So, will 2005 GT brakes bolt onto an SN95 or Fox????

Mustang5L5

That is…until I whipped out my Bissell
Mod Dude
Feb 18, 2001
41,587
17,194
224
Massachusetts
This is more of a thread out of curiousity.

Was reading an article about drag brakes on an '05 that had detailed pictures. WHile looking at the pictures, i noticed the front spindle was VERY similar to an SN95 spindle. There were slight changes, but the major hard points for mounting were very similar to the 94-04 spindle design. It just stuck me that maybe the 2005 caliper and rotor would in fact bolt onto an SN95 spindle. The GT uses a 12.4" rotor, and large 2-piston calipers. This would put it VERY close to performing on par with the 13" Cobra setup. The GT's caliper features larger pistons and a larger pad sweep area. Maybe that would make up for the 0.6" of diameter lost to the Cobra units. The V6 Mustang gets 11.8" front brakes....still a lot bigger then the 94-04 10.9" Gt front disks.

Out back, again, VERY similar. I do beleive the mounting flange of the axle is different. The holes appear to be square and not staggared like on the 94-04. I couldn't be certain from the photo. Either way, the Mustang gets 11.8" rear disks...larger than the 94-98 Cobra. Unsure what axle lenghts you would need to make it work. The axle brackets are the same SN95 type appearing bracket. Perhaps an aftermarket company like North Cobra Race Cars can design a bracket to allow you to run GT 11.8" rear rotors on an pre-05 rear end with Fox or Sn95 lenght axles. The caliper appears to be the same varga style but with a different bridge.

Again, i don't plan on doing this swap, but i am curious since from photos it appears the parts are VERY similar. I don't beleive the front will be a very popular idea sinve 13" Cobra parts are more attractive in appearance. But 11.8 rear disks does sound attractive

If it was doable, it would add a 12.4"/11.8" rotor option to 94-04 Mustangs (and Foxes as well) which is a very respecable brake setup.

And remember this...the 2007 Shelby will come with 14" front disks and 13" rear disks. Imagine bolting those onto your SN95 or Fox
 
  • Sponsors (?)


Good question. I think it is possible to make any brake part work for any application, it just takes some fabrication. I am to lazy to go find my copy of 5.0&SF to see pics, so I am sort of linking your idea to the Brembo swap for SN95's. I like your thinking about the rear set up. I think a lot of people will be doing this. I'll bet North Cobra is already working on a bracket. As far as the fronts. I think you are right, the Cobra brakes are better looking and cheaper probably. Anyways, when the Shelby Cobra comes out, or whatever Cobra R is next, that big brake kit will be the hot brake swap. I am eagerly awaiting a 14" six piston swap if it ever comes out.
 
9 Deuce GT said:
BTW, who makes a 13" rotor and 4 piston caliper for the rear besides Baer/Alcon? And if anyone knows, do they allow for parking brake use?


Strange and brembo I believe do. If it were possible you
d probably have to upgrade to a 17" rim or bigger to clear those big rotors. Not 100%
 
I just did some research. There are a few kits out for the Mustang. Some from Alcon, Brembo, Wilwood, and SSBC. But I don't see how the parking brake would work. I believe the Wilwood kit comes with a seperate little parking brake along with the rear caliper.
 
If I remember right the rear calipers on the 05s are monted on the forward side of the disc. Plus the platform is completely different. I am sure if you did enough fabrication work it might be possible to get something like that to work.
 
The platform is different, but it's still an 8.8 rear end. The caliper is on the front side, but maybe perhaps it can be clocked to the SN95 orientation by swapping the left caliper to the right and the right caliper to the left?

I can picture it in my head and i think it could be done by using an aftermarket bracket (north Cobra??) and swapping the calipers so the bleeder screw remains on top. Unsure how the e-brake is routed in that car.

And like i said, the front S197 spindle looks pretty close to the SN95 spindle.

All we need is someone with a set of '05 brakes to test fit them on an SN95 spindle to confirm.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
No, the 2005 GT caliper bolt pattern is about 1" wider than the Fox or SN95 pattern. The Cobra PBR calipers are a much simpler design, and are alot lighter. You CAN use the 12.4" diameter 2005 GT rotor on an early drum brake hub with the COBRA calipers on 65-73 cars. As you already know the 13" rotor and caliper is a straight bolt on for SN95 cars. I have kits to put 13" Cobra brakes on early Mustangs.
 
Mustangsteve said:
No, the 2005 GT caliper bolt pattern is about 1" wider than the Fox or SN95 pattern.


Come back on that? The bolt pattern is 1" wider? Do you mean the track?

The bolt pattern is the same 5 x 4.5" bolt pattern. Are you talking about the caliper mounting points to the hub offset as being different?
 
Kinda sounds like he means the hat section is wider. Like the '93 Cobra rotors. Even so, a bracket could be made to make this work. But I still say the Cobra PBR system is more efficinent. $399 from PPI, done.

My attention is on the rears. Why couldn't you use the '05 style front mount caliper on a Fox? All we need is a bracket. That's the easy part. Unless the hat section is different, then we need a little work. Still possible, but may need a little work.
 
9 Deuce GT said:
My attention is on the rears. Why couldn't you use the '05 style front mount caliper on a Fox? All we need is a bracket. That's the easy part. Unless the hat section is different, then we need a little work. Still possible, but may need a little work.

I am interested in the rears as well.

I don't see why you couldn't mount the caliper on the front side like on the '05. WHat is in the front that would interfere?

Mounting the caliper would take nothing more than a custom bracket...and we already have those for the GT, Cobra, T-bird, Mark 7 and even caddy calipers on a Mustang.

I am even more interested in the Shelby's 14" front and 13" rear brake setup. I wonder how that would fit if this is in fact possible.
 
Ok which brings me back to my original idea.

With custom brackets you could orient the caliper whereever you want.

SO why not switch the sides the calipers are on, mount it on the reverse side and run them like that?

I would just need to see the e-brake mechanism on an '05 to determine if an SN95 setup would work.
 
It all comes down to a bracket.

About the parking brake, I can't imagine that Ford would change the style, seeing as how they have used it for years and it would cost too much to change. Not to mention it gets the job done.