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Master Cylinder Replacement

I know most parts from 79-04 are interchangeable. I need to replace the Master Cylinder on my Cougar, will anything from a 90s Stang work and is there a difference between the GT and Cobra MC? How extensive is the replacement process? I found a 93 Cobra MC and Resevoir brand new, and it's what I would go with if possible. All suggestions and tips are appreciated.
"Real cars dont power the front wheels, they lift them"
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
1984 Mercury Cougar GS 5.0:cougarsmily: BBK Equal Length Shorties, BBK O/R X-Pipe, Magnaflow Magnapacks, Mustang GT Stainless Tailpipes, 18" Magnaflow Rolled Edge Tips. Turbo Coupe Hood, Mach 1 Chin Spoiler. 17"x9" Cobra R's, Falken Ziex 255/50s, and 245/45s.
1984 Ford Thunderbird 3.8L "Drag Queen"
2009 Dodge Ram 1500 Lone Star Edition 5.7L Hemi 400hp, lex DOD14M Magnaflow retro-fit ler kit

Master Cylinder Replacement

Reply #1 –
If you are or plan to run rear discs, I'd get the Cobra master.
'84 Mustang
'98 Explorer 5.0
'03 Focus, dropped a valve seat. yay. freakin' split port engines...
'06 Explorer EB 4.6

Master Cylinder Replacement

Reply #2 –
I removed the ABS MC from my 88 TC and installed an SN95 Stang MC and a 93 Cobra booster.  I LOVE the way my pedal feels and the way the car stops.  The Cobra booster is BIG.  Be warned.
William

Master Cylinder Replacement

Reply #3 –
I bought a factory replacement booster, and I haven't bought a Master Cylinder yet. The booster is the problem I found out. I know nothing about brakes. I want to upgrade to rear disks, I'm really just pushing to get the brakes fixed for the car show I'm going to next month. I went last year and don't want to miss this year. All else fails I can haul my car there and just roll in the Zoo in 1st and mash the pedal til she stops.
"Real cars dont power the front wheels, they lift them"
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
1984 Mercury Cougar GS 5.0:cougarsmily: BBK Equal Length Shorties, BBK O/R X-Pipe, Magnaflow Magnapacks, Mustang GT Stainless Tailpipes, 18" Magnaflow Rolled Edge Tips. Turbo Coupe Hood, Mach 1 Chin Spoiler. 17"x9" Cobra R's, Falken Ziex 255/50s, and 245/45s.
1984 Ford Thunderbird 3.8L "Drag Queen"
2009 Dodge Ram 1500 Lone Star Edition 5.7L Hemi 400hp, lex DOD14M Magnaflow retro-fit ler kit

Master Cylinder Replacement

Reply #4 –
I used a 1985 Town Car MC.  Need to upgrade the booster....been told a 2000 Mustang V6 booster is the way to go.  May know next month.
1988 T-Bird Sport Coupe--5.0 HO, MAF swap, 1-5/8" shorties, BBK/Flowmaster exhaust, Explorer intake, 70mm Edelbrock TB, T5, B&M short throw, Centerforce clutch and PP, disc brake TC rear w/ 3.55's, TC front brakes, '98 Cobra springs, DIY SFC's, other misc .  14.05 @ 98mph with launching too low and shifting too high.

Master Cylinder Replacement

Reply #5 –
Don't use an SN95 Stang booster like that Dan.  SN95 boosters have mounting studs that form a perfect square.  Fox cars have a booster bolt hole pattern in their firewalls where 3 of the 4 holes would be on the corners of a square, but the 4th hole is set inwards.  If you try to install an SN95 booster on a Fox car, you're gonna have to drill a new hole, or the SN95 booster won't slide into the holes.  To save yourself all that trouble, buy a booster that's for a 93 Cobra.  The studs on one of those boosters WILL match the holes in your firewall.  Due to the size of 93 Cobra boosters, be warned that you'll have to slot the holes in the firewall to get the booster to slide in. 

SN95 boosters are identical to 93 Cobr boosters except for the offset stud I mentioned That Cobra boosters have.
William

Master Cylinder Replacement

Reply #6 –
IF you are going to convert over to the SN95 brakes the 93 Cobra booster and 85 Town car MC is the way to go.  The Cobra booster for the reasons Vic stated and the 85 Towncar MC as the threads are SAE and not metric and will go right into our cars without having to bend and flare brake lines.

If you are going to utilize the stock Fox 11" brakes up front and the TC brakes in the rear then just use the stock booster and the 85 Towncar MC.  Lots of Mustang guys have done this and it works great.

Darren

83 351W TKO'd T-Bird on the bottle


93 331 Mustang Coupe - 368 rwhp

Master Cylinder Replacement

Reply #7 –
Quote from: Aerocoupe;394556
If you are going to utilize the stock Fox 11" brakes up front and the TC brakes in the rear then just use the stock booster and the 85 Towncar MC.  Lots of Mustang guys have done this and it works great.

Darren

This is whatI did.......1500 miles later (in 5 weeks) I am very pleased.
1988 T-Bird Sport Coupe--5.0 HO, MAF swap, 1-5/8" shorties, BBK/Flowmaster exhaust, Explorer intake, 70mm Edelbrock TB, T5, B&M short throw, Centerforce clutch and PP, disc brake TC rear w/ 3.55's, TC front brakes, '98 Cobra springs, DIY SFC's, other misc .  14.05 @ 98mph with launching too low and shifting too high.

Master Cylinder Replacement

Reply #8 –
I have a SVO master that I am looking to get rid of with the TC stock brakes the SVO master is just to big of boar the brakes are hard as a rock.
87 TC
HO Swap, T5 Swap, Mach Springs, CHE Upper and Lower control arms, Mach Chin spoiler, soon to be Procharged.

:evilgrin: Nitrous is like a hot chick with an STD you want to hit it but are scared of the consequences. :evilgrin:

Master Cylinder Replacement

Reply #9 –
Since 85 Town Car master cylinders are old style, metal master cylinders, I'd rather use an SN95 master cylinder.  It's a modern, plastic design with 2 ports.  Go to your nearest Auto Zone, buy 2 metric, to standard thread adapters and you're good to go.  Because of the larger piston in SN95 MC's they flow enough brake fluid to accomodate bigger, dual piston calipers if you ever want to upgrade your brakes.  Pedal feel is great with TC brakes too.
William

Master Cylinder Replacement

Reply #10 –
There are tons of guys our there running the 85 Town car MC's with the Cobra brakes. The 94-95 Cobra MC's (Metric Threads) are 15/16" bore, the Lincoln MC (SAE Threads) & 93 Cobra MC (Metric Threads) have a 1" bore, and the 94-95 GT (Metric Threads) and 94-98 V6 MC's (Metric Threads) have a 1-1/16" bore.  Can you run the Cobra brakes with the V6/GT MC?  Absolutely, both my cars have one.  I ran the 99+ PBR dual 44mm piston calipers with the V6/GT MC as well as my current Cobra setup with the SN95 booster and the pedal feel has not changed one bit.  I wish I would have ran the 93 Cobra booster as I helped a buddy install one and it was a drop in compared to the 94-98 booster.

Anyhow, read this write up and it will open your eyes to the different brake combinations we can install on our cars:

http://home.comcast.net/~mjbobbitt/mustang/page1.html

Darren

83 351W TKO'd T-Bird on the bottle


93 331 Mustang Coupe - 368 rwhp

Master Cylinder Replacement

Reply #11 –
Don't you prefer the modern looks of the V6/GT MC Darren?
William

Master Cylinder Replacement

Reply #12 –
Eh, not really.  Its a toss up with me as I am just looking at it from a pure what bolts in view point.  If a person prefers the modern look and does not mine aquiring adapters (I was unaware they even existed) or building new lines (I hate flaring brake tubing) then the V6/GT unit is the way to go.

I just have them on both of my cars as I was unaware of the 85 Town car option when I did them.

Darren

83 351W TKO'd T-Bird on the bottle


93 331 Mustang Coupe - 368 rwhp

Master Cylinder Replacement

Reply #13 –
I don't blame you for preferring the whole plug and play thing with the TC MC.  It's not bad at all installing the SN95 MC though.  The merrie to standard adapters only add half an inch to the brake lines though.  I wanted to keep the newer look, so I went that way.
William

Master Cylinder Replacement

Reply #14 –
I just got finished installing an 86 cougar booster/master/proportioning block on my red 88 TC. I had to change three fittings and use the line from the cougar for the drivers front but other than that it was pretty easy.  I really wish I would of done this on my silver 88 TC that one was a pain.....    as far as the brakes on the red TC they feel good nice and solid although I havent bled them out yet.