Your car’s factory brake system is probably a well-designed setup that provides ample stopping power and low fade when you need it. Anyone simply driving from point A to point B should get all the performance from a modern braking system they will ever need. Let’s face it, though—if driving was only about tottering around, we’d still be driving Model T’s.
When you start upgrading your car and adding power-enhancing mods, you can quickly exceed the point where your brakes are safe. Hard driving often heats brake components beyond their intended temperature ranges, resulting in reduced braking power, loss of control, and a seriously unsafe situation.
Worth mentioning, you should plan on upgrading the factory brakes on your car before you start adding big power. The moderate expense you pay for excellent performance brakes may not seem flashy, but you’ll save money in the long run and have a safer car when you upgrade power.
Disc Brake Performance Upgrades
One of the cars that people around here often drive too fast is the fifth generation Ford Mustang. Built between 2004 and 2014, many of them are still out there, so prices are easy to swallow. One of the most popular models is the 2011 and newer Mustang 5.0, featuring the Coyote V8.
In stock trim, this engine could produce over 400 horsepower, and 600 hp is attainable with bolt-on parts to a stock engine. Brembo brakes were an option, but not all GT cars will have them. You should definitely consider a brake upgrade if you want to really drive this car.
Stage 1: Factory Parts Upgrade
Depending on some of the specific parts groups your car was ordered from the factory with, you may have ceramic brake pads on all four corners, ceramic front, and semi-metallic rear pads, or even semi-metallic all around. The cheapest and easiest upgrade is simply to replace brake pads with better quality parts. It’s a good idea to turn the rotors and have them inspected for wear when replacing pads. You can ruin new pads on worn rotors.
Types of Brake Pads for Performance Driving
Today, we have lots of choices about what type of material we want our brake pads from. Some compounds work better than others for performance driving but also have some trade-offs.
Ceramic
One of the most popular performance brake pad compounds, ceramic offers tremendous stopping power, low dust, and reduced noise. The downside to using ceramic brake pads for performance driving is that the compound can rapidly increase your braking system’s temperature, leading to reduced performance. These are ideal for street-driven vehicles and will work fine for short, spirited drives, but you’ll want an upgrade before hitting the track.
Organic
Organic brake pads are falling out of favor in many respects, largely due to the low performance and high amount of dust they cause. Don’t install organic brake pads on a car you plan to drive hard. They quickly wear out and cannot handle the pressures of aggressive driving.
Semi-metallic
Semi-metallic brake pads are a great compromise between the low dust and noise of ceramic brake pads with an increased ability to shed heat and provide performance under hard and repeated braking. Semi-metallic pads are noisier than ceramic and nearly as messy as organic pads.
Options for Mustang GT Upgrades
If you look at the internet, you’ll see lots of companies selling “performance ceramic” brake pads for your base Mustang GT 5.0. Those prices are eye-popping, too. You can get in well over $400 for ceramic brake pads. A better option for a stock brake upgrade is to use Hawk HP Plus brake pads. They are affordable and provide excellent heat distribution while ensuring plenty of grip. The formula provides minimal dust and low noise when in use. This is a much better solution for performance driving on stock rotors than expensive ceramic pads.
Stage 2: Aftermarket Upgrades
Back in the 80s and 90s, the best way to upgrade your car was to scrounge junkyards for higher-performance model parts. Today, we have the internet, and manufacturers are only too eager to provide ready-to-go kits of custom parts for your car. An aftermarket brake upgrade can be inexpensive and provide a significant increase in braking performance.
Rotor Upgrade
The factory rotors on your car are intended to provide a reasonable service life, low noise under normal conditions, and to give adequate performance for the vehicle’s weight. That’s not a terribly high bar, and you can easily outdrive factory rotors. Larger rotors provide a larger braking surface. In many cases, you can identify models of your car that have larger brakes and order the necessary components to change the brakes out. This is often the most elegant solution because you’ll be able to get parts at the local auto parts store rather than having to order from a vendor.
Types of Rotor Upgrades
One of the things you’ll see online as soon as you start looking at performance brake rotors is a wide variety of drilled, slotted, and finned brake options. Some of these designs, particularly drilled & slotted rotors, also look really cool. Unfortunately, many of these rotors are nothing more than showy. You should understand how these advanced features work and how to choose good products for your vehicle.
Drilled Rotors
These rotors feature holes drilled through the surface of the rotor, front and back. Drilled rotors help to dissipate heat under hard braking, which can help to reduce brake fade under hard driving conditions. The downside of drilled rotors is they are more prone to cracking and can cause rapid pad wear.
Slotted Rotors
Rotors with slots engraved into the surface help to sweep away pad dust and dissipate heat. A set of slotted rotors can significantly increase braking efficiency and provide more braking power. This is a great choice for performance drivers and daily drivers looking for extra stopping power. Slotted rotors can improve braking performance in wet weather and snow as well.
Drilled & Slotted
These are super popular online. You’ll see them in all sorts of price ranges, and some of them are not that bad. In general, you’ll get better braking performance from slotted rotors except when you are running your car on a track day or regularly entering in Autocross events. Then, slotted and drilled rotors are a good step since you’ll be changing brake pads every few weekends anyway.
Stock Oversized
One of the often-overlooked upgrades isn’t switching to drilled and slotted rotors but using oversized stock brakes. Usually, you’ll need to identify if the upgrade system uses a different caliper and bracket, but aftermarket kits can make this quite simple.
Options for the 2012 Mustang GT 5.0
This car offers some significant options for upgrades at this stage. Numerous products are on the market for adding performance rotors, but the most efficient and popular way is to upgrade to the 14-inch optional Brembo system. For around $1,500, you can upgrade the rotors, calipers, and brake lines to the 14″ brakes used on the highest performance models in the generation. It’s a bolt-on upgrade, and you’ll find replacement parts plentiful. One note: stock wheels may not clear these brakes. The easiest solution is to find used wheels from a Mustang that had factory Brembo brakes. They work fine.
Caliper Upgrade
The factory caliper is often a compromise between performance and cost, and frankly, you can usually upgrade your calipers for a reasonable sum. Look for multi-piston calipers that increase braking power, better dissipate heat, and improves stopping power. Many factory pistons are “single-pot” pistons. These aren’t quite suitable for performance driving.
As with the rotor upgrade, a caliper upgrade is best accomplished these days through the use of an aftermarket kit. In the case of our example Mustang, it’s financially beneficial to order a complete rotor and caliper kit to upgrade rather than purchasing parts individually.
Brake Fluid for Performance Driving
One of the most overlooked aspects of proper braking performance under hard driving conditions is the type and condition of brake fluid you are using. If you plan on upgrading your brake fluid, be prepared for a significantly time-consuming but fairly simple job. You will need to remove every trace of old brake fluid from the system before refilling it with a different type.
Types of Brake Fluid
DOT 3
This is the most common brake fluid in use by most manufacturers today. It has good heat absorption and meets the needs of most factory braking systems. Like all brake fluids, it absorbs water over time and loses its heat resistance as a result.
DOT 4
DOT 4 carries a higher boiling point than DOT 3, so it’ll resist heat better. It is compatible with DOT 3, but mixing the two reduces the overall effectiveness.
DOT 5
This type of brake fluid is silicone and is not compatible with any other brake fluid type. Generally, DOT 5 is used in cars with natural rubber seals and in classic cars. DOT 5 does not absorb water like other types of fluid. DOT 5 gives a spongy pedal feel and shouldn’t be used in performance applications.
DOT 5.1: This is a racing blend of brake fluid that has a very high boiling point. This fluid is compatible with DOT 3 & 4 but is less effective when mixed. For proper DOT 5.1 performance, you’ll want to flush and clean your brake system before using DOT 5.1.
Brake Line Upgrades
It may not seem like changing brake lines can improve your braking performance, but you’d be surprised. Many factory lines are made of rubber that is flexible but can expand, particularly when heated. Most vehicles will get an increase in braking efficiency by upgrading the brake lines from rubber to stainless steel. If you can’t find an aftermarket solution, contact a local hydraulic supply store. Stainless brake lines can easily be fabbed up by a local craftsman.
Last Words
When you decide that it’s time to upgrade your brakes to get better performance, don’t just buy the cheapest thing on the market. You don’t have to spend a fortune to increase the stopping power in your car. When you understand how the parts of your brake system work together, you get an idea of why upgrading the system makes sense. Knowing that you can stop your car whether it has 200 hp or 800 hp makes driving hard safer and more enjoyable. A brake upgrade is a simple and cost-effective way to get you to the winners’ circle.
