Mustang brakes on an LS?

[chriswells78]

I have been doing some thinking. I've had my LS for not quite a month and I can't leave well enough alone...

I don't like any of the 5 spoke chrome wheels available for the LS. I like the style that is meant for the 00 Cobra R. Obviously that is a 5 or 4.5 Mustang bolt pattern.

My question is... Does anybody know or has any body tried to put 05/06 Mustang brake rotors on an LS? I know the chassis are similar. Will the rotors fit on as a direct replacement or even with slight modification? If I can put them on, I could probably be able to fit Mustang wheels that I want on my LS.

Any thoughts?

 

[KD00LS]

I know the chassis is the same and computer is similar, but beyond that I'm not sure if anything else is the same. QuikLS had a website he posted before with the differences and similarities I think, I'm not 100% sure.

 

[Quik LS]

very little about the new Mustang is LS, only a few small pieces remain....

The Mustang platform shares its roots with the Lincoln LS and laguar S-Type (DEW98), but is far enough removed for Ford personnel to stubbornly refer to it as "unique." Gone is DEW98's expensive aluminum-intensive suspension (unequal length control arms in front and a fully independent multilink rear unit on an isolated subframe). In its place sit far more economical MacPherson front struts with "reverse-L" lower control arms and a three-link solid axle with coil springs. A retrograde step? Perhaps, but understandable given the Mustang's under-$20,000 starting price--about $14,000 less than a base Lincoln LS.

http://www.autofieldguide.com/articles/110402.html


The FR500 ( http://www.mustangworld.com/ourpics/News/sema99/sema99frp1.htm ) had some LS bolt-on for suspension and brakes.

 

[mholhut]

SVT made a set of Cobra wheels for the earlier Thunderbird. Same bolt pattern as the SHO/Lincoln/Volvo etc. etc. etc.

Or...
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/CWM-...056161409QQcategoryZ43957QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Or...
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/CWM-...056576552QQcategoryZ43957QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

[rocket5979]

My question is... Does anybody know or has any body tried to put 05/06 Mustang brake rotors on an LS? I know the chassis are similar. Will the rotors fit on as a direct replacement or even with slight modification? If I can put them on, I could probably be able to fit Mustang wheels that I want on my LS.

Any thoughts?

The success of the swap would come down to the basic fitment of all the parts and then a very crucial fit being the axle halfshaft splines matching. If they aren't the same then that can scrap the whole swap unless you wanted to swap axles and all that crap; which could open a whole other bigass can of worms.

Get your hands on a LS rear hub and a 05+ Stang rear hub and compare. Most all the other things can be custom fabbed if they don't fit quite right.

 

[chriswells78]

SVT made a set of Cobra wheels for the earlier Thunderbird. Same bolt pattern as the SHO/Lincoln/Volvo etc. etc. etc.

That is not the wheel that I am looking for. I dont like how the spokes curve. I was looking for something like this:

Thanks Rocket, that is what I was thinking that I might have to end up doing. I may just go to the Ford dealer and buy the parts, compare them, then take them back after my research is done. I may put a call into Wilwood and Brembo tech lines to see what they have/can do.

 

[Quik LS]

if you want to go bigger brakes than stock (which the stock can be made pretty good IMHO) StopTech sells both stock upgrade and a 'big Brake Kit' replacement.

Big Brake Kits
FOUR WHEEL KIT
FRONT: 355 x 32 mm Rotor/ 4 Piston Caliper
REAR: 328 x 28 mm Rotor/ 4 Piston Caliper

Stage 2 Brake Upgrades
Direct Replacement Rotors, Stainless steel brake lines, high-performance brake fluid and street performance pads.

Stage 1 Brake Upgrades
Stainless Steel Lines, High Performance Brake Fluid and Street Performance Pads

 

[chriswells78]

I'm not so much concerned with a braking performance upgrade as getting the correct bolt pattern in order to fit the wheels that I want to run.

Having my LS with the same bolt pattern as my Stang would also help at the track. I would only need to buy and mount 1 set of drag radials and use them on both cars.

 

[2001LS8Sport]

Drag radials on a LS??? Wow! What are you running in that thing????

 

[Quik LS]

the LS uses : OEM 17x7.5, 5x108, 60mm offset = so that's a 4.25" bolt circle

the M1007R189C rim for the Mustang uses 18x9.5, 4.50" bolt circle, with 34.77mm backspace

so you could look at a spacer/adapter the bolts to the 4.25" hub and then present a 4.50" pattern to the rim - maybe?


http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/5X4-...ryZ42614QQssPageNameZWD1VQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

[SoonerLS]

I'm not so much concerned with a braking performance upgrade as getting the correct bolt pattern in order to fit the wheels that I want to run.

In this case, Rocket's correct; you'll have to worry about the hubs from the Mustang matching the splines on the LS's half-shaft. (The hubs and rotors on an LS are separate units; I don't know about the Mustang's.)

You'll also have to worry about the mount points for connecting the Mustang hub to the LS's suspension, but I'm sure a good machinist could make you an adapter for that.

Or you could go with Quik's suggestion...

 

[chriswells78]

Drag radials on a LS??? Wow! What are you running in that thing????

Nothing yet...I haven't even put perminant tags on it yet but I have plans rolling around in my head and I hate doing something, then having to go back and redo it becasue I'm not happy with it.

the LS uses : OEM 17x7.5, 5x108, 60mm offset = so that's a 4.25" bolt circle

the M1007R189C rim for the Mustang uses 18x9.5, 4.50" bolt circle, with 34.77mm backspace

so you could look at a spacer/adapter the bolts to the 4.25" hub and then present a 4.50" pattern to the rim - maybe?

That is a possibility, actually it looks like the best idea yet. I know about the offset and the 1/4 inch on the bolt pattern, I had a Taurus SES before with the same pattern as the LS, gave me the same fits about getting the rims that I liked. I knew spacers were made but I din't know that anybody made adapters. This also appears to be the cheapest idea, that is if having the wheel offset too much doesn't destroy the wheel bearings like it does in an off road truck. That could get to be a pain in the arse and expensive over time not to mention dangerous if the bearing were to let go on the freeway at speed.

I think I am going to pull my wheels and brakes next weekend and try to find some pics of 05/06 Mustang hubs to do some research.

 

[rocket5979]

Having my LS with the same bolt pattern as my Stang would also help at the track. I would only need to buy and mount 1 set of drag radials and use them on both cars.

Man I totally hear ya there! I have thought about the same thing once or twice before. I plan to run slicks on the Explorer and it would be nice that once I was shooting for 12's in the LS to be able to swap those sticky tires to it. Even at that ET range the LS wont be running enough power to really need a full wrinklewall slick, but it cannot hurt.

 

[hockey930]

I use thoes spacers on my volvo has it is also 5X108 (5X4.25) and the aftermarket wheels I run it were made for ford 5X114.3 (5X4.5). I reccoment getting adapters that are both hub and rim centric so you don't get a viberation. I am not sure if he still makes them or what the width of them is but alvero gil of www.gilracing.com makes an incredable product. They are a little pricey but in my opionion worth it. My brother runs them on his volvo with 0 shaking whats so ever. This is just at though the centerbore would have to match wich I don't know if it does, and the wheels would probably end up out pretty darn far. Just throwing an idea out there.
Eamonn

 

[chriswells78]

I use thoes spacers on my volvo has it is also 5X108 (5X4.25) and the aftermarket wheels I run it were made for ford 5X114.3 (5X4.5). I reccoment getting adapters that are both hub and rim centric so you don't get a viberation. I am not sure if he still makes them or what the width of them is but alvero gil of www.gilracing.com makes an incredable product. They are a little pricey but in my opionion worth it. My brother runs them on his volvo with 0 shaking whats so ever. This is just at though the centerbore would have to match wich I don't know if it does, and the wheels would probably end up out pretty darn far. Just throwing an idea out there.
Eamonn

How long have you been running them and have you experienced any excess bearing wear?

 

[Quik LS]

maybe not bearing wear - but is does significantly add risk to the load placed on the front suspension components in the event you hit a pot hole, curb, ...etc.