96 Brake Upgrade

[sperold]

Did a 96 Brake Upgrade to my 95.

I had a good used rotor set and planned on using the original newer pads from my car.
In my inventory, I also had new pads that were for the 96 Taurus (if you specify 95 pads, sometimes they ship you the 96 pads which are quite a bit deeper due to the larger rotor).

Turns out my back pad was almost worn out, so I decided to use the 96 set.
I installed the pads, and found the caliper could not be compressed enough to go over the pad - rotor setup. I could, however, swap in the one 96 pad on the setup and get the caliper to work.

Are the caliper castings on the 96 setup wider? Or did I just not get enough squeeze on my caliper to force the puck back in the casting? I only had a 4" clamp and put what I felt was a lot of force on the puck, but I don't have a feeling for that.

So in conclusion, has anyone used the bigger 96 pads on their brake upgrade, or do you stick with the 94 - 95 style pads?

 

[rubydist]

I find a variation in the thickness of pads, depending upon which supplier I get them from. Sometimes I have to work really hard to get the piston compressed enough to get the pads installed, other times its a cinch. AFIK, the caliper is no wider on the 96+

I typically used the 94/95 pads.

 

[K-Dawg]

Why would you use the smaller pads? You're losing part of the benefit of the larger brakes. Taurus brake calipers are essentially the same from 94-07. Just the bracket changed to fit 10.9" or 11.6" rotors.

FYI, pads for the 10.9" rotor are size 601. Pads for the 11.6" rotor are size 598.

 

[sperold]

OK, that is good information. I found my large clamp (it was right where it is supposed to be), and I will give that piston puck another squeeze to get the other 598 pad installed.

My advise is do not use a 4" clamp for this assignment; it fits but is not robust enough to get the job done. I performed the squeeze in different parts of the piston puck and managed to ruin the swivel end pad (it falls off now, leaving just the ball end), but it was not enough to bottom the puck.

And another question. - When I use the big clamp, can I put the non-adjustable part of the C clamp directly on the brake banjo fitting in the middle of the caliper casting. With the little clamp, I squeezed the assembly around the edges and I wonder now if that was some of my problem.

 

[kevinspann]

There should be enough room on the casting for the clamp. Consider opening the bleeder if it isn't rusty and won't break off.

 

[pjtoledo]

in a good caliper the piston can be pushed in with very little force. the only thing the piston should be contacting is the O-ring inside the caliper bore, until it bottoms out. if your small clamp was not able to get a straight push in the center of the piston, the piston may have cocked sideways and jammed.
when pushed in the piston should be flush with the caliper.
I have never had pads that were too thick to install.
yes to pushing on the banjo bolt, thats how I always do it.

Perry

 

[rubydist]

Why would you use the smaller pads? You're losing part of the benefit of the larger brakes. Taurus brake calipers are essentially the same from 94-07. Just the bracket changed to fit 10.9" or 11.6" rotors.

FYI, pads for the 10.9" rotor are size 601. Pads for the 11.6" rotor are size 598.

because either of the pads cover the outer area of the rotor, which is the most important part. giving up a little swept area at half the radius has virtually no effect on the braking performance. the main value of the larger brake rotor is the larger radius of where the force is applied, not a larger swept area, although the swept area is larger even with the smaller pads.

 

[SHO Continental]

because either of the pads cover the outer area of the rotor, which is the most important part.

Except they don't. The difference in swept area is at the outside of the rotor.

'96 11.6" brakes with the small 601 pads, you can see the outside area that's not being used.


The same rotor after switching to a 598 pad, you can see the outside area is now utilized.

 

[rubydist]

interesting photos - that is not the comparison I had when I looked at both pads. I only saw a difference on the inner part of the rotor. Apparently the pads from different suppliers are somewhat different in shape as well as thickness... from the comparison you show, I would draw the same conclusion as you have.

 

[sperold]

When I tried to use the 598 pads on the 95 with the original rotors, the bottom of the pad interfered with the rotor hub. I could have cut them down, but got regular 601 pads instead.
There is lots of room for the 598 pads on the 96 rotors, and by mid week (when I clear off the snow), I hope to have both 598 pads in place.

Thanks to everyone for the help, I was beginning to think I was the only one who was cursed with problems when doing seemingly simple things.

 

[sperold]

Although I have been through many winters, I continue to be surprised by how fast it comes, when it does come.
I am not going to be able to clear the snow to further tinker with the brakes this week. I did however, use the car with one brake rotor having a 601 pad on one side and a 598 pad on the other. I am pretty sure that is a first.
There is no indication that anything is unusual when the brakes are being used.
I don't plan on leaving it this way, but in a pinch, it can be done.

 

[sperold]

It warmed-up enough for me to try the 6" clamp on my caliper puck, and it worked out very well.
On my calipers, the piston-puck never moved in to the point where it was flush with the casting, it was out in the "active zone" about 1/8". I put a great deal of pressure on the puck before deciding that I should just try the unit to see if it went around the pad-rotor package, and it did. So my advice is... try it often when compressing the piston.