Power Stop
Rock auto has everything, look for the kits.
I did the powder coated calipers because I hate rust.

 

My last two brake jobs I've done with EBC kits (rotors & pads). I've been very happy with them, here's a place with pretty good pricing you might start look at for comparison.

Brake Pads, Brake Rotors - Best Deals on EBC Brakes, Brembo Kits and more | Place for Brakes

 

Picture at installation a year ago. Still look great.

 

Question are the aftermarket calipers and rotors offering superior stopping performance over stock? I use EBC components on bike and it is noticeable. I pull a 10,000 lb 5th wheel with truck so better performance is always welcome as the brakes seem to be under sized stock.

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^^ Many aftermarket pad/rotors have higher friction coefficients than stock pads. EBC, PowerStop, Hawk.....

 

Ones from your closest auto parts store that have a lifetime warranty.

 

there are many excellent choices that are supposed to help keep brake temp down while increasing brake force.
i am saving up for some power stops mstly because i have heard nothing but good things and i can get them reasonably cheap ... ish :look:
honestly the single best investment i ever made on brakes was lifetime pads and rotors for the wifes suburban back in the 90's 20 years and over 220k and i have only replaced them once and that was for free :thumb:
i cant say if they would be trust worthy with the weight of out rigs or no (another reason i am looking at power stops)
but that wqs the best brake investment i ever made and i think at the time i paid under 150 for all fours rotors calipers and pads :thumb:

 

I have used EBC pads with good results in the past.
The power stop set up I have now is, I believe an improvement over stock. I have not towed heavy with them yet, but i do have some 9% grade hills near home that are a couple miles long and they do great with zero fade going down hill.

 

I had replaced all the OEM brakes on my truck when I got it @24k miles with the complete Powerstop kit for the 99 F250. I don’t drive daily but when I do, it’s towing over long distances in snow/salt/rain conditions . Although on my return trips to home I always washed the truck and hosed out around brake parts. Upon my R&R this past summer to grease slide pins I found 1 front and 1 rear caliper pin frozen and a both piston dust boots on front caliper torn, appeared to be crap materials in my opinion.
For what I had paid at the time, around $6-700 it didn’t seem like an ridiculous amount but now that I needed 2 new calipers I had to go to local Ford dealer for replacements, obviously not the fancy red of the Powerstop brand but typical ford (NEW) calipers. Luckily at a discount for me this time.
The bad thing about Powerstop is that you’re getting rebuilt calipers made who knows where with crap materials. The rotors seem to have held up for me with a slight brake pulse, (most likely be from frozen caliper) and their pads do wear pretty quick in my opinion.
The return shipping for your old calipers and brackets is very expensive so that’s needed to be added to total price. That’s the killer. I’d recommend to go to your local Ford dealer they only sell NEW not rebuilt OEM calipers now and they come with the pads as a kit. Then when you have a problem you will get the same parts again.
The only brake upgrade is the $2k set up which is a bit much for me but I’d rather take my brakes apart every spring and see what I need go around the corner to a Ford dealer and replace same day if possible not play around with Powerstop parts. They got me once not 2x.. find a friend who has an account or shop and get a discount. OEM!!!
At 40k miles now half my brakes have been replaced with 2 new Ford calipers and Ford OEM brake pads all around. Definitely the weakest link on these trucks which need most attention.
I can only comment on the Ford OEM parts and my Powerstop kit of 2 years old as far as the others usage here with ebc I’d have to research more about them.
Good luck.


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@billy321 makes a good point. The OEM parts for our trucks are going to be hard to beat in this case for durability, safety, and longevity. Powerstop, Hawk, EBC, etc. all sell premium aftermarket/upgrade parts like pads and rotors. All have been around a long time and, IMO, none are just crap. However, when it comes to the quality of the caliper, it will be hard to beat the OEM Ford stuff. Not only did Ford put them on our beloved Super Duty trucks but, if memory serves, they were also put on the 2nd Gen Lightning as well. Surely the rotors and pads were different for that application but just goes to show that a good design can go across multiple platforms from a manufacturing standpoint especially when it is used in a performance application as well as a heavy duty application. You want fancy red, blue, or black calipers? OK - paint them or pay the $ to have them powder coated. I like the slotted, cross-drilled, zinc washed rotors as much as the next guy from both an aesthetic as well as a heat and gas dissipating standpoint but does it really make that much of a difference in overall braking performance? IMO, I don't think it makes as much difference in stopping power as a good, strong caliper and Ford pretty much nailed that one right out of the gate. Of course, good pad selection means a lot, too. Brake dust, squeal, frictional coefficient, etc. are all factors for consideration. Speaking of which, you wrote that "It’s time to replace all my brakes and rotors". I'm assuming that you're referring to the calipers as well but you were not specific. Are the calipers bad? If not, then why would you change them? Pads and rotors are, of course, wear items and do need to be changed when worn out. Again, any of the above mentioned companies make parts that could be considered as an "upgrade over stock" but idk if the difference will be all that great. @Markowinnepeg@yahoo.com and @Mike Gs above say the difference is indeed noticeable so there's the word from someone who actually has them. At any rate, good luck with your project. Like the old guy in said in Indiana Jones - The Last Crusade: "Choose, but choose wisely". :thumb:

 

I’d like to add within my experience with the Powerstop kit when it was new and I set the pads in as they mention in the instructions provided, I did notice somewhat of a difference with stopping performance but when towing a trailer with downgrades etc., no one wants to be heavy on the brakes no matter what one has for brakes etc., should be focusing on engine/trans braking to assist along with initial proper trailer braking from the trailer brake module. Weather permitting, I’d rather be a lil heavy on my trailers brakes to slow me down being they’re much cheaper and easier to replace.
When I got my Powerstop kit I noticed the caliper brackets provided were from a possibly early or later design (mine is 1/99) model truck which had small holes (vent hole possibly?) in them which my OEM brkts did not have. This ended up being a “fail” for me being the water/salt got into them seizing the pins, hence the recommendation of (remove & re grease-clean pins) every 6 months or so weather permitting where you drive. I found the dust boots from Powerstop (they give you many more then needed) were not a quality design and didn’t fit well with the powder coating of calipers.
Just my 2 cents.


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Thanks guys! This is all extremely helpful advice. I was going to replace all 4 sets of calipers but I might as well just clean them up real good and try to reuse them if they’re still in good working order. I also believe it is just my rear rotors that are bad. When I brake, the truck bounces/pulses but it feels like its originating from the back end since there is no steering wheel shudder or pulling to either side. That being said, I’ll probably just replace the back ones for now. Does that seem reasonable to y’all?


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No it doesn't

Today we replace rotors & pads Together (rotors are no longer cut, especially slotted ones). To add to that, new pads need to be Bedded to the rotor and you can't do that to a rotor that's not been resurfaced from the old worn out pads you were using.

I see no reason to replace calipers either if they're free and working. But, what can happen is that once you compress the pistons back into their bores, they can encounter corrosion and crud that has accumulated behind them. This can cause calipers that were working fine to have a piston that "sticks" some. I would flush the system with new fluid Before you compress the pistons back in.

You might want to upgrade the front caliper pins if they haven't been and be sure to clean and use new caliper grease on them in any case.

Brakes are No Place to shortcut...

 

Ok...so basically just replacing everything might be the easiest and most headache free way to go[emoji16]


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Yes, just start over if you plan on doing any driving that you’ll be on a road with. Eliminate any possibility of a failure with new parts and “fluid flush” plenty of YouTube videos and info on this site when you search for it.
Remember Ford calipers come with new pads included now as kits. Then you’ll know where you’re at in the braking Dept and can feel confident you can stop when need be.


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Just looked at my bill. The rear calipers are retail $146.09 each and they came assembled with pads and bracket, just bolt on and bleed.
I worked at a Ford dealer in parts for many years and always helped anyone who was paying silly prices like that but even @ that price you’ll get it ready to bolt on. Just say hey buddy I’m spending a ****load of money, can you give me the wholesale price? Or maybe you’ve got a friend with a shop. Ask around never know can save a lot of money.
Good luck. Don’t forget the slide pins if yours are pitted or frozen.


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What do you think are better, the OEM Superduty pads or the Hawk Performance LTS? I’ve read a ton of positives about the Hawks but have no experience with them.


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I have no experience with hawk pads on my truck but have used them on another car. Forget the model but they were better than the OEM for that application and did make a lot of brake dust to clean.
Call or go to local Ford dealer and price everything out, as well as auto parts stores. Just remember Ford is new not reman and comes with pads where auto parts will probably not. Figure out your best option and price points you’d like to spend. Maybe Powerstop sells its rotors separate. I think they do. Can make up a system that way.


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I pull a 45 foot camper just about all the time I was going threw brakes every 6 months till I started using drilled and slotted rotors and high temp fluid and a good brake pad and now I am getting 18 to 24 months on them and yes I love going to the mountain all the time in the summer

 

After reading about some towing fails with the powerstops, I finally swayed to the EBC route. I couldn't be happier. They take very little input to slow down and no brake dust on the wheels. The Only problem I've encountered with them is low speed squeaking. (think - in a parking lot) That gets annoying, but the way they handle on the street makes up for a little squeaking.

just my $$ (inflation...no cents, just $$)

 

If money is no issue and you only care about top safety, SSBC front and rear caliper conversion with EBC drilled/slotted rotors. You'll also need bigger wheels from stock as they won't fit.

https://ssbrakes.com/i-10093222-1999-2004-f250-f350-excursion-front-direct-fit-v88-piston-aluminum-caliper-upgrade-kit-a193-1.html

https://ssbrakes.com/i-22768444-1999-2004-f250-f350-excursion-rear-direct-fit-v88-piston-aluminum-caliper-upgrade-kit-a193-10.html

https://www.riffraffdiesel.com/ebc-drilled-and-slotted-sport-front-rotors/

https://www.riffraffdiesel.com/ebc-drilled-and-slotted-sport-rear-rotors/

 

You were right; "If money is not an issue." But if it is...ouch. SSBC makes a good product. A lot of high-end race Mustangs run their stuff.
One question, though; You wrote "you will also need bigger wheels from stock as they won't fit." I followed the link you posted and it reads they are designed to fit into stock rims. Do you have this setup on yours?

 

I just replaced my front brakes and rotors drilled and slotted got them from brake performance great price I can feel the diff. when pulling my 15000 lb. 5th wheel with my 2011 F450

 

@01 73L
Blue Ball, PA.?
Isn't that between Virgin and Intercourse??? :lol:

 

It goes something like this.... Bird In Hand, Blue Ball, Intercourse and then Paradise. If you look on the map, I think you'll find the directions... :grin:

While we're on this, is it pronounces Lan-caster, or Lan-cister????

All right, back on subject...

 

@01 73L :lol:
Yeah - I'm familiar with the area. Has been one of my favorite road trip spots for 15 years. Beautiful country in that part of the world. I even have an "I Love Intercourse...PA" t-shirt; wife won't let me wear it, tho .
I believe the correct pronunciation is LAN-caster although I have heard it pronounced LANKkastuhr like plank-caster without the "p".

 

All out of towners say Lan-Caster, although locally it's dutchified to Lan-cister. I just like seeing how people pronounce it.