Our Top Recommended Big Brake Upgrade Kits For Your Ford Escort MK5
Very few Escort Mk5s get driven hard by accident any more. The ones that reach us are kept cars, restored or carefully preserved, worth a good deal more than they were ten years ago, and taken out on the days their owners choose. What has not moved on in the same way is the braking. A car built in 1993 came with 1993 brakes, and once the engine has had any attention at all, that is usually the part of the car left behind.
So this page is the kits we would actually fit, from the two brake makers we lean on: HiSpec Motorsport in Dartford and Tarox in northern Italy. There is a wider spread of prices here than on almost any car we list, because the range starts with a genuinely cheap one piece conversion and finishes with an eight piston Cosworth kit. The full Escort Mk5 range is on the site if you would rather browse it yourself.
- Kits start at £785.44 inc VAT, the cheapest route into a proper big brake conversion we list for any Ford
- The range covers three different cars: the standard Escort Mk5, the Cosworth 2WD and the Cosworth 4x4
- Both one piece and two piece disc kits are available, and the difference is more than the price
- Minimum wheel sizes run from 15 inch at 278mm up to 19 inch at 380mm, and they are set by the kit, not by the car
What is on this page
Three cars in one listing, so start here
This is the part worth getting right before you look at a single price. The Escort Mk5 section of our shop covers three cars that share a name and very little else underneath, and the kits are listed separately for each. Order the wrong one and the brackets will not line up.
Standard Escort Mk5
The everyday car, and the one the Billet 4 and Monster kits are listed against. Several listings cover the Mk5 and Mk6 together, and the cheapest kits also take in the Puma and the Ka.
Cosworth 4x4
The Escort RS Cosworth is the four wheel drive car, so this is the listing for it. Tarox name theirs Escort MK5 Cosworth 4x4 and HiSpec call it Cosworth 4WD. Same car, two ways of writing it.
Cosworth 2WD
HiSpec also list Cosworth kits for two wheel drive. If a 2WD kit is the one catching your eye, ring us and confirm it suits your car before you order, because the name alone will not tell you.
| Kit | Disc | Smallest wheel |
|---|---|---|
| HiSpec 278mm Billet 4 | 278 x 24mm | 15 inch |
| HiSpec 285mm Billet 4 | 285mm | 15 inch |
| HiSpec 300mm Billet 4 | 300mm | 16 inch |
| HiSpec 315mm Monster 4 | 315mm | 16 inch |
| HiSpec 325mm Billet 4 and Monster | 325mm | 17 inch |
| HiSpec 335mm Monster 4 and 6 | 335mm | 17 inch |
| HiSpec 360mm Monster and Mega Monster | 360mm | 18 inch |
| HiSpec 380mm Mega Monster | 380mm | 19 inch |
| Tarox 284mm Sport Compact | 284 x 24mm | 15 inch |
| Tarox 305mm Sport | 305 x 22mm | 16 inch |
| Tarox 318mm Sport | 318 x 26mm | 17 inch |
| Tarox 330mm Super Sport | 330 x 26mm | 17 inch |
| Tarox 340mm Super Sport | 340 x 26mm | 18 inch |
One piece or two piece discs
The biggest price step on this page is not the caliper, it is how the disc is made. The cheapest kits use a one piece cast disc, the same construction as a standard road disc, just bigger and paired with a four piston caliper. Everything above them uses a two piece floating disc: a steel rotor bolted to an alloy centre bell.
Two piece costs more for two reasons that matter on a car like this. The alloy bell takes weight out at the wheel, which the suspension notices, and the rotor can grow with heat without fighting the bell it is mounted to. On a road car doing occasional quick runs the one piece kits are honestly plenty. If the car sees track time, or if it is a Cosworth carrying that much more speed into a corner, the two piece is where we would spend.
| One piece | Two piece floating | |
|---|---|---|
| Disc | Single cast piece | Steel rotor on an alloy bell |
| Weight at the wheel | Heavier | Lighter |
| Under heat | Grows as one piece | Rotor can expand without fighting the bell |
| Kits here | HiSpec Billet 4 1P, Tarox Sport Compact | All the HiSpec 2P kits, Tarox Sport and Super Sport |
| Starts at | £785.44 | £1,464.00 |
HiSpec 278mm and 300mm Billet 4: the cheapest way in
These two are newer to the range and they change the conversation for a standard Escort. A complete front conversion, both sides, for under nine hundred pounds. You get the Billet 4, which is HiSpec’s most popular caliper and has been in production for years: four pistons, machined from 6082 T6 billet with matching billet pistons, and external boots keeping road dirt out of the seals. The discs are one piece, which is where the saving comes from. One listing covers the Escort Mk5 and Mk6 along with the Puma and the Ka, so it is worth knowing about if there is more than one Ford on the drive.
- 278mm at £785.44 inc VAT, 300mm at £817.24
- One piece discs, 24mm thick, no mounting bells
- Four piston Billet 4 calipers with external dust boots
- Covers the Escort Mk5 and Mk6, the Puma and the Ka
- Pads and braided hoses priced separately, so budget for both
HiSpec 300mm and 325mm Billet 4: the two piece step up
Same caliper, better disc. These are the two piece floating kits for a standard Escort, and the two sizes sit six pounds apart, which makes the choice easy: if your wheels clear the 325mm, that is the one to have, and the 325 listing covers the Mk6 as well. There is a 285mm in the range too at £1,254.00 if you are tight for space behind the spokes. Garreth’s view on all three is the same one he gives on any car: the money is better spent on the biggest disc that fits than on a fancier caliper behind a smaller one.
- 300mm at £1,464.00 inc VAT, 325mm at £1,470.00
- Two piece floating discs with alloy mounting bells
- The 325mm listing covers the Escort Mk5 and Mk6
- 285mm also available at £1,254.00 for tighter wheels
- Pads and hoses priced separately
Tarox Sport, 305mm and 318mm: everything in one box
Tarox build these for the Cosworth 4×4, and they are the easiest kits on this page to buy because nothing is left to add. The braided hoses are in the box, cut for the car, and the Corsa pads are already sitting in the calipers when it arrives. The caliper is the six piston B32, hand assembled in Italy, and the discs are two piece floaters balanced to five hundredths of a millimetre. You choose the disc face and the caliper colour when you order. Tarox also list a 284mm Sport Compact at £1,981.04 if you need the smallest package they do.
- 305mm at £1,860.66 inc VAT, 318mm at £2,020.00
- Corsa pads and vehicle specific braided hoses included and fitted
- Six piston B32 caliper, hand assembled in Italy
- Two piece floating discs balanced to 0.05mm
- Listed for the Cosworth 4x4
HiSpec Monster 4, 335mm and 360mm: the track pick
When the Escort is doing track days, this is the HiSpec we would put on it. The Monster runs a longer pad than the Billet 4 and more piston area behind it, which is what you want when the brakes are being asked to work lap after lap instead of once on a slip road. Worth pointing out plainly: at the time of writing the 360mm kit lists below the 335mm. Same caliper, bigger disc, less money. If your wheels take the 360, take the 360. There are Monster 6 versions of both if you want more again; HiSpec quote up to sixty three per cent more piston area for the six pot.
- 360mm at £1,635.00 inc VAT, 335mm at £1,650.00, so the bigger disc is currently the cheaper kit
- Longer pad and more piston area than the Billet 4
- Two piece floating discs
- Monster 6 versions listed at £1,863.00 for the 360mm
- Pads and hoses priced separately
Tarox Super Sport: the flagship, and one for each car
The top of the Tarox road range, and usefully there is a version for both cars: 340mm for the Cosworth 4×4 and 330mm for the standard Escort Mk5. The caliper is the B34GT, which uses sequentially sized pistons so the pad wears evenly and the pedal stays consistent as the temperature climbs. One thing to know before you order: our listing calls it the 10 pot, which is what the older B34 design ran. Tarox’s current B34GT uses eight sequentially sized pistons, and eight is what turns up. Pads, hoses and brackets are all in the box as with the Sport kits.
- Cosworth 4x4 340mm at £2,610.00 inc VAT, Escort Mk5 330mm at £2,365.30
- B34GT caliper with eight sequentially sized pistons
- Two piece floating discs, 26mm thick
- Corsa pads and braided hoses included and fitted
- Tarox state compatibility with ABS and modern driver aids
The biggest kits we list for this car
Above everything else sit the HiSpec Mega Monster kits for the Cosworth, at 360mm and 380mm, along with the 360mm Monster 6 for the standard Escort. The same quirk shows up here as further up the page: the 380mm Mega Monster currently lists below the 360mm. This is big power territory and the wheel question gets sharper the larger the disc, so these are the ones we would rather talk through with you than sell off a page.
What is actually in each box
The headline prices sit further apart than the finished builds do, and the reason is what each brand includes. HiSpec price their kits without pads or braided hoses so you pick the compound to suit how the car gets used. Tarox include both, with the pads already fitted. Spec the two level and the gap closes, so compare the finished build.
| In the box | HiSpec | Tarox |
|---|---|---|
| Calipers | Billet 4, Monster 4 or 6, Mega Monster, 6082 T6 billet | B32 or B34GT, billet alloy, hand assembled |
| Discs | One piece on the 1P kits, two piece floating with bells on the rest | Two piece floating, balanced to 0.05mm, single piece on Sport Compact |
| Brackets and hardware | Included | Included |
| Braided hoses | Priced separately | Included |
| Pads | Priced separately, your choice of compound | Corsa pads, fitted |
| Caliper finish | Black, red, blue, gold or silver | Black, red, blue, green or gold anodised |
| Built in | Dartford, UK, up to 28 working days | Northern Italy |
Every kit on this page compared
| Kit | Disc | Caliper | Disc type | Fits | Pads and hoses | Price inc VAT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HiSpec 278 Billet 4 | 278 x 24mm | 4 piston | One piece | Mk5/Mk6, Puma, Ka | Extra | £785.44 |
| HiSpec 300 Billet 4 1P | 300 x 24mm | 4 piston | One piece | Mk5/Mk6, Puma, Ka | Extra | £817.24 |
| HiSpec 285 Billet 4 | 285mm | 4 piston | Two piece | Escort Mk5 | Extra | £1,254.00 |
| HiSpec 300 Billet 4 | 300mm | 4 piston | Two piece | Escort Mk5 | Extra | £1,464.00 |
| HiSpec 325 Billet 4 | 325mm | 4 piston | Two piece | Escort Mk5 and Mk6 | Extra | £1,470.00 |
| HiSpec 360 Monster 4 | 360mm | 4 piston | Two piece | Escort Mk5 | Extra | £1,635.00 |
| HiSpec 335 Monster 4 | 335mm | 4 piston | Two piece | Escort Mk5 | Extra | £1,650.00 |
| HiSpec 360 Monster 6 | 360mm | 6 piston | Two piece | Escort Mk5 | Extra | £1,863.00 |
| Tarox 305 Sport | 305 x 22mm | B32, 6 piston | Two piece | Cosworth 4x4 | Included | £1,860.66 |
| Tarox 284 Sport Compact | 284 x 24mm | B280/B30 | One piece | Cosworth 4x4 | Included | £1,981.04 |
| Tarox 318 Sport | 318 x 26mm | B32, 6 piston | Two piece | Cosworth 4x4 | Included | £2,020.00 |
| HiSpec 380 Mega Monster | 380mm | 8 piston | Two piece | Cosworth 4WD | Extra | £2,159.69 |
| HiSpec 360 Mega Monster | 360mm | 8 piston | Two piece | Cosworth 4WD | Extra | £2,196.85 |
| Tarox 330 Super Sport | 330 x 26mm | B34GT | Two piece | Escort Mk5 | Included | £2,365.30 |
| Tarox 340 Super Sport | 340 x 26mm | B34GT | Two piece | Cosworth 4x4 | Included | £2,610.00 |
Prices include VAT and were correct on 13 August 2026. Where two kits sit close together, or a larger one lists below a smaller one, we have said so on the page instead of quietly selling you the dearer one. Confirm the price with us when you order, because they do move.
Common questions
Which listing do I order for an Escort RS Cosworth?
The four wheel drive one. Tarox call it Escort MK5 Cosworth 4x4 and HiSpec call it Cosworth 4WD, and both mean the same car. HiSpec also list Cosworth 2WD kits, so if that is the listing you are looking at, check with us which car it suits before ordering.
Will a kit fit behind my wheels?
On diameter, yes, and the table earlier on the page gives it: 15 inch from 278mm, 16 inch from 300mm, 17 inch from 325mm, 18 inch at 360mm and 19 inch at 380mm. Those figures come from the kit, so they hold on any car the kit is listed against. What we check per car is depth, because a spoke can sit close to a caliper even on a wheel of the right diameter. Send us the make and model of your wheels and we will confirm that side of it, and it is worth doing even on original Cosworth wheels.
What is the real difference between the one piece and two piece kits?
The disc. A one piece kit uses a single cast disc, the same way a standard road disc is made. A two piece uses a steel rotor bolted to an alloy centre bell, which takes weight out at the wheel and lets the rotor expand with heat without fighting the bell. For a road car the one piece kits do the job well. For track use, or a Cosworth, we would move up.
Why does a bigger kit sometimes cost less than a smaller one?
Prices in this range have been set kit by kit over a long time, and occasionally a larger conversion ends up below a smaller one, as the 360mm Monster 4 and the 380mm Mega Monster both do at the moment. We would rather point it out than let you pay more for less. Prices do change, so confirm when you order.
How long before it arrives?
HiSpec kits are made to order in Dartford and the listings ask you to allow up to 28 working days. Tarox build for the specific car in Italy and lead times move through the year, so ask when you order and we will tell you where it stands that week.
What we would actually fit
For a standard Escort Mk5 that gets used on good days, the 278mm one piece kit at £785.44 is the one we would point most people at, because it is a genuine upgrade for money that leaves something in the pot for pads and hoses. Move up to the 325mm two piece if the car is quick and the wheels allow it. If it goes on track, the 360mm Monster 4, which currently costs less than the 335mm and is the easiest recommendation on this page. On a Cosworth 4×4 the Tarox 305mm Sport is the sensible complete kit, and the 340mm Super Sport is the one to have if the budget is there.
Wheel size decides a lot of it, and the table on this page gives you the diameter for every kit here. Ring us on 0115 9893488 with your wheels and whether the car is a Mk5 or a Cosworth, and Cameron will tell you what fits before you spend anything.