Ford rear disc brake conversion kit

[Jon Sturgeon]

All,

I exchanged a few emails with the guys at http://www.fordracing.net recently to see if they were planning a rear disc (rotor) brake conversion kit for the Focus. They currently have a kit for the ZX2 with a MSRP of $695.

The good news is that a kit for the Focus is planned and should be available "later this summer". ABS will still function normally, which may not be the case with some aftermarket kits. The retail price hadn't been determined, but I would be surprised if it was significantly different from the cost of the ZX2 kit.

The only thing they weren't sure about was whether or not the kit would fit inside the 15" wheels, or if 16" wheels would be required because of the size of the new disc and caliper. I gave them my opinion that they would be well advised to make the kit work with the 15" wheels so that they could sell to owners with both wheel sizes.

If anybody here would be interested in this kit now might be a good idea to provide your opinion on the wheel size issue to Ford Racing (although their website appears to be down as I am typing this...).

Hope this information is useful!

Regards,
Jon
See my Focus FAQ: http://users.ev1.net/~sturgeon/car/focus/focus.htm

[Omega ZX3]

nice find. thanks!

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...so I broke into the palace with a sponge and a rusty spanner, she said "I know you and you cannot sing."
I said "That's nothing, you should hear me play piano."

-Morrissey

[Pzevinside]

Thanks again for the info. Jon. I hope they do make a kit so that we can run the 15" wheels. I would really be up for that as well.

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00 Autumn Orange ZX3 Automatic

[This message has been edited by zetecinside (edited 03-08-2001).]

[3redzx's]

Great info Jon! I would bet that the rotors will be the same size or smaller than the front if they aren't part of a big brake kit. They should fit fine in 15's.

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infrared 01zx3
esslinger udp
Iceman

[eric]

rear discs that require 16" wheels are usually bigger than the front (stock) discs right? that is not a good idea. that takes rear discs out of the price range for a lot of people. not only do you have to buy the rear discs, you also need: 16" wheels, and new, larger front disc set.

not a good idea

if they make the rear discs able to fit in the 15" that would be very cool.

[signboy]

That's awesome

[CTB]

If the rear brake conversion for the Focus is simply a kit to install the European rear discs on the car, then 15's will work perfectly. The rear rotors aren't that big, and neither are the calipers. I believe the rear rotors in Europe are 252mm (the fronts are 258mm on both sides of the pond). 15's won't be a problem if that is the equipment that Ford Racing decides to use.

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CTB

[Jon Sturgeon]

To follow up on my own posting here, I meant http://www.fordracing.com, not fordracing.net. The URL for the ZX2 brake kit is:
http://www.fordracing.com/performanc...M-2300-Z2.html

...and the URL for the current list of Focus parts is:
http://www.fordracing.com/performanc...ml/rmpp05b.htm

I'll post more information here as I get it.

Regards,
Jon

[Jon Sturgeon]

All,

If you'd like to provide input to Ford on the 15" vs 16" wheel issue for this kit, send your email to Tom Berkery at:

tberkery@ford.com

This email address is on the Ford Racing page at:
http://www.fordracing.com/performanc...html/index.htm

If you send him an email, please be polite and let him know what you are a potential customer for this kit but only if it will fit in your existing wheels.

Hopefully if a reasonable number of people provide their input we will be able to make sure the kit they come out with will fit in the stock 15" wheels.

Regards,
Jon

[Jon Sturgeon]

CTB wrote:

If the rear brake conversion for the Focus is simply a kit to install the European rear discs on the car, then 15's will work perfectly. The rear rotors aren't that big, and neither are the calipers. I believe the rear rotors in Europe are 252mm (the fronts are 258mm on both sides of the pond). 15's won't be a problem if that is the equipment that Ford Racing decides to use.

CTB - I think the European Focuses get larger stock rotors at the front that the US-spec Focus.

Ford Racing said that they hadn't yet decided which rotors to use for the kit. But I hope they choose one that will fit in the 15" wheel...

Regards,
Jon

[CTB]

Jon,
I disagree about the front rotors on the Euro Foci - they are all the same from what I've seen. Of course, we can both say, "Nah, I think you're wrong," so I'll research this and get a definitive answer. But last I checked, the rears were the only difference between Euro and North America. Once I know, I'll post.

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CTB

[tomp]

I would also be interested in the disk brake conversion. The lack of rear disk brakes was a major negative when I was car shopping last year. Besides, The drums are pretty ugly once they start to rust.

As a temporary measure, has anybody succesfully painted the rear drums?

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Stock '00, 5sp, A/C, RF Green

[Devil's Advocate]

A little off-topic, but would you happen to know if the ZX2 rear disc conversion would work on an Escort Wagon?

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[BOSS122]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Devil's Advocate:
A little off-topic, but would you happen to know if the ZX2 rear disc conversion would work on an Escort Wagon?
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

It probably will. The read disc brakes for the ZX2 conversion kit and the ones that come on the ZX2 S/R from the factory are form the previous generation Escrt GT. I believe almost all the part numbers match those on the 1995 Escort GT.

[CTB]

Ok, I've done some research, it seems that all Foci, US or European, have the 258mm front rotors. The only difference in braking is in the rear - disc or drum.

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CTB

[Jon Sturgeon]

Thanks for the information, CTB. Can you provide a reference for it?

The only thing I remembered was reading something to the effect that the SVT had larger front rotors "from the European Focus", but I have no idea where I read that, or even if I just imagined it...

Regards,
Jon

[Zx3sith]

By the way,
The SVT Focus has 300mm brakes in the front,
and 280mm in the rear.(the crappy part of that is they are both single pistons.

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2000 5spd Zx3
AEM Cold-Air intake, JE Pistons, Crower Rods bolts and Retainers, Gude Head Package, Hella Headlight Conversion,
17" Konig Wheels, Recaro Seats(Soon), 6spd SVT Tranny(soon)

[Jon Sturgeon]

Zx3sith - yes, especially when you compare it to the RS Focus. Brembo four-piston front calipers and two-piston rear calipers...etc etc

[Devil's Advocate]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by BOSS122:
It probably will. The read disc brakes for the ZX2 conversion kit and the ones that come on the ZX2 S/R from the factory are form the previous generation Escrt GT. I believe almost all the part numbers match those on the 1995 Escort GT.

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Thank You.

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[Devil's Advocate]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Jon Sturgeon:
Zx3sith - yes, especially when you compare it to the RS Focus. Brembo four-piston front calipers and two-piston rear calipers...etc etc<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Damn! Now that's a hell of a brake system, especially for a car of its size and weight.

The single piston setup is rather puny for rotors of such good size.

[Jon Sturgeon]

Note that British American Transfer have both front and rear rotor upgrade kits, although they both require 16" wheels (and 17" for the biggest front kit).

They have two kits available for the front, one with 300mm rotors and the other with 330mm rotors, both with 4-piston calipers.

The rear kit comes with 300mm rotors and single-piston calipers. The cost is $895 + $125 core charge.

I'm hoping Ford Racing does the right thing and comes out with a rear rotor kit that will fit inside the stock 15" wheels.

BAT seem to be pretty switched-on and have a nice PDF catalog available for download. Check them out at: http://www.batinc.net/

Best wishes,
Jon

[CTB]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Jon Sturgeon:
Thanks for the information, CTB. Can you provide a reference for it?<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Jon,
I'm going to have to fall back on "a good reporter never gives up his source." You can hold me in contempt.

I think the quote you may have read regarding the SVT Focus was one of two things - it was either wrong (I have seen TONS of incorrect info in rags like Car and Driver, Autoweek, etc., regarding the SVT), or it was referencing the rear discs on the car as being from the European car, which again is incorrect.

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CTB

[Jon Sturgeon]

CTB - with respect, there isn't much point in posting a message saying that you've done your research and you were right if you can't provide any references.

I'm not saying you aren't correct, just that it would be useful for everybody here if you could provide a link to information that confirms what you say. Otherwise you are just contributing to the already huge amount of hearsay on the Internet, and that helps nobody.

Respectfully,
Jon

[P-51]

I went out and measured the Euro disks. They are the same as ours.

[Jon Sturgeon]

Thanks for the feedback, P-51.

I don't mean to sound rude, but the lack of real information on the Internet when compared to speculation and people passing off opinion as fact really gets me down. I don't mean to put CTB down at all :-)

Jon