Own a BA Ford Falcon with a few power-up mods? Wishing you had splurged on
the Premium Brake option when you bought the car? Well, here’s your solution –
the PBR brake upgrade for BAs...
The PBR BA Falcon Upgrade
The PBR brake upgrade for BA Falcons (part number PK5-9) is essentially the
same as the Premium Brake option, and the FPV GT and Pursuit Performance Brakes.
At the front, the PBR kit provides Rossini grooved rotors measuring 325mm x
32mm. This is a substantial upgrade over the standard 298mm x 28mm rotors. The
grooves on the external faces of the new rotors are designed to expel hot gases
that are generated between the rotor and pad during braking. This improves brake
efficiency and pedal feel.
The front rotors also feature pillar-style internal venting which is used
under licence from Brembo. PBR claims that the pillar-style venting
"aggressively sucks in and expels cooling air through the rotor".
The new rotors combine with PBR’s C6 twin-pot calipers. The C6 calipers are a
very rigid design and employ twin 40.5mm pistons. The dual large diameter
pistons help ensure the caliper remains square to the rotor during hard brake
applications – this provides even pad wear and maximum pad contact. The caliper
is finished in high temperature and brake fluid resistant red enamel.
At the rear, the standard rotors and calipers are also replaced as part of
the PBR upgrade. The new solid rear discs are the same size as standard (303mm x
16mm) but come with cooling grooves on the external faces. The rear calipers use
a single 40.5mm piston and are the same as the original parts except for their
red enamel coating.
The supplied brake pads offer greater friction and high temperature stability
compared to the standard Falcon pads. The new C6 front calipers also provide
space for the fitment of larger pads – front pad swept area is increased from 71
to 73.2cm2.
Street-legal braided stainless brake hoses are also included in the PBR
upgrade.
Differences to the Ford Premium/FPV Performance Brakes
The PBR brake upgrade is essentially the same as used in the Ford Premium
Brake option and FPV Performance Brake system. But there are a couple of
differences...
The PBR kit includes braided stainless hoses while the Fords and FPVs come
with low expansion rubber hoses. Only the Brembo-equipped FPVs come with factory
braided hoses.
The cooling groove pattern is also different between the PBR and Ford/FPV
product. The PBR rotors use six straight grooves while the Ford/FPV uses twin
circle grooves.
Oh, and the PBR calipers are enamelled red while the FPV parts are enamelled
blue with a FPV logo.
|
Fitment
The PBR BA brake upgrade is compatible with any BA Falcon but there is a
requirement that the car is fitted with 17 inch or larger wheels. Note that some
17 inch wheels don’t provide enough clearance for the C6 front calipers so PBR
offers a Wheelcheck template which can be found on the PBR Performance website www.pbrperformance.com.au. Use this template to check clearance before handing over any money.
Fitment of the kit is a very straightforward process that shouldn’t take any
more than a couple of hours.
At the front, the standard brake hose is disconnected and blocked at the
master cylinder end of the hose. The caliper can then be removed with the hose
attached. Next, the standard rotor is removed, the hub surface is cleaned and
the new rotor is installed. The new calipers can now be installed and the
braided hose is installed using a new support bracket, washers and banjo bolts.
At the rear, a same process is undertaken except in relation to the braided
hose. The standard brake hose support bracket must be removed by drilling out a
rivet in the vehicle body. A replacement bracket must then be riveted into
position.
The final process is bleeding the brakes and bedding-in the pads.
Results
AutoSpeed had the opportunity to road test the Jim Mock Motorsport BA Falcon equipped with the PBR brake upgrade.
With the new brake system, brake pedal pressure remains virtually standard –
you’d never know anyone had touched the brakes. Under hard brake applications,
the car pulled up powerfully and without bias problems. Repeated hard brake
applications showed no signs of fade and brake pedal feel remained excellent.
So what’s the fitted price for the PBR BA Falcon brake upgrade?
Well, Jim Mock Motorsport currently charges AUD$2800 for supply and fitment.
This is AUD$150 cheaper than the Ford Premium Brake option (which is almost
identical).
When you consider this monetary saving and the addition of braided steel
hoses, the PBR BA Falcon brake kit is a very attractive upgrade.
Email a friend
Print article
|