The coil spring suspensions of the Ranger and older Explorers require different brake and spindle choices. I don't know those at all, I have just read of those many times on the RPS site and rarely here. Someone here might chime in who knows the real details. I saw on RPS now that the Explorer discs brakes don't bolt directly to the Ranger 8.8 like they do on older(91-94) Explorers.
Now we carry hundreds of pounds of weight every day, usually 100-300 parcels for each route. It's common now to not be able to fit it all inside the vehicle, or on top, and have to make a 2nd trip. I never drove like a little old lady, but hitting the gas from every mailbox and hitting the brakes for every stop, is harder on brakes than any application except road racing.
For mail delivery, if you drive very slow and like a lazy sight-seeing driver, stock brakes are fine for most all vehicles. But the mail is no longer a light load with tons of distance between mail boxes(cool down). I drive 65 miles on my route, for over 620 mailboxes in about five hours. A lot of time is spent driving and walking to homes to deliver parcels, easily 60-90 minutes of each day. That means starting and stopping more than a couple of times a minute. You don't have time to drive "slow." That would mean the difference between the street time taking eight hours instead of five.
The stock 95+ Explorer brakes are adequate for me given my hard usage, but only because I use the best brake pads, fluid etc. You have to keep fresh brake fluid in it, good quality rotor(nothing cheap brand or drilled), and never use forever pads(those are the worst for severe duty).
Ford makes an SD brake pad for the 95-01 Explorers, they don't make those upgraded type for all applications. I get them from Rock Auto or eBay, and they run about $50 for the front. The rears aren't as critical, I have used a few brands that work fine, even the parts store garbage pads would survive most likely(but wear out faster). In my last two 98's with stock brakes, I get at least one year from the front pads, and over two years for the rears, unless a caliper is sticking(the pistons). That can cut the lifespan to nine months easily(I had that happen with three rear calipers, two on the last truck and one on my current).
This below is not for the Ranger, but it's the well known OEM upgrade parts for a 4WD 95-01 Explorer, the spindles and rotors from a 2001-03 Sport or 2001-05 Sport Trac;
