Brake upgrades?

[Munkiebunz3]

Hello, I have a 2016 EL limited. Is anyone else experiencing warped rotors? I drive in stop & go traffic of Los Angeles but I get rotor warping after just a few hundred miles or so. I really don't drive that much either (5k miles/year)

So, that being said, can anyone recommend a really good set of rotors/pads that are excellent at heat dissipation & resistant to warping? I don't tow, but I do have maybe regularly 800 lbs of people & gear in/on the vehicle & I don't want to have them overheat if I do grab a trailer

 

[JExpedition07]

Your warpage issues may be from uneven torque on the lug nuts. I’d recommend against using air tools either use torque wrench or at least T-wrench so you can feel how tight each one is. Also make sure your using good rotors. Another thing is to make sure your wiping them off with brake cleaner before you use them as you’ve gotten finger prints on them and they have a factory coating that will contaminate and cause issues.

 

[Plati]

I just (had) installed Wagner Perfect Stop pads. Wagner is a good established name as far as I could tell. I also had DuraGo coated rotors installed and they look and seem nice. Made in Tennessee by the way. I had a discussion with my shop about putting quality parts in and this is what was chosen. He said best to go with "high carbon" rotors, better metal. My old rotors had problems and they rusted after every rain so I think they were cheap crap. New ones seem great and look good and didnt rust overnight in the rain!

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.

another recent thread on that with more info
https://www.expeditionforum.com/thr...rebates-some-expiring-soon.37127/#post-318761

 

[Trainmaster]

Virtually every aftermarket rotor is junk. One exception: I've had great results with DBA rotors from Australia using Hawk break pads. Most recently I've used Ford Motorcraft rotors and pads and the truck stops perfectly with no warping in 5,000 miles.

Forget the auto part store crap, it's garbage.

And what J is telling you is true. Use an air wrench on lug nuts and your rotors will be toast.

 

[JExpedition07]

With any rotor you pretty much get what you pay for. NAPA sells some pretty good stuff.

I’ve been running Motorcraft HLS rotors and PowerStop pads.....I’ve been pleased with this combo.

 

[Black]

NAPA Premium or Ultra Premium will likely be your best off the shelf pads with smooth rotor.

My buddy used Hawk stage 2 (I believe) on his 2018 as he tows lots of big boats.

Power Stop Z36 Extreme Truck and Tow is supposed to be a solid choice too.

 

[Plati]

Virtually every aftermarket rotor is junk. One exception: I've had great results with DBA rotors from Australia using Hawk break pads. Most recently I've used Ford Motorcraft rotors and pads and the truck stops perfectly with no warping in 5,000 miles.

Forget the auto part store crap, it's garbage.

And what J is telling you is true. Use an air wrench on lug nuts and your rotors will be toast.

Are you saying my new DuraGo rotors are junk/crap/garbage? I'd be quite surprised if thats the case. Shocked!

About using an air wrench and rotors are toast. C'mon really? Dont you think 95% of the wheels in America are mounted using an air wrench? Are all those rotors toast? An air wrench fails EVERY time? I like the idea of carefully and slowly tightening by hand, then torquing by hand as a "perfect" process ... but an air wrench is not going to ruin every single rotor.

 

[Adieu]

Hello, I have a 2016 EL limited. Is anyone else experiencing warped rotors? I drive in stop & go traffic of Los Angeles but I get rotor warping after just a few hundred miles or so. I really don't drive that much either (5k miles/year)

So, that being said, can anyone recommend a really good set of rotors/pads that are excellent at heat dissipation & resistant to warping? I don't tow, but I do have maybe regularly 800 lbs of people & gear in/on the vehicle & I don't want to have them overheat if I do grab a trailer

Something odd going on there.

I piled on like 30k mi in LA stop and go and my already-old-to-begin-with brakes didnt do nothing... despite impacting my lugnuts on and off more than a few times

How are you identifying this rotor warpage? If it's your friendly blinker fluid changing mechanic who installed the previous rotors.....

 

[Trainmaster]

Yes I said that. And when you tighten up those wheels, set that air hammer at 350 foot pounds and tighten the lugs one at a time, nice and snug.

All kidding aside, the quality control on import rotors today is absurd. I've had some real problems in the past with them. And the cheapest ones are just horrible. Sometimes you luck out and they're fine, but I'm too old and too tired and pissed off to swap out new rotors again and again.

Of course every OEM cautions against using an air ratchet to tighten lug nuts. But what does Ford know? Actually, in the wrong hands, and air tool makes it too easy to warp a wheel and rotor. The labor pool for New York tire mounters ain't top shelf my friend.

Hope you got your 20% AdvanceAuto discount on those DuraGoGo Gungdong $18 rotors. You'll be buying more of 'em.

 

[Adieu]

Btw, what IS the mechanism of interaction between lugnut torque and brake rotors, exactly??

 

[Black]

Something odd going on there.

I piled on like 30k mi in LA stop and go and my already-old-to-begin-with brakes didnt do nothing... despite impacting my lugnuts on and off more than a few times

How are you identifying this rotor warpage? If it's your friendly blinker fluid changing mechanic who installed the previous rotors.....

I just read his profile he is running a 200+ pound front bumper, 35s on spacers, with factory shocks, and brakes.

Warping should not be of a surprise.

 

[JExpedition07]

Yes I said that. And when you tighten up those wheels, set that air hammer at 350 foot pounds and tighten the lugs one at a time, nice and snug.

All kidding aside, the quality control on import rotors today is absurd. I've had some real problems in the past with them. And the cheapest ones are just horrible. Sometimes you luck out and they're fine, but I'm too old and too tired and pissed off to swap out new rotors again and again.

Of course every OEM cautions against using an air ratchet to tighten lug nuts. But what does Ford know? Actually, in the wrong hands, and air tool makes it too easy to warp a wheel and rotor. The labor pool for New York tire mounters ain't top shelf my friend.

Hope you got your 20% AdvanceAuto discount on those DuraGoGo Gungdong $18 rotors. You'll be buying more of 'em.

The only rotors you can buy are imports. There is no aftermarket rotor available for purchase that is made in usa. That’s right, it doesn’t exist. Companies claiming so are buying Chinese slugs and machining them here.....foundries aren’t making them here period. There’s been much discussion on various forums regarding this. Heck I couldn’t get a friggin U-Joint that was made here I went to various stores and even Moog, SKF etc are all Chinese/Mexican now. My driveshaft was peeling and the U-joints weren’t participating so I ordered the entire shaft assy from Ford......that was made in USA. But basically to get an American U-joint I had to order OEM. Spicer makes a great U-joint and makes them here but the stores don’t stock......they are fords OE supplier so I likely got spicers on the new shaft anyway.

 

[Adieu]

I just read his profile he is running a 200+ pound front bumper, 35s on spacers, with factory shocks, and brakes.

Warping should not be of a surprise.

Dont knock it... All 100% essential for navigating the wastes of 21st century Santa Monica CA

Just remember to get wheel spikes too if you decide to brave Huntington Beach in the next county over... longhorn smokestacks wouldn't hurt, either

 

[Black]

Dont knock it... All 100% essential for navigating the wastes of 21st century Santa Monica CA

Just remember to get wheel spikes too if you decide to brave Huntington Beach in the next county over... longhorn smokestacks wouldn't hurt, either

Not knocking it.
Just have to look at the whole picture when making those drastic additions.
Other parts have to be beefed up as well.

 

[Black]

The only rotors you can buy are imports. There is no aftermarket rotor available for purchase that is made in usa. That’s right, it doesn’t exist. Companies claiming so are buying Chinese slugs and machining them here.....foundries aren’t making them here period. There’s been much discussion on various forums regarding this. Heck I couldn’t get a friggin U-Joint that was made here I went to various stores and even Moog, SKF etc are all Chinese/Mexican now. My driveshaft was peeling and the U-joints weren’t participating so I ordered the entire shaft assy from Ford......that was made in USA. But basically to get an American U-joint I had to order OEM. Spicer makes a great U-joint and makes them here but the stores don’t stock......they are fords OE supplier so I likely got spicers on the new shaft anyway.

Pretty sure EBC still has a US factory though not sure which models are made there.
With the rest being made in the UK if memory serves correct.
Though all my EBC experience is good stopping power but loud and dusty.

 

[jeff kushner]

FWIW: I experienced front rotor warping in my SLK and switched to ceramic pads and haven't had and issue since. Expensive but effective.

I don't know the availability for our trucks but I would assume they are made.

jeff

 

[JExpedition07]

FWIW: I experienced front rotor warping in my SLK and switched to ceramic pads and haven't had and issue since. Expensive but effective.

I don't know the availability for our trucks but I would assume they are made.

jeff

My PowerStop pads on the expy are ceramics, good stuff.

 

[Trainmaster]

Btw, what IS the mechanism of interaction between lugnut torque and brake rotors, exactly??

You want even pressure on each lug. It's difficult to achieve that with an impact wrench. If you tighten one lug, then bend the wheel to tighten another, you will distort both wheel and rotor. There's probably an effect when they heat also, if the lugs aren't evenly and progressively torqued.

Also under and overtouquing wheels increase the chance for "undesired wheel detachment". An overtightened lug stretches and weakens, and hardware can be damaged too.

If the stresses on a rotor, especially a Chinese one recast from an old Datsun frame, are not consistent, it may bend, warp and not handle thermal changes consistently. There's a lot asked of a chunk of iron.

Following Ford (or any OEM) recommendations assures the best longevity, reliability and safety. It also costs a lot of money. You don't really believe the $18 and the $60 rotors are really the same, do you?

Unfortunately the laws of physics aren't subordinate to the laws of economics.

 

[1955moose]

Wonder if the apples in apple pie are from Washington state, or upstate New York, probably shipped over from China. I use an impact all the time, but do it slowly and x patern the tightening in steps. I've watched so many at shops that have at the lugs with full torque to one lug, then go in a clock wise motion. Soft wheels or rotors will get bent easy that way. At shops it's all about speed and production.

Sent from my N9131 using Tapatalk

 

[Plati]

Btw, what IS the mechanism of interaction between lugnut torque and brake rotors, exactly??

I was kinda wondering the same thing. If you put the rotor on a little crooked (not seated all the way around) and then overtorque one lug nut ... then do the lug nut right next to it (not opposed) etc ... the rotor wouldnt be evenly seated. BUT if you finger seat rotor evenly, finger tight and then torque in the right sequence ... what goes wrong?

Most people dont care about actual details of how things really work, I know that. I'm just very interested in how everything works.

Plus, anything from China is bad! Baaaaaad. LOL!
I'm still mad at Japan for Pearl Harbor too.