brakes question
Hi
I'm reviving a 81 fairmont which has been in storage for the last 10years (or more) and i would like to know:
it has front disc rear drums, but when i'm looking to order the parts at rockauto i find different types of drums, how do i know which i have (where are they measured) it says 9" or 10" drum brakes.
It probably needs some shocks aswell which are good for these cars (better than oe or at least as good)
it has a 3.3 engine in it.
More likely then not, it will have 9" drums. Cast iron 9" will have fins on it. Some cars had aluminium drums, they are pretty rare though. If you remove the wheels, it should say something along the lines of "min 9.03" or something along those lines near the edge.
2 1986 cougars (both 4 eyed and 5.0)
1 1987 cougar
or pull the drum and measure it! But most likely 9"
1 of 3 1985 Silver Grand Prix Capr's
My first New car and still own 1986 Capri
so it says max 10.060 on the outside so 10" drums? can't measure it in inches we use metric here... so i would have to convert and could make an error aswell
As far as I know, only Fairmont wagons had 10" brakes. I have owned Fairmont sedans and Futuras, with 4,6,and V8 engines, all had 9" rear brakes.
1978 Fairmont 2 door sedan, 428CJ 4speed. 9.972ET@132.54mph. 1.29 60 foot
Replaced the FE big block with my 331/4 speed in my Fairmont, best 10.24ET @128 MPH.
1985 Mustang LX hatchback NHRA Stock Eliminator 302 4 speed best in legal trim 12.31@107 mph, but has gone 11.42@115 with aftermarket intake, carb, and iron Windsor Jr. heads.New for 2012! 331 cube SB Ford, AFR 185 heads, solid flat tappet cam, pump gas; 10.296ET@128.71 mph, 1.37 60 foot.
1979 Zephyr Z7, all original 302 auto, 2nd owner.
Ive had and seen a few of the bastard foxes with 10" drums. They were part of a towing or "hd suspension" package. My first 86 cougar was a stripper 5.0, didnt even have the passenger mirror but it had 10" drums. Then i also had two 87 v-6's with them, one a cougar one a tbird.
All of the other 12 cougarbirds from 1983-88 all had 9" drums.
Btw, doesnt matter if your ruler is metric, just convert 10" to cm by asking google.
2 1986 cougars (both 4 eyed and 5.0)
1 1987 cougar
Oops forgot to mention the car is a wagon... sorry for it.
thanks guys.
for any later brake upgrades if they should seem necessary what ford oem parts can i use, (don't want an aftermarket brand which will have no spares within 10years)
Good luck with that. 10" drums are the largest 4 lug fitted to a factory vehicle. The only 4 lug rear disc was the turbo coupe. Go sn-95 stuff front and back or stay stock. You can swap to the larger 11" front discs from a 87-93 gt, but you would need 15" or larger rims.
2 1986 cougars (both 4 eyed and 5.0)
1 1987 cougar
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