Any interest in a big brake bracket?

[techieman33]

I've recently acquired at Baer big brake kit for a 2nd gen awd/4wd explorer or mountaineer. It uses a 13" cobra rotor and some big 4 piston alcon built baer branded calipers. I need to call alcon on tuesday to see if the calipers are still available. Was just wondering if anyone wanted me to see what it would cost to have some brackets machined.

 

[Spdrcer34]

I am more interested if I can use a Cobra Caliper, which is the excact same bracket that I planned on building, now that the wife has a 98 Mounty AWD, I know the Alcon Brake Calipers can be CRAZY expensive....like $1500-$2500 per SIDE. And THAT is going to stop 99.999999995% of people from doing this swap.

Ryan

 

[techieman33]

Ok, I'll see if I can get a parts store to order in a cobra caliper for me so I can test fit it.

 

[explorinitup]

i might be is the price is right

 

[Brandon96]

I'd be interested also if the price is good.

Towing on my stock brakes is just no bueno..

 

[joecrna]

A big brake kit would be perfect for stopping my heavy Explorer, especially when towing.

 

[techieman33]

You would need at least a 17" wheel to clear these brakes.

 

[techieman33]

Was just looking at some pictures of cobra calipers and they will not work with this bracket. The cobra calipers bolt on with the bolts sitting horizontal. The alcon/baer calipers bolt on with the bolts sitting vertical.

 

[Spdrcer34]

...I could have told you that....LOL

I already have Cobra Brakes on my 1st Gen....I want them on my wife's Mounty. My daughter will get Cobra Brakes on her `67 Mustang too.


How similar are the Explorer and Ranger knuckles/spindles?

There is a guy on TRS and/or RPS that makes an Adapter to bolt Cobra Brakes onto the Ranger Knuckle. If the Explorer Knuckle was the same part #, that means there is already a part out there to do what I want.

Ryan

 

[techieman33]

They are the same, dkchrist is running a set of front calipers and brackets that were on my mountaineer. And the superlift knuckles work on rangers and explorers, so I see no reason why the bracket wouldn't work. And it will probably be a much cheaper option, I did a little looking last night and found a place that sold parts for my calipers and there were about $500 in parts per caliper for a total rebuild, and that's without the main body. Going off of that the calipers are Probably stupid expensive to buy new.

 

[Spdrcer34]

Yeah....STUPID expensive is the way I would describe it....

I am actually contemplating upgrading my Explorer to the 14" Brembo/CobraR brakes and passing my 10th Anniversary Calipers down to my daughter for her `67 project.

Ryan

 

[techieman33]

Yeah....STUPID expensive is the way I would describe it....

I am actually contemplating upgrading my Explorer to the 14" Brembo/CobraR brakes and passing my 10th Anniversary Calipers down to my daughter for her `67 project.

Ryan

Yeah, but I can't complain since I paid $450 for them and the brackets. I'll have ~$900 in them once I get my powerslots, hawk pads and braided lines.

I did do a test fit today, the wheel was just sitting on the lugs when I took that pic, that's why it looks a little off center.

 

[Spdrcer34]

Holy mother of all brake upgrades.....I bow to you!

Ryan

 

[techieman33]

Lol, thanks but I just got lucky though. Limited02 pointed out a blower for sale over on svtperformance, and he said he had these brakes too, so I jumped on the brakes.

 

[CDW6212R]

Eric, it looks like the same parts as the XP8 brake option. Check the dimensions of the rotors, those would be the expensive parts if they are the same.

Check the clearance from the rotor to the tie rod end, you want it tucked in near it. This first picture below is my test fit of a Cobra rotor, it's too far from the tie rod. That puts it out too far next to the wheel.

My brakes fit inside three different 16" OEM wheels that I've tried. The Sport Trac wheels don't fit mine.

 

[CDW6212R]

Eric, what are those brackets made out of, steel I hope? Don't use them if they are aluminum, they really were all recalled from the XP8, they did break.

 

[techieman33]

I think they sat a little close to the tie rod than the first pic you posted, any reason they have to sit so close to the tie rod? they cleared my wheels just fine. I think they are the aluminum brackets

 

[CDW6212R]

Well I learned a lot about the Cobra and Corvette parts when I was mocking things up. The Cobra rotors are 0.350" offset parts, while the Corvette rotors are 0.850" parts. It's likely what you have are Corvette rotor cores, drilled with the Explorer hole pattern, my guess.

The stock Explorer rotors are well over 1" offset, close to 1.5" OEM. The farther in they can be, the more wheel clearance you get, and the more wheels that will fit. Some wheels have a lot of meat in the spoke area behind the hub, which is where the caliper sets.

If you make brackets(steel of course), plan the offset to best fit the rotors and calipers you use. It cost no more to alter the dimensions now before anything is made. What you have may be the same part as the XP8 used, and the rotor was chosen to fit that.

 

[techieman33]

ok some rotor measurements

hub opening 2.8 inches
disc is 1.03 inches thick, there is some wear though so not sure what a new one would be
height is 2.25" making the hat ~1.25 inches
rotor is extremly close to 13"

the face that bolts to the hub is .325" thick

 

[Spdrcer34]

Does the guy from Europe still make the adapters in Steel?

Ryan