Rear caliper upgrade? 2022 Mach 1 with the handling package.

Mtnbikerva · Jul 28, 2025

2022 MACH 1 with the handling package. 14,000 miles.

I’m trying to decide what to do about my sticking caliper in the rear.
I understand the breaking balance needs to be somewhat proper. So with putting a bigger caliper and brake pad in the rear, make the car Squirrley.

Should I just rebuild the one I have? Should I buy a GT 350 or 500 caliper?

Or will the one for the 2024 dark horse fit and work great on my car?

Or should I buy some kind of aftermarket upgraded caliper?

Car may be used both as a daily driver and at VIR and Summit Point Raceway.

Thank you!

JAJ · Jul 28, 2025

Mtnbikerva said:
2022 MACH 1 with the handling package. 14,000 miles.

I’m trying to decide what to do about my sticking caliper in the rear.
I understand the breaking balance needs to be somewhat proper. So with putting a bigger caliper and brake pad in the rear, make the car Squirrley.

Should I just rebuild the one I have? Should I buy a GT 350 or 500 caliper?

Or will the one for the 2024 dark horse fit and work great on my car?

Or should I buy some kind of aftermarket upgraded caliper?

Car may be used both as a daily driver and at VIR and Summit Point Raceway.

Thank you!

How do you know it's sticking?

Stability control - DSC - is notoriously hard on rear brake pads, making the calipers look bad when they're just fine and doing exactly what the ABS module is telling them to do.

Mtnbikerva · Jul 29, 2025

The drivers side rear has destroyed the outside of the rotor. I have not had a chance to get the car to a level surface to jack it up and take the wheel off.
I always drive with the Track mode= Traction Control off, and at times with Advance Track off also.

Mtnbikerva · Jul 31, 2025

Bilateral calipers seals are cooked!
The linings on both are done. Drivers gone and passenger side part of the lining is gone.
This seems VERY ODD to me! Only 14,000 miles!
Have any of you folks had your seal’s cooked so soon?
Also the caliper is blued.
Fronts brakes seem to be normal with some heat checking or cracks in the rotors.
Time for new rotors soon.
I had hoped Ford would use good quality parts on their track car.
Trying to decide if it an upgrade is worth it to go to a AP RACING, ESSEX or some other better and larger calipers.
$4,500 for a 4 piston rear brake set(calipers+rotors) plus $175 for pads!

mpgainer · Aug 21, 2025

I have a similar issue with my Mach 1. The rear driver’s side destroys pads. I’ll get about 3 or 4 tracks days out of them. The right does not. I replaced the caliper thinking it was sticking and it continues to do it. I’m convinced that even in Track mode that the traction control system is never fully off.

bnight · Aug 21, 2025

mpgainer said:
I have a similar issue with my Mach 1. The rear driver’s side destroys pads. I’ll get about 3 or 4 tracks days out of them. The right does not. I replaced the caliper thinking it was sticking and it continues to do it. I’m convinced that even in Track mode that the traction control system is never fully off.

Did you guys check your wheel hubs for play ?

mpgainer · Aug 22, 2025

Yes. I pull the wheels off after each track event and check the suspension, hubs, brakes, brake lines, etc. From what I've read, Ford's AdvanceTrac stability control is never full off unless you disconnect the system entirely. Though I think doing so means you lose ABS too. I'm not planning to find out.

k_z · Aug 22, 2025

mpgainer said:
I have a similar issue with my Mach 1. The rear driver’s side destroys pads. I’ll get about 3 or 4 tracks days out of them. The right does not. I replaced the caliper thinking it was sticking and it continues to do it. I’m convinced that even in Track mode that the traction control system is never fully off.

Did you hold traction control button and got message "Advancetrac off" on the dash ? If not, than stability control is still on (it is meant to be, in the Track mode as well, manual clearly states that) and it is using rear brakes to prevent what it thinks is excessive yaw.

Fully disabling it does not turn off the ABS and it is very easy to test at low speed even on a regular street.

mpgainer · Aug 22, 2025

I have not done that, intentionally. The track I frequent sets up a skid pad a few times per year and I turn off AdvanceTrac or it's zero fun. I wasn't sure if it also impacted the ABS system so I've not done it while on the track. If it doesn't, then I'll definitely try it.

k_z · Aug 22, 2025

mpgainer said:
I have not done that, intentionally. The track I frequent sets up a skid pad a few times per year and I turn off AdvanceTrac or it's zero fun. I wasn't sure if it also impacted the ABS system so I've not done it while on the track. If it doesn't, then I'll definitely try it.

It most definitely doesn't (also because it's an option available to user and described in the manual, can't make turning off a safety feature available to everyone).

Even pulling the plug under the hood does not disable it. Nothing to worry about.

Mtnbikerva · 2026-10-02T04:52:25-0700

I just got sick of it and I’ve been driving for maybe a year with the Dyno plug unplugged and now I am in full control of my car.
My car still eats pads. I’ve cracked the CARBOTECH XP20.
I’m very seriously thinking about buying either AP RACING big brake kit or if it’s worth it to do the GT 350R full upgrade kit with axles, knuckles brake pads, calipers rotors hoses, etc.
The thing I noticed that is bad about the GT 350R big brake upgrade kit is the rotors are drilled so I would assume those would crack and I don’t know about the quality of the brake pads.
And how easier difficult would it be to get rotors and pads of extremely high-quality for this GT 350 R kit?

Randomtask · 2026-10-02T08:00:09-0700

Mtnbikerva said:
Bilateral calipers seals are cooked!
The linings on both are done. Drivers gone and passenger side part of the lining is gone.
This seems VERY ODD to me! Only 14,000 miles!
Have any of you folks had your seal’s cooked so soon?
Also the caliper is blued.
Fronts brakes seem to be normal with some heat checking or cracks in the rotors.
Time for new rotors soon.
I had hoped Ford would use good quality parts on their track car.
Trying to decide if it an upgrade is worth it to go to a AP RACING, ESSEX or some other better and larger calipers.
$4,500 for a 4 piston rear brake set(calipers+rotors) plus $175 for pads!

Buy the full front and rear AP kit. Was the only solution for me. Don’t just go with the rear. AP designed their kit to work together.

Stan Whitney · 2026-10-02T08:43:13-0700

Mtnbikerva said:
I just got sick of it and I’ve been driving for maybe a year with the Dyno plug unplugged and now I am in full control of my car.
My car still eats pads. I’ve cracked the CARBOTECH XP20.
I’m very seriously thinking about buying either AP RACING big brake kit or if it’s worth it to do the GT 350R full upgrade kit with axles, knuckles brake pads, calipers rotors hoses, etc.
The thing I noticed that is bad about the GT 350R big brake upgrade kit is the rotors are drilled so I would assume those would crack and I don’t know about the quality of the brake pads.
And how easier difficult would it be to get rotors and pads of extremely high-quality for this GT 350 R kit?

Ford and SHW (oem supplier) have non drilled gt350 rotors available. They are reasonable cost and can be resurfaced/turned as needed.

The Mustang Forum for Track & Racing Enthusiasts

Rear caliper upgrade? 2022 Mach 1 with the handling package.

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