Need to replace front brakes on my 04. Need some suggestions on where to get them.

[jruppert]

Ive owned the Expedition for a little over a year now and I am finding that the front brakes are starting to go. I noticed the last time I pulled a trailer with some lumber that the rotors werent as smooth as before. They have been gradually getting worse and now the wheel shakes when I brake. Today I noticed the front shaking a little, almost like the brakes were dragging. After driving a few miles the front wheels were extremely hot to the touch. The rear wheels felt fine.

So that leads me to trying to decide what to use for new brakes. This is the first time I have done a brake job on a larger vehicle (truck). With my Mustang, the parts were a bit less expensive. Anyway, where do you guys go to get your brake parts? I would just as soon avoid Autozone as they have let me down numerous times in the past. Ive priced some brakes on Napa website and it looks as though I will spend around $300 without the core and around $270 at AdvanceAutoParts. This is for 2 calipers, rotors, and pads. Napa price is with calipers loaded.

Just wondered what your thougths were. I need to get the brakes done but I need to be budget minded also. I am not looking into spending a lot on high performance parts but something that will hold up better than cheapo stuff.

Thanks

 

[Jeckler]

Personally, I've used AZ stuff with good results. I replaced the pads and rotors with AZ's Gold Duralast Cmax pads on my xB. I didn't want to screw around with putting paste or goop on the back of the pad, so bought those because they have teflon shims attached. No noise what so ever and very little dust.
I just did the brakes all around on the Expedition and used the same style pads, Cmax Ceramic, front and rear. For rotors, Pep Boys has their line of Pro-Stop high carbon rotors. I hung a front caliper after installation, so replaced both with off-the-shelfers from O'Reilly (I'm an equal opportunity buyer).
Looking back, Semi-Metallic pads may have been a better choice, but these work tons better than the old ones did. Total price for all 4 corners was almost $600 and I still need to replace the MC.

 

[tallsville]

some on here including me have gone with drilled and slotted brakes from ebay. If i remember correctly brakemotive is the seller on ebay.

Front Rear Kit 4 Performance Drilled Slotted Brake Rotors and 8 Ceramic Pads | eBay

 

[jruppert]

Thanks for the suggestions. I probably wont be going with the drilled rotors anytime soon. I have to do this with a budget. Replacing the brakes on my Mustang was a lot cheaper.

 

[FordandPolaris]

A set of regular rotors and pads should not cost much more than $100 bucks. Start with those, and if the shaking is still there, replace the calipers. Front wheels do usually get hotter than the rears since the front brakes do much more braking than the rears. The other thing to do in order to eliminate the tires as the indirect cause of the shaking steering wheel is to rotate them.

 

[GAINMOB]

look on the vendor section on the forum...1A Tony has a thread and link for this

 

[jruppert]

What is odd is that the steering doesn't normally shake while going down the road. This occurrence has happened once where I was in traffic and after making a stop for 15 minutes I noticed the front shaking bad. It felt like the tires were out of round. It did this for a few minutes and then I made another stop for about 40 minutes. After that it went away. The front wheels were so hot you couldn't touch them. I've never felt them so hot. I may just replace the rotors and pads and see what happens. But if they are not releasing then I would hate to trash a new set of pads and rotors either.

 

[brilis]

I just finished installing the brakemotive set from ebay $205.00 shipped and so far so good. Have them on for a week or so and love them. 2004 Eddie Bauer. Great deal for all 4 wheels.

 

[walnuts4x4]

I've had mine from Brakemotive on ebay for over 2 years and they have been holding up great was great price for all 4... also installed a set on my dad's grand cherokee from them and they have held up too....

 

[djacobs]

I just got done doing my front brakes I used ceramic pads, they are about 100 dollars at oreillys but you get a lifetime warranty. I also had to get the rotors turned for 15 dollars a rotor at oreillys. I had a hell of a time getting the rotors off due to rust.

 

[buildingdoc]

I did some front drilled and slotted (with pads) off of ebay. big mistake. My rotors have some decent grooves. Not sure if I can get them turned or not. But I think where I made my mistake is using the pads that came with them. I got them for about $150, but it may take more to repair the damage. I would stick with napa, oreilly, AZ and the such.

 

[jruppert]

Anyone ever heard of Callahan brand? I see some on ebay on brake overstock that look like a decent deal.

I remember having to take a sledge hammer to a set of rotors once. They werent wanting to come off.