Larger rear rotors from Ford parts bin?

Ed, thanks for looking up this information.

I'll admit that the chances I'm stumbled onto a bolt-on package are pretty low. I tend to think that if the Limo uses a different axle housing, the BPS car will too.

Like Todd said, they've probably just used an entire F150 housing, and its associated brake hardware.

No free lunch indeed! :)

TTYL
David
 
Just read an article in last Sunday's paper about The BPS. It tips the scales at a little over 6000lbs. and they left the stock drivetrain intact - 239 hp 4.6. The 0 - 60 times were pathetic. That thing better be missle proof - you might be able to outrun it on foot!
 
DavidB said:
Like Todd said, they've probably just used an entire F150 housing, and its associated brake hardware.

TTYL
David
Click to expand...
I would doubt that it is an F-150 housing. The trucks are still using leaf springs, with no sort of axle locating device like the Watts linkage on the 98 - up Panther cars. One thing I did see in the listings was that there was NOT a different part number for the outer axle bearings ... meaning that they should be the same spline count. I forgot to try the axle shaft numbers themselves.

As I said, I'll try to get some dimensions on the Limo pkg. stuff. I did see different numbers for brake pads, rotors, calipers, and the backing plate assemblies. The Limo pkg. also had unique left and right backing plate assys., unlike the other Panther cars.

I'll report back when I have anything more. I'm a bit curious about this for my own use as well. I had plans to use the 96 - 02 style Panther rear brake assemblies on the 8" diff. in my old Cougar, they can be adapted on without too much fuss. But if I can put 13" brakes on the rear, to go with the monsters I have planned for the front, that would be even cooler. :D

cheers,
Ed N.
 
Well, I ordered in a 2003 TC Limo pkg. rear rotor, since I couldn't find anything specific on the Armoured vehicle pkg. It is 13" diameter. It also has a HUGE hat area to cover the larger, F-150 sized parking brake shoes. I think that would spoil the look of it, the face of the hat would be visible about 1-1/2" all the way around behind the factory MM wheels. Taking a quick measurement, the hat area is just under 10" in diameter, approx. 3" larger than the factory MM rear rotor hat area. The actual surface for the pad area is no larger than the MM rotors. So the only benefit would be the increased clamping force from the leverage of having the pad area farther out from the centre. The brake pads have roughly the same surface area, I'm not sure about the caliper piston diameters, I don't have that info for comparison.

So considering that you would be into spending pretty big money for two rotors, two calipers, brake pads, the backing plate / caliper mounts and the associated hardware, and all of the parking brake shoes & mechanism, I don't think this would be a cost-effective way to do a rear brake upgrade, with questionable benefits. My guess is the only reason Ford put the larger rotors on the Limo pkg. cars, was to accommodate the bigger park brake shoes, for the extra vehicle weight.

cheers,
Ed N.
 
Ed,

Yup, we hit this one on the head. That's the F150 rear brake package. BIG problem with it for the aftermarket is the rotor surface width. That hat of about 10" leaves only about 1.5" of swept area to work with. Bad news is that every caliper I can work with reguires about 1.75" or a tad more to accomodate the pads AND the body of the caliper. The 'nose' of the caliper bumps the hat well before the pad is sitting at the proper radius, thus leaving about 1/8-1/4" of pad overhang. Not the end of the world but not right either....

What WOULD be a decent compromise is this package on the rear and my kit up front. The bias might be in pretty good check. Cost wise however if these parts run the normal guy $1000 total to do; rotors, calipers, brackets, cables, pads, hardware, parking brake parts, yada, yada, yada....You'd still be dollars way ahead with my rear kit even at $1500.
 
Sorry if I repeat anything. Thread is too long for me to read at the moment.

BPS should have the same bolt pattern. As far as I understand, its a limo with armour. Limos get a unique rear end. I don't know what's in it though. No drum brakes anymore.
 
Ed, thanks for all your research on my question--I think you provided more information than I ever expected from the board, and I appreciate it much.

Sorry my idea didn't pan out. :)

TTYL
David
 
No problem David. I enjoy researching the potential mixing & matching of OE Ford parts on to other applications. You would be amazed at the amount of non-stock stuff on my 68 Cougar that does have some sort of Ford number on it. :P

I was hoping for a fairly easy 13" rear brake combo myself, to go with the 14" that will likely be going on the front.

cheers,
Ed N.
 
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