New Braked on the Horizon. Picking pads, rotors?

[Tom991]

Took my wife's 2020 Expedition Platinum in for a recall. It has just over 55K. The front brakes were replace by the previous owner it 33k I was planning to do check out the vehicle but figured the Ford dealer word during the the recall and they did. They reported that the oil needs to be changed and it needs new brakes and rotors. I inspected the rear rotors they seem smooth and don't show any cracks or apparent hot spots or groves. I also mic-ed them and they're not worn. Braking the car is even, no vibrations. The rear pads do need to replaced although they're not at the wear indicators yet. I'm thinking just put a set of pads on the rear.

I haven't inspected the front pads and rotors yet but it's a no brainer. The front brakes do most of the stopping so I'll replace both pads and rotors.

I'm thinking ceramic pads, I've been considering Bosch Quietcast and matching rotors for the front and Quietcast pads for the rears? Powerstop Z36 Carbon fiber ceramic pads and a non d&s rotor in the front, Raybestos Element 3 pads and matching rotors for the front, and Akebono ceramic pads with matching rotors for the fronts. Has anyone experienced using these selections on an expedition? I read where some members were getting ready buy and one who was happy after 1200 miles. I put Bosch Quitecast on my 350Z and the stop great but a 350Z doesn't weigh as much as an expedition.

 

[AWAR]

I bought from Rock Auto and picked the Police rotors and pads. I have been very happy with them, quiet and less prone to warping.

 

[kep5niner]

Front rotors were warped when I took possession of my ‘19 Navigator in April of this year. Knocked out a quick brake job with rotors and pads I could source locally. After 6 months, had vibration again during high speed braking. Solved the problem with Powerstop Z36 kit.

 

[Tom991]

Did you get the drilled and slotted rotors pictured? I'm going to be towing an RV trailer that weighs 6,000 pounds loaded. The RV service guy said not to get D&S rotors, they tend to warp faster than full face rotors.

 

[kep5niner]

That’s a picture of my current installation. While I don’t have drilled and slotted rotors on my Super Duty - that’s what does the heavy towing (14,000 boat) - my copious research lead me to this Powerstop kit for my Navigator.

I’ve got about 2,000 miles since installation, and it’s been flawless. Very responsive braking, quiet as a church mouse, and very low dust. I don’t envision these rotors suffering the same fate as the OEM and CarQuest rotors previous. Their inherent design mitigates excessive heat / warping.

This is the second set of drilled and slotted brakes I’ve installed. The first set was about 12 years ago on a Taurus SHO. I was very pleased back then as well. I’d confidently recommend the Powerstop kit for your application. Just ensure your bed them properly, and you should be good to go.

 

[Tom991]

The set of Z36 kit I have in my shopping cart on Rockauto is equipped with a smooth face front rotor. POWER STOP AR85108EVC

 

[kep5niner]

This is the kit from Power Stop’s website:

HERE

 

[bobward757]

Power stop z36 drilled and slotted. Front and rear. You won’t think about brakes again for a very long time.

 

[razeXP]

Once I finally installed these on my 2010 F-150, never had another brake problem and no more high speed small vibration.. Highly recommend.

 

[BlackBetty]

Had the issues with OEM Ford brakes on both my 2004 and 2016 Expeditions. On the ‘16 it would suffer from warped front rotors. Also, the rotors would suffer from small cracks in various places on the surface. Swapped to aftermarket and had no problems. Ended up going with AutoZone Duralast Gold carbon ceramic brakes all the way around. Not only did I not have anymore warped rotors, but much less brake dust.

Are there better brake parts out there… I’m sure of it. Are those better brake companies around the corner from my house? Nope. Don’t get me wrong… not saying the brakes aren’t good; they are. Way outperformed Motorcraft parts. I’m super found of the easy access to warranty and/ or new parts just down the street.

 

[Contender54]

I don’t envision these rotors suffering the same fate as the OEM and CarQuest rotors previous. Their inherent design mitigates excessive heat / warping.

This is the second set of drilled and slotted brakes I’ve installed.

I hear you on the drilled/slotted design dissipating heat to protect the rotors, but what about the pads?
Do the drilled/slotted rotors eat up pads at a faster rate?

 

[kep5niner]

The lack of excessive dust leads me to believe the pads aren’t getting chewed up at an accelerated rate. However, a quick search of the Google tells a different tale, claiming faster brake pad wear with drilled and slotted rotors. Time will tell. For now I’m pleased with the braking performance and lack of warping. If that means I need to swap the pads earlier, at say 20k miles, I can live with that.

 

[rubblebarney]

Have you ever seen a race car with drilled rotors? No. They are a gimmick. Slotted are seen sometimes but rarely. When doing track days for over a dozen years the only rotors I've ever seen come apart were all drilled. Your mileage may vary.

 

[Tom991]

I've had two, so far, RV service departments state I should be using high quality vented smooth face rotors if I will be using the vehicle for towing. The police rated pursuit rotors are smooth face. The Z36 pads will work with the Power Stop rotors for the front

Have you ever seen a race car with drilled rotors? No. They are a gimmick. Slotted are seen sometimes but rarely. When doing track days for over a dozen years the only rotors I've ever seen come apart were all drilled. Your mileage may vary.

That's what I've also been told by member of my Mustang Forum when I was upgrading my front drums to discs. The D&D rotors look good but flat face rotors are the way to go

 

[C Trost]

Took my wife's 2020 Expedition Platinum in for a recall. It has just over 55K. The front brakes were replace by the previous owner it 33k I was planning to do check out the vehicle but figured the Ford dealer word during the the recall and they did. They reported that the oil needs to be changed and it needs new brakes and rotors. I inspected the rear rotors they seem smooth and don't show any cracks or apparent hot spots or groves. I also mic-ed them and they're not worn. Braking the car is even, no vibrations. The rear pads do need to replaced although they're not at the wear indicators yet. I'm thinking just put a set of pads on the rear.

I haven't inspected the front pads and rotors yet but it's a no brainer. The front brakes do most of the stopping so I'll replace both pads and rotors.

I'm thinking ceramic pads, I've been considering Bosch Quietcast and matching rotors for the front and Quietcast pads for the rears? Powerstop Z36 Carbon fiber ceramic pads and a non d&s rotor in the front, Raybestos Element 3 pads and matching rotors for the front, and Akebono ceramic pads with matching rotors for the fronts. Has anyone experienced using these selections on an expedition? I read where some members were getting ready buy and one who was happy after 1200 miles. I put Bosch Quitecast on my 350Z and the stop great but a 350Z doesn't weigh as much as an expedition.

‘20 XLT went with the power stop Z36 truck and tow pkg frt/rear at 64k. Rotors were good on outside surface but just wearing in the middle on the inner surface on all wheels. Very happy with the power stop package so far with 1000 miles on it.

 

[Tom991]

Yesterday I installed the Power Stop ceramic towing and hauling pads with smooth face Power Stop Evolution Geomet coated rotors. I bedded them IAW Power Stop's bedding procedure, which seems the same as I bedded any other brake pad I've done over the last 50+ years. I've put about 50 miles in the expedition before handing it over to my wife. The feel great. No noises, vibrations, pulsations. They just stop. I've visited Daytona international Speedway last week. I looked at the brakes on the cars on display. They were all smooth faced, same with all the police cars I've looked at and the replacement brakes for police cars aren't drilled and slotted. The only car I put drilled and slotted rotors in was on the rear of my wife's other car, a 2011 Kia Sorento. After my wife drove her Expedition she told me that stopping felt much better than it did before I did the brakes.

The condition of the rotors still had 1.25mm left before they met minimum thickness and the pads had maybe 5000 miles left on the rears and a little more on the fronts. The fronts had been replaced at 32K miles but they do most of the stopping. I think the rotors may have been turned once already..

Hope they react the same throughout their life.

This is my first time using Power Stop brakes. I've been using other brands of pads, mostly Bosch quiet cast pads and rotors on my 350Z, and Raybestos discs and drums on my 65 Mustang convert., and the same on my 64 1/2 D Code with EBC Red Stuff pads on the fronts.

 

[lobsenza]

The front brake rotors on my Navigator were damaged by heat is 30,000 miles. The pads were still fine. The rear pads were worn. U decided to replace them with Powerstop pads and rotors. The best decision I have made. I also put Powerstop brakes on my 2008 Toyota Sequoia and they were far better than OEM brakes. Lasted longer too.

 

[Tom991]

Progress report I installed the Powerstop Z36 Towing and Hauling ceramic pads on the front and rear of the expedition with Power Stop Evolution Geomet coated rotors. It's been close to a month now they've been on. I can feel the difference in the braking ability. I haven't had to panic stop but I feel confident if I did they'd be better than the OEM pads and rotors that I removed. I'd give it a 5 out of 5 rating overall. They're quiet too.