Better brakes available?
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Senior User
Joined: Apr 2004
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Better brakes available?
I was alerted to this site from the local Ford parts guy, and this is my first post here, so please bear with me!
I have a '92 F150, 351, x-cab, 8 ft. box, with HD springs. Truck pulls my boat great, but rides like a 3/4 ton. I completely rebuilt the front-end, and now I'm looking to upgrade my brakes as they are kinda wimpy. I can't seem to stop quick enough, at least not to my liking, and with the boat attached things get even worse. I'm having difficulties finding a supplier for aftermarket brake kits/systems. Specifically, I'd like to either replace my pads, rotors, drums, and shoes with "stickier" stuff, or maybe replace everything with a complete (larger?) system.
I contacted Baer brakes about helping me out with this, but haven't heard anything from them.
Anybody have any ideas?
Thanks for any and all help/advice.
Jim
I have a '92 F150, 351, x-cab, 8 ft. box, with HD springs. Truck pulls my boat great, but rides like a 3/4 ton. I completely rebuilt the front-end, and now I'm looking to upgrade my brakes as they are kinda wimpy. I can't seem to stop quick enough, at least not to my liking, and with the boat attached things get even worse. I'm having difficulties finding a supplier for aftermarket brake kits/systems. Specifically, I'd like to either replace my pads, rotors, drums, and shoes with "stickier" stuff, or maybe replace everything with a complete (larger?) system.
I contacted Baer brakes about helping me out with this, but haven't heard anything from them.
Anybody have any ideas?
Thanks for any and all help/advice.
Jim
Elder User
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 641
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From: Louisiana
Don't know how much you want to spend, but good products and service. 
http://broncograveyard.com/products/...Submit=+Go%21+
http://broncograveyard.com/products/...Submit=+Go%21+
Posting Guru
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 2,155
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From: Centerville, Iowa
I believe you can go out and get the late-model old-style explorer rear ends complete with their large-diameter disc brakes that are direct replacement and offer superior stopping power.
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Senior User
Joined: Apr 2004
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The boat is an aluminum 18' Lund ProV, but I forgot the weight. The trailer has hydraulic surge brakes, so that helps a little. My biggest complaint is the stock Ford brakes on this heavy a vehicle don't cut it, and I can't slow this pig down fast enough in an emergency. Heck, I can't even lock the tires if I tried, and I replaced the calipers, master cyl, etc. when I rebuilt the front end. Now, the brakes work as intended, I'm sure of that, but I've had sweaty palms more times that I'd care to remember, and that's without the boat attached. I really feel for those OTR truckers when people pull right in front of them.
Ultimately I'd like to get better rotors, pads, rear discs, the works, but I can't find any. Cost is one issue, but not as much of a consideration as safety right now.
Ultimately I'd like to get better rotors, pads, rear discs, the works, but I can't find any. Cost is one issue, but not as much of a consideration as safety right now.
Posting Guru
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 2,155
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From: Centerville, Iowa
Never had trouble finding parts for MN-12's....but I suppose that's a quasi-sports car.
Go onto 4-wheeling sites. Or bust open some pages of 4-wheeler magazine
I believe they did a story on brakes a while back..and on upgrading them *shrugs*.
Go onto 4-wheeling sites. Or bust open some pages of 4-wheeler magazine
I believe they did a story on brakes a while back..and on upgrading them *shrugs*.
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Elder User
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 641
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From: Louisiana
My biggest complaint is the stock Ford brakes on this heavy a vehicle don't cut it, and I can't slow this pig down fast enough in an emergency. Heck, I can't even lock the tires if I tried,
I think that might be Ford's fine ABS system working at peak performance.
I think that might be Ford's fine ABS system working at peak performance.
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Post Fiend
Joined: Jun 2001
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From: Running Springs CA
There are plenty of high performance upgrade pads and rotors available without going to expensive oversize ones that will not fit inside stock rims. EBC Greenstuff, Hawk, Performance Friction, Rabestos ceramic, Brembo rotors and the list goes on. One thing you need to do first is flush out that old brake fluid and maybe an inexpensive upgrade to DOT 4 fluid. That alone helped me out. The fluid must have been boiling in the calipers when I felt the brakes go "soft" on a steep grade last summer.
Jim
Jim
Posting Guru
Joined: Apr 2002
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From: CT
F350 Master Cylinder, high quality slotted rotors and pads that are designed for them. Not totally sure on this but i hear thunderbird calipers (not sure on year) are dual piston and supposedly fit on 78/79 broncos, i say that becasue i know for a fact that 80-96 F150/bronco calipers also fit on 78/79 brackets so the tbird calipers might also fit on 80-96 f150... just some thoughts
Senior User
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 255
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From: Spokane
Nothing worse than brake problems. Don't know if you have a problem but my 95 F-250 has brakes that are very good. I think we need to hear from people with the same rig, model, year. Try to identify if it's the rig or the design.