Brakes F350
May be a difficult one to answer but here goes, My 2012 350 diesel just turned 80,000 km. Out of this I think about 40k was towing a 8k fiver for three years and this year a 15 k toyhauler. Thinking ...
Forum Discussion
First, depends on lots of stuff...
How you drive, where you drive, what you haul/tow, what your expectations
are, how much do you know and/or want to know about braking, etc...
If you just drive it within the OEMs ratings, then OEM is okay. Know
that all things has a specification range. Meaning the specification
for what OEM is...is defined via the OEM's specifications
If you drive hard, tow heavy and at the limits...tough ambient & terrain,
then higher spec (level or performance) should be considered. Note that
as you go up in spec, so does the $$$, typically...
Lots of automotive's 'good' stuff comes from the track, but not all
things track are a good thing for street...
Like drilled rotors...some drill patterns remove about 40% of the rotor
material and cast iron mass is a major component on thermal rejection
metrics. That most track stuff has tires in the 20"-24" dia range. Meaning
they rotate much faster so that it will move more air through those
holes to negate the loss in thermal mass...or pathway to remove the
heat
Track has many with the kind of budget to replace often. Some every
new race...other after a couple races...or more...so what seemingly is
good for them can also be good for street...if you also replace those
parts often...like every few thousand miles...NOT tens of thousands of miles...
Also, drilled rotors crack. Known to most in the business and another
reason they are replaced often (sooner)
Slotted is much better and allows the out-gas a route outa there...other
wise the out-gas can float the friction material off the rotor surface
Why the better pads (even OEM) all have a gas slot cut in them down the
middle. In the old days...only us techie boy racers knew to hand cut
that slot with a hack saw...and we didn't know the hazards of asbestos
back then...
I check all my friction materials whenever the tires are rotated and
whenever change engine oil...just look at the MC reservoir fluid level
for disc brakes...as they consume fluid from the MC to the caliper and
why I never refill in-between brake jobs...as will NOT know how much
friction material has been consumed
If the OP is concerned enough to ask...have the tires rotated and ask
the mechanic to check...or check themselves
Squeak is just fine with me because I know that the higher performance
it is...the harder the materials embedded in the friction material is
and will make noise as they sacrifice themselves for the job
There should be anti-squeak shims, etc that is both part of the new
pads (via bent over tabs) and other shims. You can use any one of the
compliant goop's, but they don't last long in high performance braking
Do NOT trust the sheetmetal tab squealers on the pads...they have cost
me too many rotors because they don't always work well enough for me...
And do NOT take others who still look good at XXX,XXX miles...unless
they live next door to you...drive exactly just like you...tow an
exact trailer that is also loaded up just like yours...drive in the
same ambient & terrain as you do...etc, etc...Plus that they have
the exact same brand, model, etc both vehicle and rotor/friction materials...
Brake pads are cheap compare to what can happen with too worn or
El Cheapo pads...I always go the best performance level I can find...except
for the sedans the then wife drove...she does not understand and ride
quality and that squeaklessness higher on her list of have to haves than
mine...part of why she is now the 'ex'...
How you drive, where you drive, what you haul/tow, what your expectations
are, how much do you know and/or want to know about braking, etc...
If you just drive it within the OEMs ratings, then OEM is okay. Know
that all things has a specification range. Meaning the specification
for what OEM is...is defined via the OEM's specifications
If you drive hard, tow heavy and at the limits...tough ambient & terrain,
then higher spec (level or performance) should be considered. Note that
as you go up in spec, so does the $$$, typically...
Lots of automotive's 'good' stuff comes from the track, but not all
things track are a good thing for street...
Like drilled rotors...some drill patterns remove about 40% of the rotor
material and cast iron mass is a major component on thermal rejection
metrics. That most track stuff has tires in the 20"-24" dia range. Meaning
they rotate much faster so that it will move more air through those
holes to negate the loss in thermal mass...or pathway to remove the
heat
Track has many with the kind of budget to replace often. Some every
new race...other after a couple races...or more...so what seemingly is
good for them can also be good for street...if you also replace those
parts often...like every few thousand miles...NOT tens of thousands of miles...
Also, drilled rotors crack. Known to most in the business and another
reason they are replaced often (sooner)
Slotted is much better and allows the out-gas a route outa there...other
wise the out-gas can float the friction material off the rotor surface
Why the better pads (even OEM) all have a gas slot cut in them down the
middle. In the old days...only us techie boy racers knew to hand cut
that slot with a hack saw...and we didn't know the hazards of asbestos
back then...
I check all my friction materials whenever the tires are rotated and
whenever change engine oil...just look at the MC reservoir fluid level
for disc brakes...as they consume fluid from the MC to the caliper and
why I never refill in-between brake jobs...as will NOT know how much
friction material has been consumed
If the OP is concerned enough to ask...have the tires rotated and ask
the mechanic to check...or check themselves
Squeak is just fine with me because I know that the higher performance
it is...the harder the materials embedded in the friction material is
and will make noise as they sacrifice themselves for the job
There should be anti-squeak shims, etc that is both part of the new
pads (via bent over tabs) and other shims. You can use any one of the
compliant goop's, but they don't last long in high performance braking
Do NOT trust the sheetmetal tab squealers on the pads...they have cost
me too many rotors because they don't always work well enough for me...
And do NOT take others who still look good at XXX,XXX miles...unless
they live next door to you...drive exactly just like you...tow an
exact trailer that is also loaded up just like yours...drive in the
same ambient & terrain as you do...etc, etc...Plus that they have
the exact same brand, model, etc both vehicle and rotor/friction materials...
Brake pads are cheap compare to what can happen with too worn or
El Cheapo pads...I always go the best performance level I can find...except
for the sedans the then wife drove...she does not understand and ride
quality and that squeaklessness higher on her list of have to haves than
mine...part of why she is now the 'ex'...
