My driverside brakes appear to have found ATF (from the ps hose) and they have left the truck...SO I am in need of new pads and most likely rotors as mine felt warped.
I need to use the truck next weekend for tractor pulling so I don't have the time required to get Powerslots or ART rotors and Hawk pads (This seems to be the consensus???)
Who sells the best OTC brake setup for our trucks? I have called NAPA, O'Reilly, and AutoZone and they all have the parts available so this shouldn't be an issue. Where do I go from here?

 

Scott, I went back with OEM pads and rotors. 117,000 miles on the original, How can you beat that. Never had a problem stoping.

Sure you know about the slide pins.

 

Over the counter I would personally go with Motorcraft parts, if you don't have a dealer close by.....I would say that Napa would be a close second.

 

another Napa vote for me.

 

If you wouldn't mind explaining I will certainly listen

In addition, how do I get the rotor off??? Is it that rusted or do I need to take more parts off?

 

Welcome to guzzle's Powerslot/Hawk pads brake Maintenance Web Page
Here is how to do the rotors and pads. click here Here is how to do the slide pins click here.

 

NAPA parts here but OEM parts are not bad believe it or not.

 

I think i went with pro stop (OEM) from Auto Zone, all the way around 60 bucks front and back. I changed my fronts out at 75,000 did the backs at 90,000. Still had a little miles on them.

 

thats not a bad price at all Mike, thanks for the info!!

 

I was shocked myself Glenn, got fronts and backs for around 27.00 bucks per set. And i got the lifetime warranty on them so when they wear out just take them off and return and they hand me new one,s. I hear their trying to get away from the lifetime warranty now, i guess because people are holding onto their vehicles more, its not paying off for them anymore?

 

Mike, how many miles you got on the set now, any complaints?

 

Well, the OEM,s i got 75,000 and rears got 90,000 out of them. I got 99,560 or so on the truck now so i can't report how these are doing yet because they are fairly new but i asked a friend of mine that has a shop to take a look at the brakes while he changed my tires, he said they look fine. I would say to go with the average brand, they work just fine. My OEM,s wore great with towing 3 or 4 times a year..

 

thanks Mike!!

 

Another vote for Napa here. I just did my rear rotors and pads about 3 weeks ago. I have a couple of suggestions for you having just gone through it as a "first-timer".

For pads, you might want to consider the "Green Stuff" pads, which can be purchased through O'Reilly's, but they are special order and it takes about 1 week to get them. Alternatively, you can get the Hawk pads in time with expedited delivery.

Cryo'd Rotors are only made after you place the order, and it is always at least nearly 2 weeks before you can get them, but they have recently had a backlog and it has been taking longer.

For NAPA parts.....Napa has 2 classifications of rotors... "premium" and "ultra premium". The first "meets OEM specifications", and the second "meets or exceeds OEM specifications". The second, more expensive, rotors come with a limited lifetime warranty. That's the set I got.

The NAPA pads are in several grades as well. The "best" pads, according to NAPA, are the ceramic pads, but those have a horrible reputation for squealing a lot on our PSD's. Get the "second best" pads which are supposedly still excellent at stopping with much less "sqealing tendency". Those are the ones I got, the second best, and have heard not a single sound from them.

Now, regarding the slide pins, Guzzle's guidelines are excellent. One change I would suggest, and that is to not use the white silicone lubricant and instead use the extreme high temperature rated anti-seize lubricant which is purple. It is rated for some super high temperature like 2700 degrees F and is made especially for brake parts. The little 4 ounce bottle is expensive, though, at something like $20-25.

Regarding your rotor removal, it is not uncommon to have to use a heavy rubber mallet to help coax the rotor off. Before you get started with the work, say one day ahead of time, soak all the joints down around the hub an rotor with penetrating oil. Next, you can also gently use a metal hammer to help with the coaxing on regular situations even when you're going to turn the rotors. In your case, you have the freedom to be a little more aggressive with the hammer since you're going to ditch the rotors anyway.

I literally thought my rotors were welded in place before I got them off. I used a home made press like in the sketch below to "pull" the rotors off. It took at least two tries on each rotor with the contraption flying apart at least once in between tries, but it worked!

Good luck.

 

Hey Pete, that looks like that would work! I guess I will be differant and vote for PowerSlot Rotors and Hawks pads. I can promise you my truck has never stopped better. I had to re-adjust the brakes on my camper because of the differant stopping power of the truck. I went with the Cryo's on the front and all the front end vibration and shimming is gone.