87 - 88 turbo coupe front brake

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87 - 88 turbo coupe front brake

March 07, 2007, 09:28:39 AM

I have the opertunity to buy the front spindle, rotor calipers, & control arms. Are the rotors 11" (same as mustang) or are these the standard 10" ones? I want to upgrade from 10 to 11.

87 - 88 turbo coupe front brake

Reply #1 – March 07, 2007, 09:42:54 AM

Yep they're 11", the only difference is that they have the ABS exciter ring on the rotor.

If you ever need new rotors make sure you get ones for a Mustang as the bird ones are more expensive due to the exciter ring.

87 - 88 turbo coupe front brake

Reply #2 – March 07, 2007, 09:48:37 AM

Can I use the mustang strut or must I use the turbo coupe struts? Must I buy any adapters to go between the metal brake line and the brake hose to use these on my 87 cougar? What brake hoses do I use?

87 - 88 turbo coupe front brake

Reply #3 – March 07, 2007, 09:56:17 AM

Either or, just keep in mind that the thunderbird strut is a PRC unit, so unless it's set on firm before you unplug it and pull it out of the car, it'll be mushy and py.

As far as brake lines and such....I dunno

I would think the thunderbird's rubber line would attach to your hardline at the frame.

87 - 88 turbo coupe front brake

Reply #4 – March 07, 2007, 10:02:13 AM

You will need an adapter for the right side (I think it was the right). You should use T-Bird/Cougar specific struts, as the Mustang one is a bit shorter. Your current struts would require spacers where it bolts to the spindle, as the 11" spindle is a bit narrower. And you'll use the TC brake hose - the hoses attach to the calipers differently with the 11" brakes.

87 - 88 turbo coupe front brake

Reply #5 – March 07, 2007, 11:10:27 AM

Is the factory master cylinder ok with the bigger brakes or must this be upgraded?

I do not understand why we still have to use the tbird/cougar struts when the 11" spindle is longer than the 10". I was told that I could use either turbo coupe or mustang struts. Those that have already done this know what works and what deosn't.

87 - 88 turbo coupe front brake

Reply #6 – March 07, 2007, 11:13:53 AM

Fox struts are shorter? that's news to me...

Factory MC should be fine, on my '90 2.3L LX I upgraded to 11" front brakes and never touched the MC.

87 - 88 turbo coupe front brake

Reply #7 – March 07, 2007, 11:49:32 AM

It all depends on your ride height. SN-95s are a closer match.

87 - 88 turbo coupe front brake

Reply #8 – March 07, 2007, 12:12:04 PM

I'm at stock ride height. I have stock fox mustang springs whcih actually raise my car about 1" when I put them in about 5 years ago.

I understand about the fox struts being shorter because the fox mustang a arms are shorter also.

87 - 88 turbo coupe front brake

Reply #9 – March 07, 2007, 12:20:54 PM

Yeah but SN-95 struts have less travel than Fox struts.

87 - 88 turbo coupe front brake

Reply #10 – March 07, 2007, 12:32:43 PM

I imagine you could well use Mustang struts, but you might lose some suspension travel. I used a set of Monroe T-Bird/Cougar struts with my swap, so I don't have first hand experience with Mustang struts, but I was sure I'd read the Mustang stuff is all shorter (struts, shocks, control arms, axles).

As for the M/C - mine works fine with the stock M/C. Pedal feel didn't change a bit, though travel might have. I didn't notice any difference except the car stops a helluva lot better and with much less fade. There's a long, steep hill I travel regularly with a 50MPH speed limit and a stop sign at the base - with my old 10" brakes it was questionable if the car would even stop at the bottom, and the pedal pulsated like hell (even new rotors started pulsating after a single trip down this hill). The 11" brakes have none of that now.

I will be replacing the M/C very shortly, though, when I install the TC rear. With stock rear drums you will be fine.

The part I posted the pic of, BTW, came from Canadian Tire, so that's a CTC part number.

87 - 88 turbo coupe front brake

Reply #11 – March 07, 2007, 12:59:16 PM

I noticed last night I have a caliper leaking. I have been wanting to do the 11" brake upgrade but did not have the $500 to rebuild the mustang 11" set up that I already have. Since I found the turbo coupe brake set (came off a wrecked car that only had aprox 20,000mi) for less I believe I can save some money in the process.

87 - 88 turbo coupe front brake

Reply #12 – March 07, 2007, 01:28:14 PM

Fox Mustang struts interchange with 1987-88 Cougars/T-Birds. Same part numbers when you look them both up. The "sweet spot" between the struts in Fox 'Stangs and our cars are, apparently, so close that the same strut is now issued for either car.

I'm using Y2K Cobra R Bilstein struts on the convertible...no issues whatsoever.

87 - 88 turbo coupe front brake

Reply #13 – March 07, 2007, 04:58:31 PM

Quote from: EricCoolCats;133052

Fox Mustang struts interchange with 1987-88 Cougars/T-Birds. Same part numbers when you look them both up. The "sweet spot" between the struts in Fox 'Stangs and our cars are, apparently, so close that the same strut is now issued for either car.

I'm using Y2K Cobra R Bilstein struts on the convertible...no issues whatsoever.

So the Mustang GT and LX5.0 struts are now cross-referenced to '87-'88 TC?
I knew the brakes were the same, except the abs exciter ring. Bearings I assume are the same?
(I used my TC stuff on my white car..swapped it all over)

Shortly i'm going to go thru mine again, replace the older TC stuff with fresh new 5.0 Stang pieces, new rotors, brakes, bearings and pads.
Rebuilt Mustang calipers will work too?
I've always thought, or else assumed that to use Mustang V8 struts one had to use C/C plates as well...or were they just optional?

87 - 88 turbo coupe front brake

Reply #14 – March 07, 2007, 09:42:05 PM

Quote from: FordTruckFreeek;133067

So the Mustang GT and LX5.0 struts are now cross-referenced to '87-'88 TC?
I knew the brakes were the same, except the abs exciter ring. Bearings I assume are the same?
(I used my TC stuff on my white car..swapped it all over)

Shortly i'm going to go thru mine again, replace the older TC stuff with fresh new 5.0 Stang pieces, new rotors, brakes, bearings and pads.
Rebuilt Mustang calipers will work too?
I've always thought, or else assumed that to use Mustang V8 struts one had to use C/C plates as well...or were they just optional?

Bearings are the same. Calipers too. C/C Plates aren't needed. Just need a two-piece (short) strut mount. I prefer C/C Plates. Never heard of Fox Stang and Fox Bird/Cat Struts being the same. Not so sure about that. Especially since SN-95 guys use Fox Struts on their lowered Ponies.

This is the way I see it.

Longest - Fox Thundercat
Medium - SN-95 Stang
Shortest - Fox Stang

You must also take into account how far up the thick portion of the strut shaft goes. This is where the strut mount rests and determines how much of the upper shaft passes through. This could vary from manufacturer to manufacturer. But whatever.... I'm just rambling.