My automotive engineer brothers tease me about driving a 12-year-old Ford Excursion. They say technology has moved on significantly, especially in the areas of powertrain and safety (most significantly in structural design).

I rebutt their critiques with the claim that the new trucks, like a Suburban, really aren't that much of an improvement over what I'm driving (in fact, they maybe haven't improved at all in most respects). I go further and say that nobody even makes a large SUV that can do what a 10-cylinder, 8-passenger X can.

Then I drove a new Ford F-150 Supercrew XLT with Ford's superb new 5.0 V8 in Denver last month. What a great truck. Technology has apparently improved a lot more than I thought!

I know I'm comparing an F-150 pickup to a 12-year-old SUV Super Duty truck... but I saw significant improvements in fit and finish, NVH, transmission shifts, MPG, headlight illumination, driver seat support and more.

However, the top two improvements this vehicle has over my 2000 X (to me, anyway), were its steering/tracking and its brakes -- one of which is the point of this post (please continue).

This F-150 handled the twists and turns of the Lariat Loop's switchbacks like, dare I say, a mildly sporty family sedan. Wow.

But the brakes were what really got me. Immediate bite and very smooth, linear action paired with stopping power that felt all-day-strong.

I want these brakes on my X.

What makes for this kind of performance?? Is it beyond the simple parts-swapping of rubber brake line components for stainless steel and changing out the OEM master cylinder for a high-performance one (if that even exists)?

Can this kind of braking performance be achieved for less than $1,000?

Anybody pursued (and gotten or failed) this kind of braking performance?

 

I think there is a weight difference between the Ex and F150. Your maximum braking power is achieved at whatever the friction there exist between your tires and the pavement you're on. I could be wrong.

 

My wife and I drove an F-150 crew-cab w/Ecoboost last year at a local
Mustang club meet (thanks Jim!) the leg room in the rear seats was
amazing (I get complaints all the time from folks getting in/out
of the back row of the Ex ).

Plus the off-the-line acceleration was tremendous.
All the wiz-bang new gadgets look great - of course I could hardly drive
from wanting to play with the joy-stick controller on the wheel and
go through all the screens of data.
It did ride wonderful (but new vehicles nearly always do in the beginning).

But in the end, will all these electronics still work in 12 years!?
My '05 has just enough technology that I'm very happy with.

 

technology is all good and dandy...till something breaks down. Then the only place that can fix it is the STEALERSHIP. i would want something the regular Joe can wrench on. Something we wouldnt need a PhD in Computer Science and a Masters in Mechanical Engineering to fix the problem.

meh.....If I wanted to buy a vehicle that handled,stopped and accelerated great. I would of bought a Vette.

 

And you'd have a leaky, noisy, cramped little hummer capable of pulling itself, its passengers, its luggage, and a 3/4 full tank of gas.

 

The brakes being so much better can be explained by much bigger rotors (there is a reason the smallest available wheels are 18") and a lot less weight to stop. Of course they rider smoother. An a-arm suspension with coilovers puts a solid axle to shame in terms of on-road ride. You're really comparing apples to oranges though. Drive something new with a similar weight, like a Super Duty, and compare the ride, handling, etc. I'm sure it will be better, but not lightyears ahead of the Excursion.

 

Bigger rotors and less vehicle weight don't explain *why* the brake pedal feels so much more responsive and linear.

There's no question the F-150 will *outbrake* my X because of larger rotors and less weight... I'd just like to know if I can get the same pedal feel.

Has anyone pursued this path? What kind of results did you get?

My X's brake pedal is downright mushy compared with what I drove in Denver. That's all I'm saying...

 

Take a look at this.. It may help

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/7...rake-feel.html

 

Littleradio,

I would ask your engineer brothers if all that technology can make the $500+ a month payment dissapear or if it can create positive cashflow

 

Yeah, vehicles have come a long way in 12 years but the X is one of a kind. I wish Ford had a 2011 & up X for sale with the V10 or the 6.7. Can you imagine the X on the 2011 and up model year? I would have jumped on it last year.

 

i'm really straining to imagine but....




i absolutely love the new super dutys, f-150s and expeditions. but none of them have what i want. i want a v10 or big v8(not a 5.4) seat 8 people and tons on tons of interior room. i'll take my '02 excursion because i cant afford to have a 2012 excursion built.

if i did though, gimmie a white king ranch, 6.2 v8, 4:30 gears locking rear axle, sunroof and all the extras thanks!

 

Still need to graft on the Ex to make it livable...

 

thats what i meant, i want a '12 king ranch excursion

 

here if you want to stop like a sports car get these from this guy [FRONT + REAR KIT] 4 PERFORMANCE DRILLED SLOTTED BRAKE ROTORS AND 8 CERAMIC PADS | eBay or the one that your ex requires i have them on my 2wd 7.3 and lets just say ill pop your eyeballs out your eye sockets from the braking force lolol

 

Those are smokin' . I would be on'em in a New York second! Ford...... are you listening!!!!!