[D1JL]

I have decided that I will be upgrading my brakes.
I will be using the larger rotors that I had on my 2011 Fiesta.
These are from an SVT Focus and are about 10% larger than the FiST and very easy to get.
The adaptors should be easy enough to make (I've done before).

I will also be painting my calipers since this option was deleted from my build.
The calipers will be YELLOW just to be different.

Last I will be adding Stainless Braided Hoses.

As I have almost all the parts this will not be too expensive.


Dave

 

[wash]

Are the hat dimensions the same?

Do you have any pictures of the adapter bracket?

Any pictures with the brackets and calipers installed?

I won't be doing this mod but if I can put Focus disks on a Fiesta, what about a Focus big brake kit?

I might be able to cobble together the kit I want without custom parts if the stock calipers mount in a similar way.

Thanks.

 

[D1JL]

wash,
Some of your questions are a little premature.
As I have not built the brackets and do not have the ST yet it is very hard to take pictures.
The only custom parts would be the required brackets, everything else is already made and available.
The rotors I am referring to are from an SVT Focus, not the new model that has FIVE lugs.
I already have a set and they are not custom, which adds much more expense.
I would go bigger if I could find a set of rotors that DON'T require custom work.
Yes, I believe the hat size is the same, as I have had this upgrade on my current 2011 Fiesta.
It is of course impossible to be 100% sure until I have the car to measure.

Other companies now provide a front big brake kit for the FiST but there their prices are astronomical.
They are using custom made rotors and multi-piston calipers.
These are great but I don't believe required for the everyday driver and occasional track use.
They have also have done nothing for the rear and that sets up a braking imbalance.
In addition they require spacers to work with OEM wheels, adding geometry issues.

Dave

 

[Smokin]

Brakes? Who needs brakes?

 

[wash]

I do.

 

[xorpheous]

Brakes? Who needs brakes?

Bah. Turn the wheel, throw the car sideways, and nail the throttle! Brakes are for parking.

I jest, I jest...

 

[BRGT350]

After running my ST on the track, talking with others who have run the car on the track, there isn't any good performance reason to upgrade the brakes. Do the stock brakes look like they could be more exotic? Heck ya they do. The calipers look cheap and the rotors are small. However, they work like you dropped an anchor out the back when you jump on them. It is shocking how good they work actually. The combination of brake balance, pad compound, master cylinder, and rotor size create something that is damn near perfect. The only downfall is that they don't look impressive.

 

[wash]

I think it will be possible to reduce weight while upgrading the rotor to something thicker, more resistant to warping and with better venting.

Possibly better brake pads too.

Is there a point? The reduced weight is always nice. For a short autocross, better cooling might be unnecessary. Going lap after lap on a road course is probably a good place for upgraded brakes. They will look good too.

 

[BRGT350]

There is always room for improvement, but it just isn't where I would stick my money. More sets of tires would be a better option as they give up way before the brakes do. When I had my 2011 Fiesta with the 300mm SVT Focus front brakes and OE pads at GingerMan with the ST, I went about 2 laps before the stock pads were fading very badly. The ST on the other hand went for 3 20 minute sessions and 1 15 minute session on track without any issues. The tires were started to get really hot and slippery at the end of the sessions. A set of R compound tires is really what is needed. I would remove the dust shield from the rotors for better cooling. When Brandon and I returned to the track to run sessions with the Focus ST, we found that the Focus ST brakes did not do as well as the Fiesta ST.

Agent 67 also ran his ST on a road course for an extended period of times and noticed that the tires gave up before the brakes did. The RE050A tires are very sticky, so they wear quickly. Also being full tread depth tires, the tread blocks move around and feel a little funny when they get hot. A shaved set or a set of R compound tires for the track would be exactly what I would do. Remove the dust sheilds and install R compound tires. That would be a better investment compared to all new brakes.

This is unless you want sexy looking brakes, then you will need to upgrade them. There is nothing bad ass looking about the stock stuff. They work, but look rather pedestrian.

 

[RodMoe]

I do wish Ford had offered this as a upgrade vs just painting them..

 

[BRGT350]

yeah, those would be perfect! Oh well, but you can get bacon stickers instead.

 

[RodMoe]

Off Topic but did you say BACON ???

 

[DanielArroyo]

There is always room for improvement, but it just isn't where I would stick my money. More sets of tires would be a better option as they give up way before the brakes do. When I had my 2011 Fiesta with the 300mm SVT Focus front brakes and OE pads at GingerMan with the ST, I went about 2 laps before the stock pads were fading very badly. The ST on the other hand went for 3 20 minute sessions and 1 15 minute session on track without any issues. The tires were started to get really hot and slippery at the end of the sessions. A set of R compound tires is really what is needed. I would remove the dust shield from the rotors for better cooling. When Brandon and I returned to the track to run sessions with the Focus ST, we found that the Focus ST brakes did not do as well as the Fiesta ST.

Agent 67 also ran his ST on a road course for an extended period of times and noticed that the tires gave up before the brakes did. The RE050A tires are very sticky, so they wear quickly. Also being full tread depth tires, the tread blocks move around and feel a little funny when they get hot. A shaved set or a set of R compound tires for the track would be exactly what I would do. Remove the dust sheilds and install R compound tires. That would be a better investment compared to all new brakes.

This is unless you want sexy looking brakes, then you will need to upgrade them. There is nothing bad ass looking about the stock stuff. They work, but look rather pedestrian.

You are absolutely correct, I have run my fiesta ST at a few tracks and the first thing to give is the tires, the brakes are pretty balanced and work very hard for your experience without premature failure (if you know what I mean, lol), I personally wouldn't spend my money on a brake setup when the Factory setup can handle the demands of a great driver. Tires would be the first mod for any experienced driver.

 

[BRGT350]

yeah, the tires have a small contact patch and are very sticky. They overheat quickly on track, way before the brakes give up. On my 2011, the brakes go way before the tires do. I run a wider tire and a harder compound on my 2011. The Bridgestones are great for autocrossing, or for a few hot laps on the track. After that, they get really hot and slippery. I would go with an extra set of wheels and a dedicated track tire if I was really going to run the car hard on track. For autocrossing, it is great, unless you are running the car using 7 drivers and 35 runs with minimal down time.