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Who has Power Stop Brakes? Thoughts on which ones to get with larger tires

1997XLTRollover

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Year, Model & Trim Level
1996 AWD 5.0
Hey all, I have the below on my 96 now and they stop like poo unless they are hot. Once hot they actually do decent, but the problem is It takes a hard stop or two to get them hot and then they cool off and stop like poo poo again. I'm running a 32x11.50 6 ply so there is some extra weight and rotational mass going on. Has anyone had the same issue with these brakes?

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/pwr-k1861

Been debating taking a look at this package since it says for large tire and wheel packages, but I'm wondering if these will also have the same issue with having to heat up. Anyone have any experience or know the difference between the 2 pad compounds?

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/pwr-k1861-36
 



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How much does one of your wheel and tires weigh? That's the biggest factor.

Brake pads are the most important thing for best braking. I'd guess that pad compound you have is not very good or way too hot-natured. I like EBC for most uses, OEM Ford is also often very good. I have EBC pads front and rear right now on my spare mail truck, since I haven't fixed my main 99 yet. They do very well but my heavy use has made them squeal more than I'd like. I've never had that issue with normal usage, except for cheap brands(don't buy any longer).

Here's the front EBC Greenstuff pads I use for the stock 95-01 Explorers; https://www.amazon.com/EBC-Brakes-D...utomotive&vehicleId=18&vehicleType=automotive
 






How much does one of your wheel and tires weigh? That's the biggest factor.

Brake pads are the most important thing for best braking. I'd guess that pad compound you have is not very good or way too hot-natured. I like EBC for most uses, OEM Ford is also often very good. I have EBC pads front and rear right now on my spare mail truck, since I haven't fixed my main 99 yet. They do very well but my heavy use has made them squeal more than I'd like. I've never had that issue with normal usage, except for cheap brands(don't buy any longer).

Here's the front EBC Greenstuff pads I use for the stock 95-01 Explorers; https://www.amazon.com/EBC-Brakes-DP61199-Greenstuff-Truck/dp/B000CNGRGG/ref=au_as_r?_encoding=UTF8&Make=Ford|54&Model=Explorer|663&Year=1998|1998&ie=UTF8&n=15684181&s=automotive&vehicleId=18&vehicleType=automotive

Pretty heavy. I'd say 75-80 lbs per tire assembly. I want a very bitey pad and I'm wondering if that towing pad is what I need. I definitely can't use a stock pad with these tires. But yes I agree, the pad I have now just seems more like a track pad. I would not consider this a spirited driving/normal driving pad for the street. I almost plowed though a deer because of these things. I hit the brakes and had time to think gee I wonder if this thing is going to stop.

Now if I do 1-2 hard stops and then do a third, the things bite pretty hard. I'm sure they're great in the city or on a race track, but not in the county where brakes completely cool off and then require a hard stop for said animal.
 






You need the best of all brake items with that tire weight. My first 18's weighed 72.5lbs each, it made a difference, and my custom brakes were enough to handle that. But for yours I'd replace the pads soon, the rotors are okay unless somehow they've gotten blued/warped etc. Avoid drilled rotors, slotted are good though.

If you haven't done it in a while, also flush out the brake fluid, with a higher quality fluid if you can get one locally. I use an ATE brand, since it's an OEM maker of ABS units, ours too, and I got a good deal on eight at once.

I slowly replaced tires and kept choosing a smaller and lighter tire, the last was about 8lbs less, about 64lbs total for cheap 18" wheels and 255/55 tires. I have some used forged wheels to go with next, each wheel is only 22lbs, tires at 36lbs should make a 58lbs combo(just above stock weight).
 






You need the best of all brake items with that tire weight. My first 18's weighed 72.5lbs each, it made a difference, and my custom brakes were enough to handle that. But for yours I'd replace the pads soon, the rotors are okay unless somehow they've gotten blued/warped etc. Avoid drilled rotors, slotted are good though.

If you haven't done it in a while, also flush out the brake fluid, with a higher quality fluid if you can get one locally. I use an ATE brand, since it's an OEM maker of ABS units, ours too, and I got a good deal on eight at once.

I slowly replaced tires and kept choosing a smaller and lighter tire, the last was about 8lbs less, about 64lbs total for cheap 18" wheels and 255/55 tires. I have some used forged wheels to go with next, each wheel is only 22lbs, tires at 36lbs should make a 58lbs combo(just above stock weight).

Yeah pads are being replaced as soon as I get the info I need to decide which ones are best. Rotors are still good. Brakes fluid is maybe 2 years old but will be flushed again when I get these new pads. Just want to see if those towing pads will have the most bite. Pad/Rotor wear doesn't worry me. Stopping does.
 


















The semi metallic ones.
 












I put a Powerstop Evolution kit on my Sport and it seems to stop my 33's pretty well in my opinion. Did the slotted/drilled rotors and pads and no squeaks or anything. Just make sure to actually follow their break-in procedure. I'll have to see if I can find more specifics on the kit I used, but I got it from Rock Auto
 






I put a Powerstop Evolution kit on my Sport and it seems to stop my 33's pretty well in my opinion. Did the slotted/drilled rotors and pads and no squeaks or anything. Just make sure to actually follow their break-in procedure. I'll have to see if I can find more specifics on the kit I used, but I got it from Rock Auto
If you can find your old order id be really interested to see what kit you have. I followed their break in to the T.
 






If you can find your old order id be really interested to see what kit you have. I followed their break in to the T.
Found my RockAuto packing list, looks like the PowerStop Z23 brake pads with AR8551XPR (Fronts) and AR8552XPR (rears) rotors. My truck is RWD however, so some changes may need to be made. But I'm almost positive that's my current setup and I have no complaints.
 






Found my RockAuto packing list, looks like the PowerStop Z23 brake pads with AR8551XPR (Fronts) and AR8552XPR (rears) rotors. My truck is RWD however, so some changes may need to be made. But I'm almost positive that's my current setup and I have no complaints.
Very odd. I'm just wondering if there is something else wrong with these pads. I have no idea. I've used power stop before and never had this issue. They always needed a little heat but not this much. Maybe its just accented by the larger tires?
 






Very odd. I'm just wondering if there is something else wrong with these pads. I have no idea. I've used power stop before and never had this issue. They always needed a little heat but not this much. Maybe its just accented by the larger tires?

How are you with doing front suspension work, R&Ring the control arms and spindle? I suggest finding the bigger 2nd gen rotor spindles, from 01-03 Sports, and the Sport Trac of late 01+. Those use a 1" larger rotor, and you only need the spindle. You can retain your calipers/pads/hoses, and the bigger rotor will help slightly. It isn't a huge upgrade, but it's not hard to do. I have had those on my 99 for about 60k miles, with the same EBC pads, plus cryo/slotted rotors. I had SS hoses made, but you don't have to do that.

Cryo rotors 2001+.JPG


SportTracRotor01.JPG
 






How are you with doing front suspension work, R&Ring the control arms and spindle? I suggest finding the bigger 2nd gen rotor spindles, from 01-03 Sports, and the Sport Trac of late 01+. Those use a 1" larger rotor, and you only need the spindle. You can retain your calipers/pads/hoses, and the bigger rotor will help slightly. It isn't a huge upgrade, but it's not hard to do. I have had those on my 99 for about 60k miles, with the same EBC pads, plus cryo/slotted rotors. I had SS hoses made, but you don't have to do that.

View attachment 156900

View attachment 156901
That's in future plans when I swap 4.10 axles in and replace my upper and lower control arms. For now I have to stick with stock pads.
 






Very odd. I'm just wondering if there is something else wrong with these pads. I have no idea. I've used power stop before and never had this issue. They always needed a little heat but not this much. Maybe its just accented by the larger tires?
No idea, maybe I just got lucky? Or you got a bad set? Dunno...

Before those though, I had what I believe was PowerStop rotors but ThermoQuiet pads and my brakes squealed at the touch of the pedal. I figured it was the pads or my ignoring the break-in procedure, but recently I did a front brake job on my F-150 with Raybestos rotors and ThermoQuiet pads, no break in procedure, and they're squealing now too. The most recent brake job on the Explorer with the above parts seem to be my only success. This is why I hate doing brakes.
 






Try hard to baby the brakes for a hundred miles or more, with lots of easy braking. It's the hard long braking with new pads that makes them squeal the most, and then it's nearly impossible to get them to stop that.
 






That's in future plans when I swap 4.10 axles in and replace my upper and lower control arms. For now I have to stick with stock pads.

I'd just swap to another set of pads, even if it's the same ones that you have etc. I used to use a severe duty brand from Raybestos, in 1991-1997ish. I got 20k from several sets, but one set fell apart at about 9k, so I stopped buying those for a while. They stopped making that line a few years later, it was mainly for police and taxi applications.
 






I was going to try a pad swap to the same set. I would just be surprised if there was an issue with these. I'm going to call power stop tomorrow to see what they have to say.
 



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Good idea. I've had one bad set of EBC pads too, about four years ago. They were noisy and didn't last as long, and it was my Mercury with just normal driving. I didn't like it, but I bought another set and forgot about the old ones.
 






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