Here's a couple option/ideas for you: Soft lines are required to calipers on Mustang for suspension; but Ranger has soft line in middle of truck. Therefore, Ranger doesn't need soft lines at caliper. So, I removed them from calipers.
Take you wife's advice on this one, Ford did it that way for a reason. You are partially right, because soft lines are needed because of the suspension and that is why a Ranger has a soft line from the frame to the axle. That said soft lines are also needed because of the type of brake. Hard lines to the drum brakes on a Ranger rear axle works because the wheel cylinders are mounted in a fixed location. Unfortunately Mustang (and Explorer) disk brake calipers don't work the same, the caliper is not mounted in a fixed position. The caliper actually floats back and fourth on the mount bracket's pins, and it needs a flex hose at the caliper to accommodate this motion. Might take a while, but those hard lines attached to the caliper will cause a brake failure. It could be rotor failing because it's being flexed each time the brakes are applied, it could be from a fitting working loose because there is no other source flex in that section of the system, or it might be from the hard line failing because your are expecting it to do the work of a soft line.
If you don't believe me, take a look at existing Ford designs. 2010-2011 Rangers came with rear disk brakes, they have a soft line from frame to axle and from axle hardline to each caliper. 95-2002 Explorers came with solid axle and disk brakes, they have a soft line from frame to axle and from axle to each caliper. F-150 solid axle and disk breaks, soft lines are the same. F-250 with rear disks, same. F-350 with rear disks, same. Expedition with rear disks, same. Excursion with rear disks, same. E-series with rear disks, you guessed it, the same.
The sad truth is that the (probably worn out) drum breaks you were replacing, they were safer than the disk brake system that you installed because of the fact that you did not put soft lines at the caliper.
I'm not meaning to be an ass here, I just hate it when people give out bad advice especially where safety is concerned. With you being anal, you daughter's safety at stake, and your own "standard disclaimer" taken into account, you might want to see about getting some soft lines on that truck.
Maybe it's not flush and I'm just thinking it because how the colors blend.
I think that's probably the case. It doesn't really look recessed to me.
I didn't even see your responses until now. Running a beta system is buggy thanks for the input.
Beta? What system are you running, PMs are accepted if you don't want to post here.
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the next two images are from the article. My cut looks like he one pictured. But the installed picture seems like a much different cut. Either way my plate isn't recessed to sit with the flange.
