premium brakes

Boza · 20-02-2011, 03:21 PM

Can someone please confirm for me if the premium brakes of t1 ts50 will bolt straight up to a series 1 or do you need to change the uprights.

Also I was straing at my brakes/ suspension today in the shed and thought to myself why do you have to change the lower control arms to put in series 2 brakes why can't you just change the uprights i mean the sway bar already sits at the back on my car so i can't see it fouling on the calipers.

JC · 20-02-2011, 09:55 PM

First answer, I had the premium setup on my series 1 Fairmont Ghia (the brakes with the ticjkford wings on them). Not sure what uprights it was running, but it definitely had series 1 swaybar.

As for the second lot of questions - it has nothing to do with where the swaybar sits, and everything to do with how it mounts to the lower control arm (LCA). Fit series 2 brakes, you need series 2 upright and series 2 LCA, or the series 1 LCA with a new hole drilled to fit the series 2 swaybar.

lotus · 20-02-2011, 11:43 PM

Series 1 use a different upright for premium brakes as the standard brakes have a ridge on the uprights to support the brake pads and this is not required for premium brakes as the pads are held in position by the calipers.
I have a set of uprights that have had the ridge removed to fit 330mm front brakes for my AU1,but these uprights do not support ABS unless I get the holes and retaining bolt drilled.
I have since picked up a genuine set of uprights for Premium Brakes that support ABS.
You could get the support ridge removed from your uprights and as long as you have the bracket to bolt the calipers on to for the larger rotors,I don't think there would be a problem.
If you want I could put up a photo of both uprights I have to show you the difference to the one's on your car, I can't show you the standard upright as they are still on my car while I get the other brakes ready to fit.

Boza · 21-02-2011, 04:39 PM

The reason I asked is cause theres a set of premium brakes for sale but he's not selling the uprights he reckons that the premium brakes bolt straight on but thats not the case i'd buy them but can't be stuffed chasing the uprights.

321Go · 21-02-2011, 05:45 PM

Confirm AUI and early AUII (with the caliper on left side of disc when looking at the drivers side front) uprights are unique only to AUI / some early AUII. You CANNOT fit Premium Brakes to standard AUI/AUII uprights.

JC · 21-02-2011, 06:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Balboa

The reason I asked is cause theres a set of premium brakes for sale but he's not selling the uprights he reckons that the premium brakes bolt straight on but thats not the case i'd buy them but can't be stuffed chasing the uprights.

IMO, having had both the Tickford Premiums and the BA brakes, the upgrade to BA brakes is just as good anyway, and the brakes don't rattle like the Tickford ones do! But that does mean change of upright, Lower Control Arm and swaybar for an AU1. Not that hard to do - just time.

Boza · 23-02-2011, 03:04 PM

I still don't get why I can't just change the uprights. The more I look at the suspension the more I'm tempted to just try and change the uprights withount the rest I just don't see the point of changing the control arms.

CRAIGAU3220 · 23-02-2011, 03:43 PM

I have AU1 premium brakes on my S3..........Got the kit from the wreckers a few years back which consisted of uprights, calipers, disc's and braided brake lines.......all bolted straight on.

JC · 23-02-2011, 07:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Balboa

I still don't get why I can't just change the uprights. The more I look at the suspension the more I'm tempted to just try and change the uprights withount the rest I just don't see the point of changing the control arms.

The series one sway bar will foul on the upright/brake calliper with the series 2 brakes on. But go ahead and try....we'll just expect a post saying it didn't work.

macman · 23-02-2011, 07:38 PM

The uprights are different. So long as you use appropriate uprights the Premium Calipers will fit.

There are different situations for AU1, AU1 /w Premium Brakes, AU2 and AU3 as well as AU3 w/ Premium Brakes.

Some AU's (later production) with Premium Brakes have standard uprights but use small adaptor mounts to step the caliper out to suit the larger discs. You will either need replacement uprights or the adapter mounts (both are difficult to source). The spacing between and size of the caliper mounting holes are the same between standard and Premium calipers (on AU2 anyway).

Premium Brakes on the AU1 and AU2's are mounted on the back edge of the disc. Premium Brakes on the AU3 (when using the adaptor mounts) are mounted on the leading edge of the disc. Not sure if this change was done by Ford to deal with clearance issues you're worried about between other suspension parts.

None of that directly answers your questions but hopefully will help you decide one way or the other?

**Papa Smurf** · 23-02-2011, 10:56 PM

I have an AU XR6 series I and have recently added BA front Calipers and discs. You WILL need to change the Sway bar and also the lower control arms and Stub Axles.
The AU I doesn't have the piece that the AUII onwards sway connector requires.
AU I brakes are at the rear of the wheel and the AUII/III BA are at the front so a standard AU I sway bar would interfere with the calipers.

I would be looking for the BA Calipers and discs, here in Sydney I can buy BA front Calipers for $50.00 a pair second hand and working from a wrecker.

macman · 24-02-2011, 07:55 PM

Unless you already have the Premium Calipers, BA brake upgrade would be my recommendation too (as per post # 11).

Papa Smurf, your AU looks great and those breaks are impressive for an AU1.

Boza · 25-02-2011, 04:25 PM

guys what i'm saying is on my ute its a series 1 and the swaybar is at thw back or is it the links that foul the calipers

JC · 25-02-2011, 06:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Balboa

guys what i'm saying is on my ute its a series 1 and the swaybar is at thw back or is it the links that foul the calipers

My initial though is that the premium brakes would foul on the links, BUT I've been thinking about this a bit.

I had premium brakes on the AU1 Fairmont, and the callipers sat facing the back of the car. On the series 2 XR8, the same premium brakes face the front of the car. On the AU2 I have a (approx) 10 or 15mm thick bracket that the calliper mounts to, which is also bolted to the upright. Can't remember how it was on the AU1 (sorry).

So, you may just get away with it - one other point, the LHS calliper on the AU2 is actually on the drivers of the car and vice versa - I think because of the mounting location. On the AU1, the LHS calliper was mounted on the passenger side, and the RHS on the drivers (ie as they should be).