as such, outfitted Patti’s Mustang with a quartet of discs for the best stopping power. Wilwood’s name is well known in racing and performance circles, and is just as at home on a street-going car that sees the occasional track day or a high-performance driving event. Up front, TCP fitted its brand-new front disc kit, PN WW 140-11074-D. This kit features Wilwood’s SRP Series black e-coated rotor in a 12.19-inch diameter, drilled and slotted, with billet hub and rotor hat, all wheel bearings and seals, and Forged Dynalite four- or six-piston calipers (the 11074 kit is six-piston) featuring stainless steel pistons and high-temperature square-cut seals. Red powdercoated calipers are optional. Note that a brake kit of this size will require a minimum of a 16-inch wheel and this kit does push the track width out 0.090-inch from stock, though that should hardly be an issue for most. If you want to keep a stock-looking 14- or 15-inch wheel, TCP has Wilwood front disc kits featuring 10.75-inch and 11.75-inch rotors respectively. For rear brakes, TCP pulled a WW 140-7140-D kit off the shelf, featuring a 12.19-inch one-piece SRP e-coated drilled and slotted rotor, a and Forged Dynalite four-piston caliper. Parking brake function is via an internal drum-brake mechanism. To complete the project, TCP also grabbed a set of braided brake hoses and a complete parking brake cable kit to tie the new internal drum parking brake to the original parking brake mechanism under the dash. So check out the install in the following photos and know that TCP has you covered from front to back in suspension, steering, chassis integrity, and even braking for not just your classic Mustang, but Falcon, Torino, Maverick, Fairlane, Cougar, and several other classic Fords.  1 We’ll build up the front...  1 We’ll build up the front disc assembly first by threading the wheel studs into the billet hub. The hub is provisioned for both Ford and GM bolt patterns, so be sure to use the 5x4.50-inch pattern.  2 A great way to torque the...  2 A great way to torque the studs down is to slip a length of 1x2 wood into your vice and then place the hub over the wood so that the wood engages the studs to prevent rotation of the hub. Break out your torque wrench and lock the studs down with 77 ft-lb of torque.  3 The bearing races are pre-installed...  3 The bearing races are pre-installed in the Wilwood billet hub, but you’ll still need to pack the wheel bearings with high-temp grease. Pack the bearings and install the inner bearing into the hub, followed by the grease seal, just like a production rotor or drum hub.  4 To assemble the rotor,...  4 To assemble the rotor, it’s placed over the billet hub and the mounting bolts, which require a dab of red Loctite, are installed by hand, and then tightened in an alternating sequence (like tightening lug nuts) to just 180 in-lbs.  5 Next, the hub assembly...  5 Next, the hub assembly is secured to the rotor assembly via these button-head fasteners. Again, a dab of red Loctite is used to secure the bolts along with 55 ft-lb of torque via your torque wrench in yet again an alternating pattern.  6 Finally, safety wire the...  6 Finally, safety wire the rotor-to-hat mounting bolts with 0.032 stainless steel safety wire and safety wire pliers. Wilwood has a great tutorial on safety wiring parts on its website at www.wilwood.com/pdf/ds386.pdf.  7 The Wilwood caliper adapter...  7 The Wilwood caliper adapter is drilled for both the early Ford drum and disc brake spindle mount patterns, so there’s no concern over needing to have the proper spindles to bolt the brake kit to like some kits have. However, the Wilwood instructions do have you drill and re-tap said holes to 3⁄8-24 fine thread, which you can do at home with a well-equipped toolbox, or you can have it performed at any decent machine shop for a few bucks.  8 Once the caliper mount...  8 Once the caliper mount has been installed and torqued to 40 ft-lb with red Loctite on the bolt’s threads, the rotor assembly can be placed onto the spindle and the outer wheel bearing, packed in grease, can be installed.  9 Follow the bearing with...  9 Follow the bearing with the spindle washer and retaining nut. Seat the bearings by tightening the retaining nut to 12 ft-lb, and then back the nut off until it is just “loose” and then hand tighten. Do this while ensuring that the cotter pin hole lines up with a set of slots in the retaining nut. Finally, install the cotter pin as shown and thread the dust cap onto the rotor.  10 The front calipers can...  10 The front calipers can now be installed over the rotors and bolted to the caliper mounting brackets. Place two of the supplied shims under the heads of the mounting bolts for a starting point. Tighten the caliper bolts enough to seat the assembly.  11 View the rotor through...  11 View the rotor through the caliper’s pad area and ensure the caliper is centered over the rotor. If it isn’t, remove the caliper mounting bolts and add or subtract shims to get the necessary clearance, ensuring you have the same number of shims on both bolts.  12 When you have the caliper...  12 When you have the caliper properly spaced over the rotor, apply red Loctite to the two mounting bolts, tighten them to 40 ft-lb, and then safety wire the two mounting bolts. Finally, install the disc brake pads and pad retainer clip. Repeat for the other front disc/caliper assembly. Rear Disc Brakes
For rear brakes, TCP pulled a WW 140-7140-D kit off the shelf, featuring a 12.19-inch one-piece SRP e-coated drilled and slotted rotor, and A Forged Dynalite four-piston caliper  1 To install the rear disc...  1 To install the rear disc brakes, you'll first need to remove the rear axles from your axle housing. Locate and remove the four retaining nuts and then the axle bearing retainer, then slide the axle out of the housing. Place the new T-bolts through the axle housing end and slip the parking brake assembly over the T-bolts, followed by reinstalling the axle shaft.  2 Reinstall the axle bearing...  2 Reinstall the axle bearing retainer and then reinstall the stock Ford axle retainer nuts and washers to secure the axle and parking brake assembly to the axle housing. Repeat these steps for the other parking brake/axle combination.  3 The one-piece rear rotor...  3 The one-piece rear rotor is drilled for multiple bolt patterns, so you’ll need to locate the proper bolt pattern and then slide the rotor over your axle studs. Secure the rotor on each side temporarily with three open-ended lug nuts or standard hex nuts.  4 Just as we did with the...  4 Just as we did with the front caliper installation, the rear calipers are installed and measured to ensure they are centered over the rear discs.  5 Should the calipers need...  5 Should the calipers need to be moved in or out, just subtract or add shims as needed, once again remembering to have the same number of shims on both caliper bolts. You don’t want the caliper mounted in a crooked or “cocked” position, putting everything in a bind. Add red Loctite to the mounting bolts and secure at 30 ft-lb, followed by safety wire.  6 Once satisfied with the...  6 Once satisfied with the caliper position over the rear disc, insert the disc brake pads and secure them with the included pad retainer clip. Finally, repeat the last few steps for the other side.  1 The parking brake cable...  1 The parking brake cable kit is a universal double-pull cable setup with all required hardware to get your parking brakes connected, sans any inside hardware (parking brake handle, forward cable, and so on).  2 The parking-brake cables...  2 The parking-brake cables will need to be temporarily removed from their jackets. Simply slide the cable out of the cable jacket and then pass the cut end of the cable through the clevis bracket until the ball end of the cable is secured against the inside of the clevis.  3 Reinstall the cable into...  3 Reinstall the cable into the cable jacket, ensuring the cable’s lock nut is in place on the cable jacket end before the cable is inserted. Repeat for the remaining cable assembly.  4 To install the parking-brake...  4 To install the parking-brake cable on the parking-brake assembly, slide the clevis over the parking brake actuating lever and then place the cable jacket end into the cable stop bracket. Tighten the 7⁄16-inch locknut to secure the cable in the bracket (some antiseize on the threads would be a good idea). Repeat for the opposite side parking brake.  5 Route the parking brake...  5 Route the parking brake cables, securing as necessary, to keep them away from moving parts and excessive exhaust/driveline heat. Find a suitable location to mount the housing end adjuster assembly and then slip the cable block over the cables. You’ll need to connect your forward cable to the cable block and then make final adjustments through the cable block. Project Cost
In keeping with our first story that we published in our Jan. ’11 issue, we’re tracking the total cost of this Mustang’s suspension and braking upgrades. To date, the investment has been $12,195 for the power rack-and-pinion conversion and associated options/upgrades along with our Feb. issue’s coilover front suspension addition, our March issue’s coilover rear suspension, and our May issue’s chassis stiffening package. This month we add on TCP’s Wilwood brake package to wrap up our TCP project Mustang:
| Product | Part Number | Cost |
| TCP Street Front Disc w/ Drilled Rotor | WW 140-11074-D | $1,218 |
| TCP Street Rear Disc w/ Drilled Rotor | WW 140-7140-D | $753 |
| Stainless Braided Brake Hose Kit | 6329 | $75 |
| Parking Brake Cable Kit | WW 330-9371 | $120 |
| Previous Total | $12,195 |
| Total | $14,361 |
 1 Remove the shipping plugs...  1 Remove the shipping plugs from the rear calipers and install the supplied 1⁄8-inch NPT-to-AN adapter fitting into the caliper with Teflon pipe thread sealant. Tighten the fitting and position as shown. Install the braided brake hose but do not tighten the hose yet. Repeat for the other caliper.  2 Route the hose as shown...  2 Route the hose as shown and mount the retaining bracket to the frame using the supplied 10-32 button-head fasteners by marking the locations, drilling, and tapping to 10-32. Insert the inverted flare end of the braided brake hose through the installed bracket and secure with the included jam nut; then tighten the swivel end, ensuring the hose clears all suspension and moving parts. Copy the installation routing for the opposite side and then fabricate new brake hard lines to the rear of the car, using a T-fitting to split the rear brake line to the two new braided hoses.
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