Best front Brake Pads?

[Team Chepsk8]

I have managed to "cook" my front brake pads & rotors, two panic stops while towing the Cobra home from Watkins Glen, plus a long downhill have glazed the pads & rotors. Upon further inspection, the rotors are starting to show tiny heat fissures, so they will go.

I likke HAWK pads, and use them exclusively in the race car. I'm looking for a pad that works better when hot, such as the HAWK HPS.

What has worked best for you, especially when towing?

 

[Team Chepsk8]

As well, is there a difference between the Sport Trac and regular Explorer brakes for the 2001 model year? I have rear drums.

 

[JohnnyO]

The brakes are the same as a regular Explorer.
I have had good luck over the years with NAPA Ceramix pads and their Ultra Premium rotors in all of our cars. Almost no dust, good feel, and don't cost a ton of money. The only ones my wife can't kill in a year in her car. She refuses to downshift out of OD on the two mile hill down into town because "it might hurt the transmission".

If you're feeling spendy you can get Powerslot rotors and EBC Green Stuff pads or whatever EBC recommends for towing. If your regular rotors are getting cracks, drilled rotors will crack even easier.

 

[Blacksheep Josh]

I like Performance Friction Pads and Wagner rotors.

 

[BrooklynBay]

The Wagner SX series (semi-metallic) or Performance Friction carbon metallic are severe duty pads. I've used both pads for many years in stop & go traffic (mostly stopping than going). Wagner rotors are great. I would avoid Bendix rotors. I had one completely separate in my 88, and lost brakes in my front passenger wheel. It also ruined the caliper. It's possible that the new ones are better but I wouldn't want to try them again.

 

[interscope8]

I have Duralast Ceramic pads and they are "lifetime" warranted... so whenever they go bad I can get another pair for free!

 

[tobeybj]

I like Performance Friction Pads and Wagner rotors.

+1 on the Performance Friction pads. They are carbon-metallic, eco friendly, USA made and work awesome...

 

[Gse Brent]

I'm getting ready to throw the ebc greenstuff 6000 series on mine. Read all kinds of stuff about front brake pads recently and they seem to be what i wanted.

 

[05explorer1974]

Sport Trac pads and rotors and the Explorer pads are NOT the same. The Sport Trac and Ranger 2001 and up use the same stuff. The Sport Trac and the Explorer Sport 2DR. (2001 and up) are the same. The 4dr Explorer uses something diffrent. Here are the numbers:

1L5Z-2001-AA Ford OEM 2001 and up Sport Trac, Ranger, Explorer 2dr Sport
1L2Z-2001-AA Ford OEM 2001 4DR. only

BR11439 Motorcraft pads 2001 and up Sport Trac, Ranger, Explorer 2dr. Sport
BR47B Motorcraft pads 2001 4DR only

1L5Z-1125-AA Ford Rotors OEM 2001 and up Sport Trac, Ranger, Explorer 2dr. Sport
1L2Z-1125-AA Ford Rotors OEM 2001

Parts have been updated over time.

The Sport Trac, Ranger, and Explorer 2Dr. Sport use the same frame in 2001 and up. The Explorer is on a diffrent frame. The only thing shared is the engine and transmission and some interior parts. The hubs are also different between the trucks.

 

[techieman33]

You can get hawk hps pads for the sport tracs, with those and some cryo treated powerslots you would be hard pressed to hurt them. Also don't forget to flush your brake fluid out every year or two, fresh fluid makes a huge difference.

 

[Pheonixx77]

ok heres my 2 cents.

midas, monroe and many of the commercialized brake shops offer lifetime pads. they are like 80$ and i dont know the specifics of the warranty but stopping a trailer is still stopping in my opinion, albeit a little more painful on the pads.

also, if you are towing without an electric brake/ brake booster you may want to consider getting one, they are about 60$ and you can even buy breakaway kits so if you lose the trailer it stops. of course you need trailer brakes to do that.

go visit a tractor supply they have everything i mentioned and more.

 

[techieman33]

ok heres my 2 cents.

midas, monroe and many of the commercialized brake shops offer lifetime pads. they are like 80$ and i dont know the specifics of the warranty but stopping a trailer is still stopping in my opinion, albeit a little more painful on the pads.

also, if you are towing without an electric brake/ brake booster you may want to consider getting one, they are about 60$ and you can even buy breakaway kits so if you lose the trailer it stops. of course you need trailer brakes to do that.

go visit a tractor supply they have everything i mentioned and more.

You get crappy pads for that $80 though, he's comes off to me as wanting stopping power as opposed to saving a few dollars.