Shit...brake guys..
 

Today i was taking off my rotor to replace a lug, no big deal. I took off my caliper to strip the chipping paint off of it, and noticed a large gouge in the piston. Its from the little nubs in the brake pads, and i guess i didnt notice them when i first installed them. I might be SOL, leme know what you think. Braking hasnt been too affected, otherwise i would have noticed. Also anyone know a safe paint stripper? This ceramic shit will chip off from a water hose, but the spots that are good wont fucking come off with a die grinder with a wire brush head on it. Also, i took the black cap, off the center of the wheel hub, and noticed the bearing is bone dry. I talked to my dad, and he said i might have to take it out and press it with grease, however i think its a sealed bearing, because there is no residue of any grease whatsoever in it. Im trying to link pics but my phone sucks fucking horse dick.
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Uhh, I may be wrong, but I think that is for the piston compressor tool? I think that's what it's for anyway, I think the piston is supposed to be turned while you're compressing it to press it back down into the caliper when replacing brake pads.. I know that's how my rear brakes are.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

Either way, I don't know that it would really affect anything as far as the braking system goes.

As far as the paint stripper goes.. I can't imagine that it would be much more harsh than brake cleaner, just dab it on with a cloth instead of spraying it and I Wouldn't think you'd have any problems.

I was thinking the same thing, but it doesn't look deep enough and we don't use them at my mechanics shop.

rears twist, fronts dont.

Considering the second one shows some rippling of the metal, it looks like those tabs made some mighty good indents. I'd personally wouldn't use those calipers w/o new pistons but if money is tight, grab a file and file the pistons to eliminate any high spots to ensure even contact. Make sure you properly use the file (don't hold it by the "handle" and remember it cuts one way) and make sure you are filing it flat and not at an angle. I'd also get some pads that don't have those indents. I'd also check the other side of the calipers (non-piston side) to make sure it doesn't have indents either.

Those gouges look like they are cast into the piston to me, when looking at both. I would imagine the metal on the back of the pads to be softer than the piston metal. The surfaces that you have to worry about scratches, gouges, scarring, on if the outer face of the piston that slides inside the caliper. You brake fluid is behind that piston, inside the caliper. Like a stopper, sort of. The part we see of the piston is fairly important for even pressure on the pad. The inside of the piston doesn't matter

You need one large bottle of brake fluid to flush the system. An open bottle goes bad after about two weeks.

I don't know if anything is changed with a convertible... but I have had my front brakes of way more than I should have (I had one side that hung up all the time) and there is nothing like that on my front brakes. Same year v6, I'm not sure if ford would make them different, though I know they had 2 different crank pulleys depending when during the year the car was made.

I guess ill try to find a mustang in the scrapyard, hopefully pick one off, if I'm lucky ill find a GT, and get some must wanted parts while I'm at it. The pads I bought piss me off, they were hawk hps pads and I already had to grind a few of them off. Very frustrating. 01FR5 dude ur post is really out of order, mind editing it a bit? It might just be that my phone is messing it up though.

The bearings sealed into place, it will be dry. Until the bearing is bad and it explodes.

Those marks looks like some cheapo garage has changed ur breaks n compressed ur calipers with a C clamp, by pushing directly on the piston. instead of using the old pads to press them down.

It looks bad but i dont know if it affects anything. Calipers are 50 each at advance auto, with core charge.

Yea i know now my piston is shot. Looked at it in good light and the bottom of the left piston is shattered. New caliper is 42$ at autozone with lifetime warranty..But i want a cobra brake upgrade, however 700$ i dont have right now...FUCK..advice please....I dunno what to do. I really want to upgrade my brakes but 700$ is allot man.

Buyfordracing used to have the front 10th anni kit with stainless lines for $420 shipped. Looks like all they have now are caliper kits though. You could pick up the front Bullitt calipers and the banjo bolts and get a set of rotors somewhere else and still be way under $700....

http://www.buyfordracing.com/shop/index.php?cPath=6

Hmm..if they still had that with the rotors itd be lovely. Ill have to add it up and see..But hell Latemodelresto has rotors for 200 front, +60 for SS lines, still 520. I want a wrecked cobra, strip the hell out of one...Update, yea both calipers are shot, took a look at passenger side to see if same thing happened, and yeah it did. Idk, i dont think i have the budget for upgrade atm.

suggestion:
parts list-
SE calipers w/ pads and brackets-209 shipped-http://www.buyfordracing.com/shop/product_info.php?products_id=689cPath=6
brake lines(x2)-14.99-Autozone
rotors(x2)-70.99-Autozone

I found it rather interesting last night that when browsing through the most recent copy of MM&FF it had a how to of installing new rotors, and in the process of this it showed information on how to change out the studs as was mentioned here.

Awesomeness? ^^ :confused::p

If you don't have the money for the cobra brake kit right now, then you need to suck it up and buy some cheap pistons in the meantime. Buyfordracing usually ahs the best prices for the front cobra brake kit, but if you don't have at least 17" rims on the car, they won't fit.

+1

This is what ive decided to do, picking up same stock calipers today and if i get the fund later ill do cobra.

Whatever you do, if you are going to a parts store, Napa or CarQuest only. These are the only two major part stores that will use OEM factory parts for cores. Pep Boys, Advance, and Auto Zone use Chinese junk and are not much cheaper than Napa or CarQuest. Even if it's temporary, it is your brakes, and that last thing you want to deal with are stuck pistons or leaks with "new" calipers.

The brakes that i got are oem, or atleast on one side they are, the other side is some other brand. I got them from autozone because i dont have napa or carquest any where near me.

Two different brake calipers? It's your car i guess

I know i prefer all OEM but if it breaks its got a lifetime warranty. Update day 4: Got new ones painted and put on and finally set the front on the tires/ground. Now im lifting up the back and doing the rear calipers.(Painting wise) Ive gotten the calipers off the back, but i dunno how to disconnect the rear E-Brake cable, anyone know?

That warranty isn't going to mean a thing if something goes wrong with your caliper at 50 mph.

I can shit in a box and mark it guaranteed I got some spare time...

True..hatefullness...So update today: Got the fronts completely done, painted and put on. Loks much better. Got the backs off and stripped of paint, cleaned and prepped for paint tommorow. Compressed the pistons while i was at it and made room for the new back pads i bought a while ago.

sweet,, whered u get the rear compression tool? I got mine at NAPA and OMG it kept slipping out I was sooo pissed!

Lol, fail on you then. I rented mine from autozone, and it didnt slip once, and i nearly broke my wrist doing so. My right arm has been under allot of strain from the dang car. Been workin on it for...5 days now, and my right arm is my strong arm, and the most stable one, so i use it to grind as well. :( Guy at autozone pissed me off though, he was being a doushe. lol

Mine slips too, but if I keep the right amount of pressure and apply it on the ratchet head, and not the handle, it doesn't slip out. Some use needle nose pliers but those guys are braver than me.

That is what I do, works like a charm. :smokin:

I use a c-clamp and pliers to compress/rotate the the rear pistons.