My Big Ford Disc brakes
Posted: Mon Aug 18, 2025 12:31 am
Made my own disc brake swap to my knowledge its not been done before with these parts.
This conversion is NOT BOLT ON as it required welding and some basic fabrication. Im not making more of these. I have over 2500 miles of use on them including decending a 15% grade - no issues! 330mm rotors are plenty big but don't stick out too obvious behind the wheels.
2012 Ford fusion rear calipers (2nd gen Fusion/Mazda 6) and parking brake cables
2012 Ford Taurus rear rotors ( 3rd gen Taurus, base model non vented)
Willwood universal 7/8" master cylinder
I selected these rotor as they fit perfectly over small drum axle backing plates. No original T parking brake shoes used.
The calipers have a fantastic cable operated parking brake mechanism that is just as powerful as the hydraulics.
The cables are too long to operate the same side wheel as the T parking brake cross bar but are just the right length to cross to the other side. Made some brackets to attach the cables to the frame and to attach to the brake equalizer bar, able to Pivot when the brake handle is forward.
Calipers are mounted to the radius rods with some welded on 1/4" steel tabs.
Brake rotors had a 5x108mm bolt pattern and we need it to be 6x 5" so they were welded up and re drilled for the 3/8" bolts and are sandwiched between the axle flange and billet adapters to fit the early Model A wheels instead of stock rear drums. Would it fit with stock wood wheels? Probably, never tried.
Calipers did need to some trimming to clear the spokes of the A wheels, not a big issue.
Master cylinder was mounted like the Willwood disc kit does. I made a 3/16" bracket on the output flange. I welded a tab on the brake pedal and a double shear clevis connects it to the master, 6:1 mechanical ratio.
Thanks for looking!
This conversion is NOT BOLT ON as it required welding and some basic fabrication. Im not making more of these. I have over 2500 miles of use on them including decending a 15% grade - no issues! 330mm rotors are plenty big but don't stick out too obvious behind the wheels.
2012 Ford fusion rear calipers (2nd gen Fusion/Mazda 6) and parking brake cables
2012 Ford Taurus rear rotors ( 3rd gen Taurus, base model non vented)
Willwood universal 7/8" master cylinder
I selected these rotor as they fit perfectly over small drum axle backing plates. No original T parking brake shoes used.
The calipers have a fantastic cable operated parking brake mechanism that is just as powerful as the hydraulics.
The cables are too long to operate the same side wheel as the T parking brake cross bar but are just the right length to cross to the other side. Made some brackets to attach the cables to the frame and to attach to the brake equalizer bar, able to Pivot when the brake handle is forward.
Calipers are mounted to the radius rods with some welded on 1/4" steel tabs.
Brake rotors had a 5x108mm bolt pattern and we need it to be 6x 5" so they were welded up and re drilled for the 3/8" bolts and are sandwiched between the axle flange and billet adapters to fit the early Model A wheels instead of stock rear drums. Would it fit with stock wood wheels? Probably, never tried.
Calipers did need to some trimming to clear the spokes of the A wheels, not a big issue.
Master cylinder was mounted like the Willwood disc kit does. I made a 3/16" bracket on the output flange. I welded a tab on the brake pedal and a double shear clevis connects it to the master, 6:1 mechanical ratio.
Thanks for looking!
