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Full Tilt Boogie GT350 Brake Upgrade for S197 Mustangs

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HPDE
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5-10 Years
Philly Metro Area
Is this worth the effort and expense?

On the 350, this brake package is balanced with fixed calipers in the rear.

Will putting these on an S197 with sliding calipers in the back (even 13.8") be overkill? Especially since the S550 PP brakes are such an easy upgrade.
 
my guess is its all in the spindle to caliper adapter, maybe a spacer under the rotor but since you have to build an adapter anyways, might as well position it straight up

Good point, that's probably what it is.

So the GT350R front brake upgrade kit is $1,800 on there site so I would imagine this kit is going to be in that ball park.
 
I don’t think it’s a big deal to get those calipers and rotors to work. Stop Tech makes s lot of money doing the same thing.

After now having radial mount calipers on my last three cars this is the way to go for serious track work. But I’d go 15” Stop Tech, AP Racing or Brembo race kits for serious track work due to wheel fitment issues and the ability to use 18” wheels.
 

captdistraction

GrumpyRacer
1,954
1,698
Phoenix, Az
The thing I've always wondered about radial mount calipers on bolt-on spindles is: why is there an advantage?

You still have to mount an adapter which is essentially bolted onto the spindle. Perhaps different material selection offers a benefit? I'd wonder if it was negated by having multiple pieces and fasteners versus being all part of the same casting or forging.
 
@captdistraction there's no advantage from a shaving time off your laps but IMO the ease of use is worth the price of admission alone. Once the wheel is removed you can have the caliper off in a minute with no swearing! The problem with the stock setup and mounting to the spindle is you're screwing a steel bolt into cast aluminum. That's fine if you're only removing the caliper once every 50,000 miles but as we all know using them for track work they get removed way more frequently. Same applies when using the stock GT350 setup. Many of us installed steel studs which significantly reduces the potential for damaging the threads in the rather expensive aluminum knuckle on the 350. Once you've used a radial mount setup it's hard to go back.

The connection you mention is not an issue. There isn't a lot of stress on those connection points.

Another advantage of going with a race setup, which mostly come in radial mount, is they are forged calipers vs cast. Not only will the forged be stronger and flex less a forged caliper is better at dissipating heat.

Too bad the GT350 doesn't have radial mount rear calipers as the stock setup is a PITA to service with the parking brake being in the middle of the rotor.
 

captdistraction

GrumpyRacer
1,954
1,698
Phoenix, Az
Can you bolt up a s550/GT350 spindle to a s197 and have all s197 hardware bolt up and achieve the correct suspension geometry?

Sort of. You can bolt the crossmember, arms, spindle, and struts. You would have to convert the strut tops with some sort
Of custom camber plate but a lot of it will surprisingly bolt up. Don’t quote me on the geometry being perfect but the chassis do use common mounting points
 
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Has anyone actually done this conversion?
I actually have everything but the adaptor and the rotors are priced right.
 

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