The Ford Focus Forum | Powered by Focaljet - View Single Post - Big Brake Kits: the options spelled out- Expanded version

**Todd TCE** · 01-30-2004, 02:16 AM

Let’s talk brakes.

The Focus comes with different set ups and the aftermarket makes even more options. This is not intended to promote one brand or set up over another but rather to lay out the options more clearly for everyone. This is a general guideline to show what can and cannot be done to change the brakes on the Focus. Each aftermarket manufacture may vary the kits a bit but the basis of what you read here is sound.

Fronts:
The ZX comes with disc front.
The SVT with larger fronts

UPDATE; January 20, 2004. Not mentioned here in the first rounds of this post are the various options for replacement rotors retaining the stock calipers. These from companies such as Powerslot and the latest; Red dot rotors. These upgrades should not be confused with a Big Brake kit, but rather considered a brake enhancement package. When combined with decent pads and braided hoses, these 'kits' will improve pedal feel, add some sticky pad and provide a modest improvement in torque. They will not however add to thermal management in any way given that the base rotor is still the same size as stock. Once heated up under repeated hard stopping the heat saturation of the stock size rotor will have met its match, combined with aggressive pads this can lead to faster pad fade and or fluid boiling given the added heat generateed by the added 'bite'. Options such as drilling, gas slotting or both will only go to spark the long held debate of peformance increases, but are not a trade off for improved thermal management from a larger and or wider rotor. In fairness, these packages are a very good first step in making things better than stock, just be sure that for hard use you allow ample cooling time between use.

For those who want to step into completely different braking worlds the first thing to understand is how they bolt onto the Focus.The ZX and SVT however have different knuckles, or spindles we’ll call them so this will have an impact on your selection or purchase. Folllow along as the difference are explained below.

There are a couple of companies who make kits for one or both of these. There is NO brake kit that simply bolts onto the front of the ZX without some sort of modification or adapter. There are kits that DO bolt on to the SVT. If looking at kits you can either; 1) Get a kit with the properly modified front spindles, or 2) Get a kit for the SVT spindles, then supply your own SVT spindles from a wrecking yard or dealer. Of course if you have an SVT vehicle you’d simply buy the SVT application. The cost of kits vary with this respect but depending upon what you pay for the spindles from the junk yard the total price for the package will be about a wash. Some manufactures may only offer kits for a particular spindle so be sure to ask this ahead of time.

UPDATE: Jan, 04; The recent release of the BAT front kit has changed this outlook a bit for those who wanted a true bolt on without the need for knuckle mods or echange. This pacakge includes slider brackets for its PBR calipers which in turn are adapted to the stock slider and pin mounts. The kit includes calipers, pads, hoses as well as larger SVT rotors and a few options beyond this. For the buyer who wants a nice upgrade with out the need for more advanced mechaniccal requirements this is certainly worth consideration. BAT also offers a rear kit which appears to be the same or identical to the Stainless Steel Brakes Corp rear kit.

Rears: (here is where it gets messy)
The ZX has drums.
The ZX Advance Track has discs.
The SVT has discs.

If you have an SVT the ‘big brake’ options are pretty clear; you can choose one of the aftermarket kits for the SVT and bolt it right on as they supply it. Be happy, you have it good.

If you have an AT car you can do one of the ‘big brake’ packages offered to increase the diameter and or function of the rears or you can bolt on the SVT parts, or you can bolt on the aftermarket SVT kits too. Again, this is not too complicated as the spindle parts needed are on both of these models. There may be some variation in cables and hoses so be sure to check.

Ok, so what do we do here if we want discs on the drum Focus??

First you must understand that any conversion from drum to disc will cost you about $1000, so if budget is an issue then you’d best stop reading now. They share some common parts but not all common parts. First you will need all new hubs and bearings as well as the bolt on spindles. We’ll simply call these spindles again, but it’s more than one part. Here are the options and how they play out.

1) Buy all the related AT parts and bolt them in place of your existing drums.
2) Buy al the SVT parts and bolt them in place of your existing drums.

Both are pretty straight forward conversions and require new hubs, bearing, spindles, hoses, rotors, caliper, caliper brackets, pads and hardware. But of course most owners are looking for something more. (Both of these options are Ford only upgrades and a dealer can help you source the required parts, or you can search here for the part numbers list)

There are aftermarket kits for the Focus in various forms. The first level is stock, slotted or drilled rotors and pads combined with stock AT or SVT spindles. The fit of these kits will require the owner to get the spindle related parts, and cables. Some companies supply these for you, some let you shop these parts on your own. Many owners have shopped the junk yards for some of these related parts and does this on their own then purchase only the performance rotors and pads as they need them. At this level you have made an ‘enhancement’ to the discs and put them on the drum car. But if you want to go to the next level….

Most the aftermarket ‘big brake’ packages use the same spindles so now you have the following options available;

1) Fit an AT enlargement or replacement kit as if you had an AT model.
2) Fit an SVT aftermarket kit to your model.

Each of the aftermarket suppliers offer kits at various levels. Some package entire kits to include the spindle parts some do not. In both cases many of the same parts are needed to finish the job. You are now simply putting on an AT or SVT ‘big brake’ kit on your drum vehicle. It is pointed out that the SSBC kit uses a modified bearing of sorts and that they carry a core charge on returning one. That means you still have to supply them with the factory part in exchange or lose the core fee.

The point is that each of these represents a level of change slightly above the other. Still the base parts behind any of these, Ford or aftermarket, use the same factory spindles.

Complete BBK kits are currently offered by;
TCE
BAT
Baer
Focus Central
SSBC
Brake Man

Alternate rotor/pad kit options from:
Powerslot
Red dot

* plese email with others

This will be edited as needed.

01-30-2004, 02:16 AM	#1 (permalink)
Todd TCE TEAM Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Tempe, AZ Posts: 754	Big Brake Kits: the options spelled out- Expanded version Let’s talk brakes. The Focus comes with different set ups and the aftermarket makes even more options. This is not intended to promote one brand or set up over another but rather to lay out the options more clearly for everyone. This is a general guideline to show what can and cannot be done to change the brakes on the Focus. Each aftermarket manufacture may vary the kits a bit but the basis of what you read here is sound. Fronts: The ZX comes with disc front. The SVT with larger fronts UPDATE; January 20, 2004. Not mentioned here in the first rounds of this post are the various options for replacement rotors retaining the stock calipers. These from companies such as Powerslot and the latest; Red dot rotors. These upgrades should not be confused with a Big Brake kit, but rather considered a brake enhancement package. When combined with decent pads and braided hoses, these 'kits' will improve pedal feel, add some sticky pad and provide a modest improvement in torque. They will not however add to thermal management in any way given that the base rotor is still the same size as stock. Once heated up under repeated hard stopping the heat saturation of the stock size rotor will have met its match, combined with aggressive pads this can lead to faster pad fade and or fluid boiling given the added heat generateed by the added 'bite'. Options such as drilling, gas slotting or both will only go to spark the long held debate of peformance increases, but are not a trade off for improved thermal management from a larger and or wider rotor. In fairness, these packages are a very good first step in making things better than stock, just be sure that for hard use you allow ample cooling time between use. For those who want to step into completely different braking worlds the first thing to understand is how they bolt onto the Focus.The ZX and SVT however have different knuckles, or spindles we’ll call them so this will have an impact on your selection or purchase. Folllow along as the difference are explained below. There are a couple of companies who make kits for one or both of these. There is NO brake kit that simply bolts onto the front of the ZX without some sort of modification or adapter. There are kits that DO bolt on to the SVT. If looking at kits you can either; 1) Get a kit with the properly modified front spindles, or 2) Get a kit for the SVT spindles, then supply your own SVT spindles from a wrecking yard or dealer. Of course if you have an SVT vehicle you’d simply buy the SVT application. The cost of kits vary with this respect but depending upon what you pay for the spindles from the junk yard the total price for the package will be about a wash. Some manufactures may only offer kits for a particular spindle so be sure to ask this ahead of time. UPDATE: Jan, 04; The recent release of the BAT front kit has changed this outlook a bit for those who wanted a true bolt on without the need for knuckle mods or echange. This pacakge includes slider brackets for its PBR calipers which in turn are adapted to the stock slider and pin mounts. The kit includes calipers, pads, hoses as well as larger SVT rotors and a few options beyond this. For the buyer who wants a nice upgrade with out the need for more advanced mechaniccal requirements this is certainly worth consideration. BAT also offers a rear kit which appears to be the same or identical to the Stainless Steel Brakes Corp rear kit. Rears: (here is where it gets messy) The ZX has drums. The ZX Advance Track has discs. The SVT has discs. If you have an SVT the ‘big brake’ options are pretty clear; you can choose one of the aftermarket kits for the SVT and bolt it right on as they supply it. Be happy, you have it good. If you have an AT car you can do one of the ‘big brake’ packages offered to increase the diameter and or function of the rears or you can bolt on the SVT parts, or you can bolt on the aftermarket SVT kits too. Again, this is not too complicated as the spindle parts needed are on both of these models. There may be some variation in cables and hoses so be sure to check. Ok, so what do we do here if we want discs on the drum Focus?? First you must understand that any conversion from drum to disc will cost you about $1000, so if budget is an issue then you’d best stop reading now. They share some common parts but not all common parts. First you will need all new hubs and bearings as well as the bolt on spindles. We’ll simply call these spindles again, but it’s more than one part. Here are the options and how they play out. 1) Buy all the related AT parts and bolt them in place of your existing drums. 2) Buy al the SVT parts and bolt them in place of your existing drums. Both are pretty straight forward conversions and require new hubs, bearing, spindles, hoses, rotors, caliper, caliper brackets, pads and hardware. But of course most owners are looking for something more. (Both of these options are Ford only upgrades and a dealer can help you source the required parts, or you can search here for the part numbers list) There are aftermarket kits for the Focus in various forms. The first level is stock, slotted or drilled rotors and pads combined with stock AT or SVT spindles. The fit of these kits will require the owner to get the spindle related parts, and cables. Some companies supply these for you, some let you shop these parts on your own. Many owners have shopped the junk yards for some of these related parts and does this on their own then purchase only the performance rotors and pads as they need them. At this level you have made an ‘enhancement’ to the discs and put them on the drum car. But if you want to go to the next level…. Most the aftermarket ‘big brake’ packages use the same spindles so now you have the following options available; 1) Fit an AT enlargement or replacement kit as if you had an AT model. 2) Fit an SVT aftermarket kit to your model. Each of the aftermarket suppliers offer kits at various levels. Some package entire kits to include the spindle parts some do not. In both cases many of the same parts are needed to finish the job. You are now simply putting on an AT or SVT ‘big brake’ kit on your drum vehicle. It is pointed out that the SSBC kit uses a modified bearing of sorts and that they carry a core charge on returning one. That means you still have to supply them with the factory part in exchange or lose the core fee. The point is that each of these represents a level of change slightly above the other. Still the base parts behind any of these, Ford or aftermarket, use the same factory spindles. Complete BBK kits are currently offered by; TCE BAT Baer Focus Central SSBC Brake Man Alternate rotor/pad kit options from: Powerslot Red dot * plese email with others This will be edited as needed.