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They are too expensive for me and I'm not a racer or heavy hauler. I'm not exactly sure what kit or products my friends purchased. I guess when you spend that much it would be hard to talk smack about them.
I think the inherent advantage to the SSBC calipers is that they press from both sides, eliminating the need for a slide pin. I did not need all that tech.
Reviews are all over the place from trash to awesome. There are quite a few reviews/praises and jeers if you search the FTE forums. Mostly the big truck guys and the modded truck guys are using them. They are overkill for my type of driving.
They are too expensive for me and I'm not a racer or heavy hauler. I'm not exactly sure what kit or products my friends purchased. I guess when you spend that much it would be hard to talk smack about them.
I think the inherent advantage to the SSBC calipers is that they press from both sides, eliminating the need for a slide pin. I did not need all that tech.
Reviews are all over the place from trash to awesome. There are quite a few reviews/praises and jeers if you search the FTE forums. Mostly the big truck guys and the modded truck guys are using them. They are overkill for my type of driving.
Yes the cost is fairly high for a whole SSBC outfit, after reading the entirety of that thread I'm not sold. At minimum new calipers front/rear are both on the way to me, and have arrived at my dealer. After speaking to Performance Friction this evening, the heavy duty pads they offer are soon to be NLA, they don't make these anymore (dwindled demand) and have a limited supply of front and rear. He has hinted at a onetime direct sale to me (pending approval) of these pads after I probed the possibility. They are only 40 min from me. I'll try those pads with a "performance" rotor and see what we get.
Honestly my rear rotors may be the culprit, they have been rusted to the hubs for some time now, I'll have to use the dingo to bust them off and hopefully not damage the hub ends.
No need for SSBC calipers. You gain nothing without increasing the pressure and sweep area on the rotor. Two pistons or 20 pistons using the same overall pressure and same surface area results in the same friction co-efficient.
Raybestos makes new calipers. After multiple reseal/rebuilds I replaced them. So far so good, 3 years. I also use power slot cryo rotors on the front (only) with great success after multiple warping events. 10 years in service with zero issues-HIGHLY recommended. I think any quality rotor for the rear will work. I have element 3 directional (degassing slots make it so) rotors on the rear. In addition stainless steel brake lines, both the the static lines and the flex lines. Flex lines especially important.
My brake pads of choice, keeping in mind I tow heavy and often, Dynamic Friction. I have used OEM pads, they're barely OK, Hawk pads better stopping, but they delaminated (very disappointed). However the Dynamic Friction pads are amazing. Now mind you the Ex's OEM brakes are just OK as designed (a C- at best), in fact they're poor for towing (D) , but I've made the overall performance reach a B rating with my changes.
No need for SSBC calipers. You gain nothing without increasing the pressure and sweep area on the rotor. Two pistons or 20 pistons using the same overall pressure and same surface area results in the same friction co-efficient.
s.
Yeah, Pascal's law says otherwise.
Force = Pressure x Area, so if you increase the area of the piston (be that by adding more pistons or a larger single piston) you get an increased force, that's basic hydraulic principle.
Assuming the same master cylinder is used, then the hydraulic line pressure would be same, combine that with more (or even just larger) pistons in an aftermarket brake caliper, and you get more force applied to the brake pads.
Maybe what you meant by "increasing pressure" was increasing the squeezing force on the brake pads (which again, more piston surface area will do that).
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Force = Pressure x Area, so if you increase the area of the piston (be that by adding more pistons or a larger single piston) you get an increased force, that's basic hydraulic principle.
Assuming the same master cylinder is used, then the hydraulic line pressure would be same, combine that with more (or even just larger) pistons in an aftermarket brake caliper, and you get more force applied to the brake pads.
Maybe what you meant by "increasing pressure" was increasing the squeezing force on the brake pads (which again, more piston surface area will do that).
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A 6-piston caliper does not inherently increase stopping power with the same line pressure and total piston surface area and sweep compared to a 4-piston caliper or a two piston caliper; in fact, the total clamping force is determined by the combined piston surface area and the hydraulic line pressure, according to the formula: Clamping Force=Piston Surface Area × Line Pressure.If the total piston surface area remains the same, the clamping force will also remain the same, regardless of the number of pistons.
The potential gain is from a more uniform application of pressure.
Q. Why doesn't SSBC publish measureable stopping distance improvements? A. SSBC does not explicitly publish specific performance gains, such as stopping distance improvements, over OEM calipers, the company emphasizes qualitative benefits of their brake upgrades, such as improved brake feel, firmer pedal response, and better heat resistance.
Last month I took my dad over to Blairsville Ga ( Cleveland Ga my former home) to see a sorghum syrup mill and went back across the Richard Russell Scenic hwy. and as we started climbing a few miles I started smelling something getting hot. I was like hey we are climbing not braking and the smell is not brakes. hmmm. Pulled over to check and wow! I had failed to re-install that tail section of exhaust from RR wheel to back of bumper that has a little muffler in it. Apparently my little 5.4l was burning like a rocket as it had melted the lower body cladding to the point it was dripping. I took a few pictures of the mountains and went on across w/o any trouble. I have Hawk pads on the front for years and believe they are worth the coin. These beasts don't start and stop like a mustang and I'm ok with that. The 4.10:1 gear will surprise many folks leaving the light if you get on it. God's country!
A 6-piston caliper does not inherently increase stopping power with the same line pressure and total piston surface area and sweep compared to a 4-piston caliper or a two piston caliper; in fact, the total clamping force is determined by the combined piston surface area and the hydraulic line pressure, according to the formula: Clamping Force=Piston Surface Area × Line Pressure.If the total piston surface area remains the same, the clamping force will also remain the same, regardless of the number of pistons.
The potential gain is from a more uniform application of pressure.
Q. Why doesn't SSBC publish measureable stopping distance improvements? A. SSBC does not explicitly publish specific performance gains, such as stopping distance improvements, over OEM calipers, the company emphasizes qualitative benefits of their brake upgrades, such as improved brake feel, firmer pedal response, and better heat resistance.
There are a lot of experienced minds in this group, but when It comes to the science of brakes I'm not venturing down that hole. With that said, starting at post 26 of the thread posted above is where I decided to continue with the stock calipers this time, and look to better rotors and pads. https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...l#post18144712
We usta have a Ford Friction Engineer on these boards. He would chime in on occasion with tidbits of information. ... and I'm repeating his position. But hey... anyone can ask SSBC about their products before buying them. Believe me I would buy their products if they improved the Excursion brakes by a measurable amount. Lets say a 20% improvement.. I'd guess (anecdotal) I improved my brakes over stock by 10% with my changes that I previously outlined.
I'm just the messenger, I'm not a friction engineer, but I can read and have a brain.
We usta have a Ford Friction Engineer on these boards. He would chime in on occasion with tidbits of information. ... and I'm repeating his position. But hey... anyone can ask SSBC about their products before buying them. Believe me I would buy their products if they improved the Excursion brakes by a measurable amount. Lets say a 20% improvement.. I'd guess (anecdotal) I improved my brakes over stock by 10% with my changes that I previously outlined.
I'm just the messenger, I'm not a friction engineer, but I can read and have a brain.
Your input is appreciated and I have no issues, but I'm mo brake guy, and don't plan to be. I have a pretty full plate in life. I did call SSBC on Friday, they were at a trade show, this week they should be back to answer questions.
A 6-piston caliper does not inherently increase stopping power with the same line pressure and total piston surface area and sweep compared to a 4-piston caliper or a two piston caliper; in fact, the total clamping force is determined by the combined piston surface area and the hydraulic line pressure, according to the formula: Clamping Force=Piston Surface Area × Line Pressure.If the total piston surface area remains the same, the clamping force will also remain the same, regardless of the number of pistons.
The potential gain is from a more uniform application of pressure.
Q. Why doesn't SSBC publish measureable stopping distance improvements? A. SSBC does not explicitly publish specific performance gains, such as stopping distance improvements, over OEM calipers, the company emphasizes qualitative benefits of their brake upgrades, such as improved brake feel, firmer pedal response, and better heat resistance.
Wow, it’s like you read and directly quoted what I wrote above.
We are correct that it’s piston surface area that matters.
Now go try and find an aftermarket four piston caliper that doesn’t have more total piston surface area than the stocker.
Hint, there aren’t any. The reason for multiple pistons is to increase piston surface area by wrapping more pistons around the surface area of the rotor.
So yes, every aftermarket caliper will have an advantage, specifically because all those aftermarket calipers have more piston surface area than the stockers do.
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These are New, not rebuilt. The left 2 are for the front, and are still avail from Ford. The right one is the L/R caliper that I smoked, and is new, but discontinued from Ford. I have 2 more New rear loaded calipers coming soon, (left and right) from a dealer out west that preferred to sell only the pair at a give away price. Despite the core notice on the box, Ford requires a core for New or Rebuilt calipers, the reman calipers will have a "RM" at the end of the part number. When all is said and done, I will have 3 Ford cores, and 2 Chevy cores to go back.
I highly recommend upgrading the flex lines from rubber to stainless re-enforced lines. Both my rear-rubber OEM lines failed and acted like a check valve. In addition ... the hard/static rear differential cross-over line rusted through at the retaining clamp on top of the pumpkin. .Worth looking at for signs of rust.
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