I have a 03 2wd Excursion in need of new pads and rotors. My wife mostly uses it as a grocery getter in town but we do tow or 6k camper to Colorado every once and a while. I was going to get the powerstop rotors and ceramic scorched pads from rock auto for all for corners. Any one use those or have suggestions.

 

i use NAPA premium rotors, and NAPA semi-metallic pads. i switched back to the semi-metallic pads on the pickup because i did not like the feel of the pedal with the ceramic pads.
i still have ceramics on all the cars, but will be converting the trucks back to semi-metallics as the need for pads arises.

 

I usually go with the Ford rotors and EBC green stuff pads. Very happy with that set up.

 

EBC greens up front and EBC yellows out back, I can't argue with stopping an 8k pound truck on 38s

 

I too have an excursion I tow frequently, various sizes, and I am always having problems with my rotors. I've tried dimpled, slotted, OE, I've also been through a number of different pads hoping to solve my problem. After experimenting for the last 5 years and dumping more money than I would like into this problem I've just started buying the cheapest rotors from O-Reillys and some mid grade pads. Costs me less by the end of the year.

 

Are you doing the slide pin service on you calipers?

 

I intend to perform this, what am I looking for? Has anyone tried getting stainless pins made?

 

Sticking or damaged slide pins will "park" the caliper off-center... introducing premature wear on the rotors and pads. You will likely feel the truck pull to one side or pulsating braking when you have stuck slide pins. You will definitely see the inside rotor wear quicker than the outside rotor. I have a laser thermometer, and I sometimes check the rotors after town driving (a lot of braking). I have to get under the truck to compare the inside rotor to the outside rotor. My brakes frequently reach about 140 degrees F - but the balance of the temperatures is the important part (left-to-right inner/outer). The front brakes sometimes have a different reading than the rear ones, but the left-to-right inner/outer balance still applies.

 

I've used the Napa premiums on the rear of my truck with their semi metallic pads, and they have worked well. I just put cryo'd power slots on front with the Hawk LTS pads, and they are working well.

In my Excursion, I've used the same Hawk pads up front on top of resurfaced OEM rotors for a driving condition much like what you have described, and with great success.

Personally, I would not consider SS slide pins... excessive over engineering, and that is coming from someone who always over engineers everything! Corrosion will not be a problem if you use a high quality, high temperature grease on the pins... Something like the Permatex ceramic grease from Napa (purple label), and keep the dust boots intact on the heads of the pins. This arrangement had worked well for me for the past 6 years, and I have not found a slide pin problem yet with several brake pad changes.