i havent posted here for a while but from i have sean here at the shop i work at. your problem might just be cheap brake parts. cheaper pads and rotors aren't built as strong as the more expesive brands and they start to glase faster and once that happens you have to put more efert in to stopping, causeing pads to wear and rotors to warp. i do brake jobs on explorers all the time and i usualy see them last atleast 50 000 between brake jobs. that is also using ford parts, but they are more expensive.

 

i agree, the autozone brake pads would not be my first choice.

 

The Brakes Stop the vehicle fine, no pulling although now the brakes shutter (warped rotors). I've heard alot of others say drilled rotors are actually worse for the brakes. Did you have issues before you put on drilled rotors?

 

No, just that I was doing front brakes on it about every 7-10K and even my Aerostar will allow me to get 15K out of a cheap set of pads and rotors, and it's all stop and go traffic for our use...

But, I too, was using AZ or Advance cheap stuff - there is a reason why some rotors are $30 and some are $120.... :-)

Heat is the biggest issue with pads, and the drilled/slotted rotors allow the pads to "breathe" - they also stop a lot better if you drive in wet weather (big puddles, etc)

It's just a anything else - stock vs performance - it's not "night and day" but the brake response is a bit better in all weather, but that is just me... what have people said about the drilled rotors? - I'd be interested to hear comments - but keep in mind, I never sprung for ceramic pads with them... just the semi metalic

But, I agree with whoever said to check the rest of your brake system first - even autozone brakes should last you 5K, even if you ride them :-) - Plus, Autozone doesn't sell just crap - (they do if you want it) - they offer a beefier pad/rotor, etc...

If you can get 1K out of a new set of any brakes, there is something very wrong somewhere....

I would look at a sticking caliper if you are getting warped rotors after 1K on a new one... even cheapest AZ stuff would not do that... the warping is caused by overheating at higher speeds, do both rotors warp? and you say the wear is even on both sides after 1K? could be as others mentioned, brake line/master if your wear is even like that, the chances of both sides calipers hanging like that, and being the calipers fault, would be slim then...

 

I am actually getting around 5K out of them, that's no good in my book.
Heat will kill rotors but with new calipers super clean support brakets and new pads 5K, when I raise the vehicle there is no drag, ever. Still I think I may give the Drill rotors a try with some Bendix pads.

 

Yeap - give them a try - bendix pads are ok. Are you saying that you are only getting 5K with brand new calipers as well? by support brackets are you meaning the rails for the calipers? - Thanks

 

Yes and Yes, 5K with new calipers and Support Braket = caliper slides.

Do you have a preference for pads?

 

I have used Bendex and they are decent, but I actually found that Wagner pads in the semi metalic work well - I started using them in my Aero, and then eventually used them in the Explorer too... again, I didn't change to a higher performance ceramic pad when I switched to the drilled and slotted rotors, because I wanted to see how much of a difference each would make....

I know that Satisfied Brakes makes some good stuff in every grade - If I was going for a nice set of ceramics, that is the brand I'd use I guess...

BTW - Get drilled AND slotted rotors - some are one or the other, and then they make ones that are both...

What have you used on the caliper slides for cleaning and re lubing? - thanks