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Author Topic: thunderbird brakes?  (Read 1959 times)

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Offline 82expghost

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thunderbird brakes?
« on: December 10, 2012, 02:45:52 PM »
anybody thaught of putting 4 lug spendles and rotors from a thunderbird or mustang to get bigger brakes? before i head to the junkyard and find out 4hours later it was a bad idea trying to fab these on can any body give me reason to not try?
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82 exp, the race car, cancer took it away
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Offline Pinto5.0

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Re: thunderbird brakes?
« Reply #1 on: December 10, 2012, 07:05:07 PM »
I'm pretty sure they wont bolt on without major mods. They made 4 lug Granada rotors & since they bolt right on that may be the way to go. I'm not 100 percent sure of all the details about 4 lug versions but 5 lug are almost 11 inches & use stock Pinto wheel bearings. You need caliper brackets(40 bucks) & cheap GM Metric calipers (20 each) & brake lines then you're good to go.
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Offline Wittsend

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Re: thunderbird brakes?
« Reply #2 on: December 10, 2012, 11:07:29 PM »
Are you speaking of front or rear brakes? And what year?  The 80's Thunderbirds had struts on the front so there is no spindles (between two A-arms) to be adaptable.  The rears might be a different story but with all the Turbo Coupes being used I have never heard anyone mention the brake adaptation. So..., maybe...., but I'm thinking probably not.

Offline 82expghost

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Re: thunderbird brakes?
« Reply #3 on: December 30, 2012, 07:50:11 PM »
front brakes on a 88 t bird on the pinto was what i was wondering
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Offline oldkayaker

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Re: thunderbird brakes?
« Reply #4 on: January 01, 2013, 05:05:12 AM »
Thought about doing the same thing some years ago.  From poor memory, they both use the same bearings but different seals.  The later hub bearings are closer together than the Pinto (seems like it should be the other way for the heavier car).  Thought about adding a spacer (maybe a second bearing race, if right dimension) under the inner race to get more distance between the bearings, but did not follow through.  Did not check on the rotor location or caliper/seal adaption.  It is not a direct bolt on but might be adaptable.
Jerry J - Jupiter, Florida