Manual Brake Conversion

I have a '94 Mustang GT I'm setting up for my daughter to start racing. I want to convert it from power to manual brakes. I've seen kits from Skinny Kid, Jegs, Aerospace, and others adapting a Chrysler style MC to the firewall. I'm planning to use one of those. While I'm at it, I'll install a line lock since we're keeping the 5 speed. This car has ABS brakes. What impact does that have on this conversion? Can I maintain the ABS system or do I need to remove it? What about the pedal effort. Will the new MC produce enough pressure to stop the car safely using the stock brake pedal? What's your experience been with these conversions?

I recommend junking the ABS and just running an aftermarket kit. The stock pedal will be fine and stopping power will be just fine with the off the shelf kits you just have to drill the factory pedal with a new hole for the new brakes. We run Aerospace fronts and dual calipers on the rear for our turbo car with the stock pedal and it gets kind of scary if you press too hard on the brakes running 150+. The tires start to lock up. Even though some stay away from it I also recommend a proportioning valve.

Thanks for the feedback. When you drill the new hole in the pedal, is that to change the leverage or just to adapt to a different style MC pushrod?

cwracing wrote:Thanks for the feedback. When you drill the new hole in the pedal, is that to change the leverage or just to adapt to a different style MC pushrod?

it is to change the leverage. some people don't do it but I recommend it.

Yea, increased pedal leverage allows you to create more line pressure/move more fluid volume with less leg effort on your part. But increased pedal ratio will also increase total pedal travel at your foot a given amount.

I'm pretty sure in the instructions for my Aerospace conversion kit they gave directions for modifying the brake pedal.

Later Mark.

Mark Miller wrote:I'm pretty sure in the instructions for my Aerospace conversion kit they gave directions for modifying the brake pedal.

Later Mark.

It is. Very detailed too.

i am useing the skinny kid manual master cylinder in my 94 mustang with out useing the biasing valve and it works fine for me.if you use the skinny kid line lock kit and you decide later on to go with a 16 volt system the line lock wont work it is 12 volt only.

Thanks everyone for the input, I really appreciate it. I went ahead and ordered the Aerospace kit. It looks almost identical to the one from Skinny Kid. I'm still on the fence regarding the ABS system. Whatbumper thinks I should remove it. Anyone else have an opinion? I can't see why it wouldn't work with the manual MC. All the ABS see's from the MC is pressure and that doesn't change. Besides if I don't like it, I'll just pull the fuse. I guess the real deal is I just don't want to have to re-plumb the whole system.

One thing about the Aerospace kit is you will have to relocate your brake light switch.I used one from a truck i think and mounted it out by my line lock.I then ran the wires from the original brake light switch out to it.The new treaded adjustable rod for the brake pedal is to big in diameter for the stock brake light switch to work.

Later Mark.

Yeah those SN-95 Mustangs with the ABS sure have a lot of brake line used on them.Also when i did my Aerospace conversion i had to get a lot of different adapters for the Master Cylinder to work with standard 3/16" brake lines i think i got them from NAPA.

Later Mark.

If you decide to delete the ABS and re-plumb the brakes then you can just use a cheap pressure switch from napa for the brake lights. I think it's like $2 or something. I screwed it into a tee coming right out of the master cylinder. works great.

As far as the ABS is concerned, try it if you want. I have no experience with it and I like to get rid of everything on a car that is unnecessary. If you can make it work right then it might be a good thing.

DILLIGASDAVE wrote:Yea, increased pedal leverage allows you to create more line pressure/move more fluid volume with less leg effort on your part. But increased pedal ratio will also increase total pedal travel at your foot a given amount.

we lowered the hole on our fox, very minimal pedal travel, makes it easy for staging.

richter69 wrote:

DILLIGASDAVE wrote:Yea, increased pedal leverage allows you to create more line pressure/move more fluid volume with less leg effort on your part. But increased pedal ratio will also increase total pedal travel at your foot a given amount.

we lowered the hole on our fox, very minimal pedal travel, makes it easy for staging.

We did the same.

Of course we have a turbo car and you need good brakes to stage. Our brakes can hold the car with about 5 pounds of boost (about 850-900hp). After that it starts to lurch forward a little.

might add we used a Strange master cyl, mopar type. No porp valve, stock disc up from and drum in the rear (adjusters welded and pads adj for no drag)

Pedal does take some effort but you can still roll smoke off the front skinnys at 126 mph.................

richter69 wrote:but you can still roll smoke off the front skinnys at 126 mph

Better to lock the fronts on the top end than the rears anyday.

DILLIGASDAVE wrote:

richter69 wrote:but you can still roll smoke off the front skinnys at 126 mph

Better to lock the fronts on the top end than the rears anyday.

It will pucker up your butt when you lock up your rears at 155+mph on 10.5 slicks. I just pull the chute every pass, it is a heck of a lot cheaper than replacing brake pads anyway.