Need brake pad recomendation

My 89 had some front pads on it when I got it that were so grabby it would throw you thru the windshield when you pulled into a parking space and stopped. So I replaced them with AutoZone "Premium Friction" semi-met pads. Now it takes a substantial amount of pedal effort to get them to really slow you down.

Does anyone have any recommendations for a pad that's somewhere in the middle of the road in grabbing power?

-- Jim '88 LX 5.0 (now in car heaven) '89 LX 5.0 vert '99 GT 35th Anniversery Edition - Silver Mods to date - Relocated trunk release to drivers side, shortened throttle cable, PIAA Driving lights.

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AZGuy
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Reply to
jimmy nguyen

I shortened it by taking a wood dowel, about inch diameter, and cut off about a 3/4" length, drilling a hole thru the center (what would be the "long way", then sawing a slot thru one side (in the "Long" direction". I wound up breaking in two pieces but it doesn't matter. Then I pulled the end of the cable back from where it goes thru the gas pedal arm to pull out the free play and put this "spacer" around the cable. A small screw gear hose clamp holds the wood assembly around the cable and when it's all tight the cable end can't slide thru the thing. It shortens the cable the "height" of the piece of wood. I did it because I wanted the gas pedal closer to my foot and this was the easiest way to do that without bending anything, cutting anything, etc. I didn't want to monkey with the end at the throttle body. This way is fail-safe... if anything "breaks" it will just fall off and go back to the slightly longer cable. Worked for me for three years. I have some photos if you want me to email them to you.

-- Jim '88 LX 5.0 (now in car heaven) '89 LX 5.0 vert '99 GT 35th Anniversery Edition - Silver Mods to date - Relocated trunk release to drivers side, shortened throttle cable, PIAA Driving lights.

Reply to
AZGuy

I'm using Hawk's street pads and they work pretty well.

Patrick '93 Cobra

Reply to
Patrick

I'm using the Hawk street pads in my '89. They have been in for a year, work great and have 80% life left.

Hank Phoenix

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Hank

Reply to
jimmy nguyen

Follow up on my bad brakes........

After putting on two new rotors, cleaning up the face of the pads, reworking the rear drums to make sure there were no problems there, and buttoning it all up it still stopped like crap. Thought it might be the power booster and was close to springing for a rebuilt on. Went thru the Ford diagnostic chart and discovered that the large rubber hose that feds vacuum to the booster was leaking ever so slightly. Put on a new hose and it pretty much fixed it. Still takes a little more effort then on my 99 but overall seems OK. I can't believe such a tiny vacuum leak (did not affect engine at all) made such a big difference. Next time I get a chance I'm going to pull the other big feeder hose that goes from under the intake overhang to the firewall vacuum manifold and replace it too.

-- Jim '88 LX 5.0 (now in car heaven) '89 LX 5.0 vert '99 GT 35th Anniversery Edition - Silver Mods to date - Relocated trunk release to drivers side, shortened throttle cable, PIAA Driving lights.

Reply to
AZGuy

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