brake replacement

[Will Williams]

I'm going to replace my brakes on my 2007 EB expedition. Do I really need to go to the dealer for the Ford brand parts or would an auto store's brand work and last? Any thoughts?

Will

 

[Black]

NAPA premium if you just want OEM replacements that are store brand.
Very good brake components that are generally a bit better than factory.
EBC for these trucks if you want a substantial upgrade.

 

[Grover6]

How do the powerstop versions compare? Pretty good price from Rockauto.

 

[gixer2000]

How do the powerstop versions compare? Pretty good price from Rockauto.

I've been running powerstop for a year now and they've been great!

 

[ManUpOrShutUp]

You certainly don't need to go Motorcraft. I'm running Akebono performance pads and AC Delco/Raybestos coated-edge rotors (same manufacturer for this particular rotor).

 

[Trainmaster]

I've used all sorts of products, from good to bad. Motorcraft has by far been the best consistently with smooth stopping throughout all speed ranges. But I've also had good experiences with ceramic aftermarket brakes, though with a shorter live. Premium products like Hawk have also worked very well for me. Cheap stuff was just that, dusty and very short lived. Usually Chinese crap.

My biggest problem was with rotors. I've had such bad experiences with warped rotors that now I only buy Motorcraft. On rare occasion, we've used name brand rotors with good results. But the stuff like Mega-stop, Carquest, Wearever and parts store brands that sell for $15 with discount are just plain junk or perhaps inconsistent.

I've even tried truing the wobbly cheap rotors before using them and chunks of metal galled out of them.

Also beware of the "high performance" brake packages that sell drilled or slotted rotors with "compatible" pads. Usually just the cheapest imported junk machined here.

Good premium stuff from Hawk and DBA has been top of the line for me too.

To avoid the heartache of doing the job twice now I just buy Motorcraft. With Rock Auto's prices, front brakes usually cost me about $150 which includes the rotors.

 

[Will Williams]

Thanks to all...good info.

 

[bobmbx]

I'm going to replace my brakes on my 2007 EB expedition. Do I really need to go to the dealer for the Ford brand parts or would an auto store's brand work and last? Any thoughts?

Will

What parts are you replacing, and how would you describe your driving habits?

 

[Will Williams]

The front brakes pads for sure and most likely the rear too. The front right has a little scratch but it is not deep at all....first heard it yesterday. As for my driving habits, I'm retired EMS Captain from the city fire dept....seen enough trauma to slow me down...beside I use to teach defensive driving. My wife always say I drive like "an old women".

 

[bobmbx]

The front brakes pads for sure and most likely the rear too. The front right has a little scratch but it is not deep at all....first heard it yesterday. As for my driving habits, I'm retired EMS Captain from the city fire dept....seen enough trauma to slow me down...beside I use to teach defensive driving. My wife always say I drive like "an old women".

If you're not racing, towing, or live in the mountains, you don't need the super brake pads.

 

[Will Williams]

Thanks that's good to know.....I'm looking to move in the mountains but that is a few years away.

 

[Will Williams]

Thought I had everything I needed to do this job. I could not get the pins out ...thought it needed a 7 or 8mm but it needs a 9mm Allen.. So I get to buy some new tools. Looks like I will need to finish this tomorrow as it is getting dark.

 

[Trainmaster]

The 9mm is a dog to find. I had to buy a set to get it. The cheap replacement pins are 9mm; the OEM ones are not.

 

[Plati]

Last fall I installed Wagner Perfect Stop pads and DuraGo coated rotors. Been very happy with them since. Smooth as a baby's behind and very little dust. I always want to have the best brakes I can get!!

I did my research and you can buy drilled and slotted rotors but it didn't seem like unanimous consensus that they give superior braking and may not work as well as a plain rotor. I'm sure there are various opinions on that.

 

[1955moose]

If you don't mind spending a bit more and getting a better fitting 9mm, stop In a Snap on or Matco tool truck. Fam9e is the Snap on #. It's $28.00.

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[TobyU]

I've used all sorts of products, from good to bad. Motorcraft has by far been the best consistently with smooth stopping throughout all speed ranges. But I've also had good experiences with ceramic aftermarket brakes, though with a shorter live. Premium products like Hawk have also worked very well for me. Cheap stuff was just that, dusty and very short lived. Usually Chinese crap.

My biggest problem was with rotors. I've had such bad experiences with warped rotors that now I only buy Motorcraft. On rare occasion, we've used name brand rotors with good results. But the stuff like Mega-stop, Carquest, Wearever and parts store brands that sell for $15 with discount are just plain junk or perhaps inconsistent.

I've even tried truing the wobbly cheap rotors before using them and chunks of metal galled out of them.

Also beware of the "high performance" brake packages that sell drilled or slotted rotors with "compatible" pads. Usually just the cheapest imported junk machined here.

Good premium stuff from Hawk and DBA has been top of the line for me too.

To avoid the heartache of doing the job twice now I just buy Motorcraft. With Rock Auto's prices, front brakes usually cost me about $150 which includes the rotors.

I don't know where you guys get all this bad quality stuff! Have you really had numerous parts that were problematic or did you just have a bad experience and stopped trying in the future???

I have NEVER bought a brake pad from NAPA. I have NEVER bought brake pads from ANY dealer. I did install a set from GM on a Geo storm one time. Waste of 48.00 is you ask me.

I have had ONE TIME when I replaced two front rotors and had a vibration warped issue. ONE TIME in decades.
These were WearEver Silvers form Advance and never a problem since.
I used a lot of the Duralast red painted pads ones in the 90s+ and never a problem. I likes that you could always spot the red ones and know they were duralast as they were the only ones with red at the time.
I have used BrakeBest standard not GOLD usually from O'Reilly pads and rotors with ZERO problems.
I get the cheapest lifetime ones they have. Usually 17.99-24.99.
I did get a little linger life from O'Reilly front pads and rotors than the Advance that I did on same huge truck in same conditions. But both were way beyond acceptable life for the application.

I don't go for this...."Brakes are important" and safety idea that spending more makes you safer or whatever. I hear and see this a lot.
I don't need to spend more money or buy a brand name to sleep better at night.
I just had a fried n spend more for a Raybestos or Wagner or some name brand master cylinder for his....get this.. 96 Corolla with 36K miles on it.
It's not cherry condition but fairly nice.
Any master cyl would have been just fine for him. Should have saved the money. Took me 15 mins to put it on. But it makes him feel better with the one he bought...so it works for him. Not for me.

Unless you are road racing a sports car, anything is plenty up to and above the task of doing the job.

 

[ManUpOrShutUp]

I have NEVER bought a brake pad from NAPA.

The NAPA stuff is just rebranded stuff made by someone else. You can usually figure out who made them based on the part number. It used to make sense to buy these parts as they were usually cheaper, but now you almost always pay more. Same part, more money, no thanks.

 

[TobyU]

The NAPA stuff is just rebranded stuff made by someone else. You can usually figure out who made them based on the part number. It used to make sense to buy these parts as they were usually cheaper, but now you almost always pay more. Same part, more money, no thanks.

This why you have to pay attention and never be blindly loyal to any store or brand.

The oil filters have been a good deal over the years, but I can get Wix at O'Reilly with my commercial account probably cheaper than napa ones.
They used to have decent prices on oil too..don't know now.

Napa stores have always had a less than welcoming feel to them and from employees.. I will correct this as say most or many employees. I pissed a guy off on lincoln forum since his brother in law worked at a Napa for 15+ years.
You will get a lot of guys and gals there that know a bit more than the young kid that might be at Advance or O'Reilly BUT they are often TOO opinionated in how THEY think you should do the job etc.
Now I have had this same issue at an Autozone from one guy but he probably came from Main, Genuine, or Napa.
Unless a person asks for advice.....don't offer. They walk in and you ask them what you can help them with....I used to work at Autoworks in the 90s...They usually want you to look up parts, so you do and show the the options.
If they say give me the value, or silver housebrand whatever....GO GET THEM!!
It's not your car or your business.
DO NOT EVER come across like a salesman or you will push people away and it should happen.
Stores train to do related and add on sales BUT only offer. Don't come across like a salesman.
You are there to get the parts they want and ring it up AND offer advice IF they ask and be like a friend. Not there to guilt them or infer they are a cheapskate for not buying the higher up parts on the list....and NOT assume you know more than the customer about repairing cars!
This is a BIG one at Napa and the other non big three chain places.
The employees there always act like they know everything and the ONLY right way to fix things.
It don't fly with me. I am alpha male and everything is done MY way. Which is perfectly how a business relationship or customer to retail store works anyway.
Any attitude I receive is given back x5 and it goes downhill fast so I stay away form those places. Happened too many times.
I go to O'reilly or Advance and they know I know more than they do and they act that way and are not trying to compete.
AND Napa ans other place employees act like they own the place and any money or pricematch ( do they even know what that word means) comes right of their weeks pay!!!

The people at the chain stores usually don't care.. If the computer is happy, they are happy.
Then I am happy. Then I keep coming back.
I haven't been in a Nap (and they are close by too) in 8-9 years. Only been in a Napa less than 10 times in my life.

My brake pads and rotors last just fine....thank you very much!

Napa is old school parts house mentality that is stuck in 1975 and refuses to adapt, compete.
They market their name and try to infer quality like calling ac parts Napa Air and things like that.
They used to have better quality as did other private places over the big chain "discount auto part" stores. Remember they actually used to call themselves DISCOUNT auto part stores.
That was their marketing....price. Napa some others...better selection and better parts. But as of late, not so much...but they haven't changed to equal this.
They try to live of off name and old quality reputation.
Other companies have done this .....for a while...even too long. They eventually go bankrupt(Sears for example) or get bought out by big cheapie company (Carquest)
Maybe not best examples, but no Napa for me.

 

[1955moose]

I agree about Napa. Have one up the street from me. Only thing I buy is a couple of 6 pack Mobil 1 oils, when they put on sale at $5.99 about every 3 months. Being in both the repair end, and the parts end, it's a slippery slope. I used to have my 2 guys and their dad that started the parts business back in the early 60's. They were just a pleasure to deal with. Knew that for my own Ford's/Lincoln's, I almost always wanted Motorcraft. And they just got it right, 95 percent of the time. If their was a possibility of 2 parts, they'd send me home with both. It was really sad when they closed up in 06. Too many individuals don't know the difference, because their not mechanics. Even when I managed Oreillys back in the 90's I would still buy from them, and they knew where I was working. Sad I don't think a shop like theirs will ever pop up again.

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[TobyU]

We used to have it privately owned place called Fry's Auto Parts back in from I think the middle late 70s all the way till around 2000 something when they finally shut down. Family-owned. I know the father was there throughout my whole existence going in and then he had a couple of sons that worked there too.
They absolutely had the best selection in the hole 25 + mile radius. If they didn't have it, no one did.
One time I called them around 1988 or 89 to get the two generator belts for a 1949 Lincoln Cosmopolitan. They had them in stock! They were hanging up by the ceiling around the perimeter of their inside showroom.
They always used the old school books and everything and I don't know if they ever actually went to computer.
Everyone has been in this area for a while knows and remembers them well. They were a little higher on some things but later on they started being very competitive on pricing.