E250 rotor and pad advice wanted
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E250 rotor and pad advice wanted
I have a (new to me) 2000 E250 (175,000 mls) w/ serious brake chatter at highway speeds. The vehicle is heavily loaded with tools and materials. I've been looking online for rotors and pads, and find a confusing number of options.
I'm looking for advice on which brand and model of rotors and pads to buy. Price is important, but stopping is more important.
The Red
I'm looking for advice on which brand and model of rotors and pads to buy. Price is important, but stopping is more important.
The Red
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Joined: May 2004
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From: Maryville
I'm running Performance Friction pads on my 99 E-350, stops great and after 15,000 miles, the shop who rotates my tires can't believe how well they wear, still look new. My van weighs in at 8,000 lbs empty, it's an ext, I used to tow a big pontoon, even went across the state with a car trailer with a loaded Mustang and van full of stuff, across the mountains of TN and NC. I have factory rotors with 108,000 miles on them, I want to try slotted or cross drilled, but believe the only ones I found offered were cross drilled and too much for me at the time.
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#3
maples01,
Thanks for the reply. I've found PF pads at National Fleet. They have three varieties - Carbon Metallic, Z-rated, Semi-metallic. Do you prefer one of these compounds, or another?
Also, glad to hear your having good service out of OEM rotors. That may help keep my costs down.
TheRed
maples01,
Thanks for the reply. I've found PF pads at National Fleet. They have three varieties - Carbon Metallic, Z-rated, Semi-metallic. Do you prefer one of these compounds, or another?
Also, glad to hear your having good service out of OEM rotors. That may help keep my costs down.
TheRed
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From: Maryville
Not sure, I think they are semi metallic, dad's friend put a set of them by another company on the G-20 I had, boy did they grab, dad's friend was a mechanic, he put them on everything, swore by them.
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Maples01
I've been searching the brake forum, and the 'superduty' users second your opinion. They love their Performance friction - great braking, long lasting, and easy on the rotors. A couple members who do lots of trailer-pulling have specified the Metallic z-rated model, so I think those are the ones I'll try.
As for rotors, I'll likely go OEM, unless I can find some slotted rotors at a comparable price.
Thanks again for directing me to Performance Friction.
TheRed
I've been searching the brake forum, and the 'superduty' users second your opinion. They love their Performance friction - great braking, long lasting, and easy on the rotors. A couple members who do lots of trailer-pulling have specified the Metallic z-rated model, so I think those are the ones I'll try.
As for rotors, I'll likely go OEM, unless I can find some slotted rotors at a comparable price.
Thanks again for directing me to Performance Friction.
TheRed
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Maples01,
Thanks for checking out rotors for me. Made my purchase before your latest post.
Called my Ford dealer in town - they wanted over $300.00 PER SIDE.
Soooooo, ordered the PowerSlots from buybrakes.com, and the pads for National Fleet. They were a bit more than $99.00 each (quite a bit, but nothing like $300+).
From what I read on the brake forum, I should put new flex lines on as well. I'll see.
TheRed
Thanks for checking out rotors for me. Made my purchase before your latest post.
Called my Ford dealer in town - they wanted over $300.00 PER SIDE.
Soooooo, ordered the PowerSlots from buybrakes.com, and the pads for National Fleet. They were a bit more than $99.00 each (quite a bit, but nothing like $300+).
From what I read on the brake forum, I should put new flex lines on as well. I'll see.
TheRed
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Cargo Master
Joined: Dec 2003
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From: Saint Augustine, FL
I used the PF carbon metallic pads for years and liked the stopping power (I use my van for towing). However, they are VERY hard on the rotors. Typically, the pads out lasted the rotors.
Last spring I replaced the rotors and pads with different brands. I got both rotors and pads at Carquest Autoparts buying their regular grade rotors and their top of the line Gold series Ceramic pads. I LOVE THESE THINGS!!! The van stops great, the rotors haven't warped at all and there is NO brake dust. And the rotors show no signs of wear at all. With the performance friction carbon metalic setup, I was replacing the pads and rotors anually as I burned up the rotors with a season of towing my racecar. The ceramic pads and carquest rotors still look like new.
I liked the ceramic pads so much I put them on both the daily drivers. Same results. Work great, no dust. I highly recommend them. Oh, and I put the medium grade "blue" ceramic pads on the cars.
Steve
'95 Clubwagon XLT
Last spring I replaced the rotors and pads with different brands. I got both rotors and pads at Carquest Autoparts buying their regular grade rotors and their top of the line Gold series Ceramic pads. I LOVE THESE THINGS!!! The van stops great, the rotors haven't warped at all and there is NO brake dust. And the rotors show no signs of wear at all. With the performance friction carbon metalic setup, I was replacing the pads and rotors anually as I burned up the rotors with a season of towing my racecar. The ceramic pads and carquest rotors still look like new.
I liked the ceramic pads so much I put them on both the daily drivers. Same results. Work great, no dust. I highly recommend them. Oh, and I put the medium grade "blue" ceramic pads on the cars.
Steve
'95 Clubwagon XLT
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Steve,
Thanks for your post. I skipped down from the PF carbon metallic to the 'z'-rated, semi-metallic PF pads. I hope they are less agressive on the rotors.
If I remember, I'll post in a year with a brake system update. If I find myself buying new rotors at that time, I'll certainly buy different pads as well.
TheRed
Thanks for your post. I skipped down from the PF carbon metallic to the 'z'-rated, semi-metallic PF pads. I hope they are less agressive on the rotors.
If I remember, I'll post in a year with a brake system update. If I find myself buying new rotors at that time, I'll certainly buy different pads as well.
TheRed
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Well, it's been over three years since I put the pads and rotors on and here's the update:
Powerslot rotors are toast at about 27 thousand miles.
On mine the grooves had all lost their definition and the flats between them had large corroded pockets in them. Definitely made for interesting stopping.
A mechanic told me he could turn them for me if I wanted, but that it would be a waste of money. He said grooved rotors like that don't like the salt we use on our Minnesota roads all winter. Great rotors if you have a car you store for the winter, but no good for a 4 season vehicle here.
The pads are doing fine - looked about half gone- so I bought some basic rotors at Parts Plus and got back to work.
Powerslot rotors are toast at about 27 thousand miles.
On mine the grooves had all lost their definition and the flats between them had large corroded pockets in them. Definitely made for interesting stopping.
A mechanic told me he could turn them for me if I wanted, but that it would be a waste of money. He said grooved rotors like that don't like the salt we use on our Minnesota roads all winter. Great rotors if you have a car you store for the winter, but no good for a 4 season vehicle here.
The pads are doing fine - looked about half gone- so I bought some basic rotors at Parts Plus and got back to work.
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