84 SVO Front Caliper question

[FoxFleet]

Hey guys. I just got my SVO running today and am loving it. After a while though, I noticed that I was having some resistance. I jacked up the front, and found the driver side caliper was siezed up. I am going to try and c-clamp it tomorrow, but am wondering if need be, when I head to autozone, can I get any caliper for the Mustang, or are these specific to SVO's. I assume they are different, but if there are any years that would work, I would greatly appreciate your input. Thanks.

[SVOPaul]

This is a VERY common problem with the SVO calipers...they have a phenolic(yes, PLASTIC) piston in them which are prone to this problem. The caliper is a 73mm and the same as a Lincoln Mark VII(84-92) front caliper. Ofcourse most rebuilds are going to also have a phenolic piston....

If you are interested in a permanent upgrade, I have Stainless Steel piston rebuild kits that I had made to eliminate this problem. Your other option is to search through the parts store collection and see if you can find one that was rebuild with steel pistons...

[High Roller]

I had the same problem when I replaced the brake pads on my 84 on both of the front brakes. I had to replace the calipers and was pleasantly suprised to learn that Auotzone's computer system has specific information for the SVO. That's more than can be said for the local Ford dealer.

[SVOPaul]

That is right...Autozone is the ONLY parts chain to have a seperate listing for "Mustang SVO" in their computer systems.....they also seem to hire competant parts people in my experience....I was even able to get a rebuild kit for the front calipers on my '65 Mustang from them when other places gave me a blank stare...

[FoxFleet]

Well thanks a ton for your responses guys. Say Paul, how much are your stainless kits, and also, do you still have any of those outer moldings that wipe the window dry?

[mpinnix]

I used Raybestos rebuilt calipers on my 86 SVO recently. The part numbers are
Left Front # RC5242 Right Front # RC5241
Left Rear # RC5252 Right Rear # RC5251
These are loaded calipers with all hardware and they have steel pistons. Just remember to return the cores for the rears, they cost nearly as much as the new part.
Mitchell

[cobra0478]

I deal with O'riley,I think they,atleast locally, are more on the ball than Autozone.
My car had ben stored for 7 years when I first got it,needed a lot to get it on the road,found rebuilt calipers with steel pistons,& correct ford part #,found replacement fuel tank,looks exact to original,Clutch cable,clutch,pressure plate,pilot bearing,well could go on&on,but fact is you will be surprized at what you can find at your local parts house.The trick is to find a good parts man,always praise him for his efforts,deal only with him,maby if he does you really good slip him an extra $20.00 for his on pocket.You take care of him,He takes care of you.
Don.

[SVOPaul]

Originally posted by FoxFleet
Well thanks a ton for your responses guys. Say Paul, how much are your stainless kits, and also, do you still have any of those outer moldings that wipe the window dry?

The stainless kit to do both calipers is $69.95....a little more expensive than regular steel but you never have to worry about corrosion ever again. I am in the process of trying to organize everything and I may have some beltline mouldings but need to check....I have not gotten to the moulding area yet...

[Speeder]

By the way, don't forget to check the pads you order because the retaining clips are different for the steel or phenolic pistons. I've made this mistake a few times. In a pinch, I've even switched the clips by prying them off and peened the rivets over. Sometimes even the right pads don't clip tight so I have to adjust the tangs. I think if they don't snap tight they can drag and possibly cause uneven heat on the rotor.

[SVOPaul]

The SS pistons and brake pads I carry have the exact same dimensions as original and this is not a problem. I have seen some aftermarket rebuilds with steel pistons that have a much larger opening which yeild this problem though.

[Speeder]

By the way, Phenolic pistons aren't necessarily such a bad thing nor were they just to cut cost. They insulate the heat from the pads which helps prevent the fluid from boiling. So if you're going to autocross the car, especially on a track without cooling ducts, you might want to keep them. The downside is, the face of the piston will eventually begin to crumble from the heat. Maybe they are a little more prone to binding from swelling. One easy way to check if one is binding is to (carefully) touch your wheels to see if one side is hotter than the other.