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Ford Mustang V6 1994-2014: Brake Modifications

So in regards to brakes, here's some very effective modifications to give your Mustang the added performance in the braking department.

By Jeff White - September 23, 2015

This article applies to the Ford Mustang V6 (1994-2014).

The Ford Mustang is a great platform, especially when it comes to modifications. One of the things that makes it great is that there is a large aftermarket industry that supports the Mustang and provides many different options when it comes to what area you're looking to modify. Pretty much there is something out there for every budget. There isn't much on a Mustang that you can't find a modification for.

In this article we are going to talk about brake modifications. A lot of people tend to think that in order to go fast, you need to add more power. While this is true in a straight line, when you get to some turns, you also need to be able to have stopping power to control the speed of the car in order to maximize your speed through turns. This requires good brakes. The base Mustangs came with 4-wheel disc brakes. They are more than adequate for daily driving, but when pushed hard, you can start to uncover their weaknesses very quickly. So let's say you have a Mustang and have decided to get into some performance driving with it and you want to get more braking performance so that you can push them a little harder. What are different options available to you so that you can take your Mustang to the next level, or even next three levels?

Below I will be going over three different brake modifications/upgrades. Starting with a small bit of performance gain with a small bit of investment, going to a much larger gain in performance with a much larger investment. All of these upgrades will increase the performance of your car's braking system, because at the end of the day, there is no point in performing any modification or upgrade and not gaining something from it.

Figure 1. Ford Mustang.

Mustang Brake Modifications/Upgrades

When it comes to the Ford Mustangs of these years and brake modifications, I believe they can be broken down into three separate categories. You have basic pad and rotor upgrades, which would be entry level; you have, Cobra brake upgrades, which would be about a middle grade upgrade; and you have aftermarket big brake kits, which would be about the most extreme you could go with brakes while still utilizing the stock structure of the chassis and suspension.

What is really great about these Mustangs is that all of the different trim levels from base V6, up to the Cobra and Cobra R, all used the same basic chassis components, and more specifically, the steering knuckle. Why is this really great you ask? Because this means that, depending on what specific year of this generation you have, you can take a set of Cobra brakes and bolt them on your GT, or even a set of Cobra R brakes and bolt them on your GT. This is actually such a popular upgrade that aftermarket companies such as SVE have even been reproducing Cobra brake kits that you can buy brand new and bolt onto your Mustang. Now, the only way this is going to suck for you is if you already have a Cobra or Cobra R. Then, unfortunately, you're going to have to spend a bit more cash to get more performance from your brakes.

Figure 2. Cobra brakes.

Pad and Rotor Upgrade

DIY Cost – $78-$417

Professional Cost – $300-$1,500

Skill Level – Easy

When it comes to pad and rotor upgrades, this definitely the most inexpensive way to gain performance in your brakes and also where you will have the most options. There are numerous different companies that offer pad and rotor upgrades with different options to suit your specific application. For instance, if you're looking to gain more track performance, most of these companies offer more extreme pads and rotors to fit your needs. Or even you're looking to gain street performance, this is going to be the best bang for your buck when it comes to brake upgrades. Even if you do have a Cobra R and are looking to increase braking performance, you can find it with pad and rotor upgrades. This, in my opinion, should probably be the first thing that you should do when looking at doing a brake upgrade because if in fact you don't reach the braking performance level you were hoping for, at least you haven't broken the bank figuring that out and you still have more than likely increased performance. Like I said there are many companies to choose from such as EBC Brakes, Hawk Performance, and SSBC. Most of what these companies have to offer can be found easily on websites like Summit Racing and Jeg's. Recommended for its inexpensive performance gain.

Cobra Brake Upgrade

DIY Cost – $560-$1,200

Professional Cost – $750-$1,500

Skill Level – Moderate

This is the next level in adding braking performance to your Mustang, unless you already have a Cobra. This upgrade will include new calipers, rotors, and pads. One of the key features of this brake upgrade is that it takes the rotor from an 11" stock diameter and increases it in size to 13". This is great because it also means that the caliper will increase in size, which in turn means that there is significantly more surface area for it to grab onto. The caliper for the Cobra models was also a much better and effective design than the V6 or GT caliper. Kits are available for both the front as well as rear and are sold separately, so if you only have the money to do one at a time, you can. They are available brand new from a company called SVE, which also offers the option of having stock rotors or slotted rotors. There is also the possibility that you could find a set of brakes that have been taken off of a Cobra, but they wouldn't be new and you would have to piece together all the necessary parts to make the swap work. This might save you some cash if you can get everything fairly easily, but if not, than you're going to spend a bit of time to find everything you will need. For '99 to '04 Cobra owners, don't feel left out, Ford Performance offers a front brake kit, so that you can upgrade to the Cobra R brakes. Recommended for its braking performance.

Aftermarket High Performance Brake Kits

DIY Cost – $800-$2,000

Professional Cost – $1,000-$2,500

Skill Level – Moderate

Now let's say you've done the other brake upgrades, you're hitting the track on a regular basis, and you find that your brakes are just not cutting it. This is when you decide to go full on aftermarket brake setup. Due to the Mustang's popularity, you're in luck because there are many options to choose from to suit your needs. Wilwood, Baer Brakes, and Aerospace Components are a few companies who offer disc brake upgrade kits, as well as other high performance braking accessories to really to give your Mustang the braking performance it needs to be up there with cars that cost two to three times as much. These kinds of kits are going to offer four and six piston calipers, two-piece rotors, and light-weight but strong construction. These kits can be purchased through websites such as Summit Racing and Jeg's, as well as popular Mustang parts websites like LMR (Late Model Restoration). Of course, these types of kits don't come cheap. But the performance gains you're going to get from them make them worth every penny. Most of these companies have been in the performance braking business a long time, so they know exactly what is required to get the most out of your vehicle. There really isn't anything more extreme when it comes to brakes that you could do after installing a kit like one of these on your car. Recommended if you have done the previous upgrades and are still not satisfied with the performance.

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