PowerStop Big Brake Kit Won't fit?

[bilzy7]

I purchased a big brake kit upgrade a couple months back and didn't install yet as I was waiting for snow season to pass by. Well today was a great day to go at it. Besides the fact that the pads on this thing are harder to put on then my old Ranger(do I let the calipers pull them to the rotor instead of banging the on the friggin bracket?), the damn rotors do not have the middle spacing between sides of the rotor, they also no not fit. They go on fine, then I bolt on the caliper bracket and I notice the top bracket on the outside touches the rotor. It actually touches it enough that it will not allow you enough room to even get the lug nuts back on...

This is the rotors and pads kit:

http://m.##################.com/det...ake_Disc_and_Pad_KitQQ19952000QQP15K1861.html

This is a question I have searched and found no answer to. After thinking a little(I know crazy right?), is it possible the rear and front rotors are different sizes? I'm use to my old ranger with drums in the rear.

I still don't understand why the pad on the outside needs "negotiating" to get it on the bracket and the inside pad slides on without issue. I do miss the simplicity of my old Ranger...


Any advice please.

Thank you,

 

[bilzy7]

Bye my truck is a 1998 explorer 4wd v6.

 

[Mrhobby100]

link does not work

 

[colintrax]

Front and rear rotors should be different sizes. Front being the biggger one

 

[bilzy7]

Thank you. I looked as I hadn't opened the second box. I'm an idiot. What threw me off is that the brakes came in 2 boxes. 1 with rear rotors and front pads(which I tried to put on the front), and front rotors rear pads in the other box.

Thanks to living in the rust belt, the drivers side has a rusted on, rounded off bolt on the bottom part of the caliber bracket. Ugh... It seems its off to a shop or buy a new knuckle for me. The knuckle has more rust on it than the entire frame of my old 99 Ranger. Miss my girl...

At least my wife gets a newer vehicle. We are picking up her 2010 Chevy Traverse tomorrow morning. She'll get the nice vehicle and I'll get the old one. I like this old rust bucket though. Can't wait to see what trouble pops up when I try to add an F150 leaf or two and Warrior shackles.

Anyways thanks for the response.

 

[bilzy7]

link does not work

Sorry it's from my iPhone. I hate that about it. Always a mobile site link.

 

[4pointslow]

Brakes

How does it stop now?
Are they really bigger?

 

[boominXplorer]

The cheapest "bigger" brake upgrade is to swap spindles and rotors from a 01+ sport/sport trac. Its a bolt on swap but does require 16" wheels. You gain braking power by having 1" larger rotor. The same pads and calipers are used on both models.

 

[jd4242]

Op..can you fix the link also.would like to research these a bit also

 

[jd4242]

The cheapest "bigger" brake upgrade is to swap spindles and rotors from a 01+ sport/sport trac. Its a bolt on swap but does require 16" wheels. You gain braking power by having 1" larger rotor. The same pads and calipers are used on both models.

As far as I know you can only do this with the 2wd.the calipers are different and so are the pads.for the 2wd you use 95-98 spindle, calipers, pads, bearings and 2001 sport trac rotors and a custom caliper bracket then needs to be made to move it up to fit the larger 12" rotors.the bearings are the same for 95-98 explorer/ranger as the sport trac, why the rotors fit the 95-98 spindles.

I don't know if the opening or bearings are the same for 4wd as the sport trac, I don't believe so. but know the 2wd works

 

[boominXplorer]

As far as I know you can only do this with the 2wd.the calipers are different and so are the pads.for the 2wd you use 95-98 spindle, calipers, pads, bearings and 2001 sport trac rotors and a custom caliper bracket then needs to be made to move it up to fit the larger 12" rotors.the bearings are the same for 95-98 explorer/ranger as the sport trac, why the rotors fit the 95-98 spindles.

I don't know if the opening or bearings are the same for 4wd as the sport trac, I don't believe so. but know the 2wd works

That might be true for a pre 97 ranger but not for explorers and 98+ rangers. The spacing is different on the spindle. The caliper brakets, pads and calipers are actually the same. My superlift spindle has 2 different mounting points for the caliper bracket, one for the 11'' rotors and the other for the "12.

 

[4pointslow]

@boominXplorer

The cheapest "bigger" brake upgrade is to swap spindles and rotors from a 01+ sport/sport trac. Its a bolt on swap but does require 16" wheels. You gain braking power by having 1" larger rotor. The same pads and calipers are used on both models.

I have a 4wd 1998 explorer sport(2door) with 16 inch factory wheels.
So then to have 1 inch larger rotors I would need the 4wd spindles,rotors,pads, off a 2001 and up SPORTTRACK(pickup back)?

 

[jd4242]

That might be true for a pre 97 ranger but not for explorers and 98+ rangers. The spacing is different on the spindle. The caliper brakets, pads and calipers are actually the same. My superlift spindle has 2 different mounting points for the caliper bracket, one for the 11'' rotors and the other for the "12.

Yep you are correct. I was searching the calipers for 95-98 when I should have been searching 95-97.so yea calipers and pads are they same.but the rotors are coming up as 11.27" and 12" so not really a full inch

 

[boominXplorer]

I have a 4wd 1998 explorer sport(2door) with 16 inch factory wheels.
So then to have 1 inch larger rotors I would need the 4wd spindles,rotors,pads, off a 2001 and up SPORTTRACK(pickup back)?

All you need is the spindles and rotors from the sport trac. Your current caliper, caliper braket and pads will swap over to the sport trac spindle.

 

[4pointslow]

Brakes

All you need is the spindles and rotors from the sport trac. Your current caliper, caliper braket and pads will swap over to the sport trac spindle.

Thanks for answering my question.

 

[bilzy7]

The truck does brake better. I had to put on the rears and see while waiting for new hubs to come in for the front. My rotors were stuck because the hub bolts were bent not allowing it to come off, so I replaced both hubs.

The hubs went in without an issue. They also fixed my ABS issue where it would let the truck slip a little as I came to a stop.

The brakes are exactly the same size. Why it is called a big brake upgrade is beyond me. Go with what they said about the Sport Trac rotors if you truly want bigger brakes. The brakes look cool, and are a bit better, but nothing that would give it the right to be called an upgrade.

So, Timken Hubs, Powerstop Rotors/Pads, jew Ball Joints, new Upper Control Arms(1 piece on passenger now), new Inner/Outer Tie Rods, new Shocks all around, removed front/rear Sway Bar, new Plugs/Wires/Coil Pack... The only thing left to do is see if I can get someone to make me brackets for coilovers so I can drop these clunking tbars...