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Atlee's avatar
Atlee
Explorer II
Nov 08, 2017

Wagner rotors and severe duty pads?

Just got my truck inspected. The front brakes are nearly shot. The rear pads have over 50% of their life left.

I had already planned to put new pads at least on the truck before heading out to the Rockies next June. Now, I will be doing it sooner rather than later.

Let also say I'm not a mechanic. I will not be doing the brake work myself. I know it's much cheaper, but a man has to know his limitations.

My truck is a 2014 F150 XLT, SCAB, 4x4, long bed with Max Tow and Heavy Duty PP. I pull a 6500# GVWR trailer about 50% of the time.

I went to 3 installers the other day. My Ford dealer was going to charge $700 for turned roters, new servere duty pads, and a brake fluid flush.

The second place said $350 for the same service, but I got no print out of those prices, and the young guy behind the counter struck me as tripping on something. No confidence there.

The third place gave me a print out with the prices for brand new Wagner rotors and severe duty pads, and a fluid flush with heavy duty Dot 4 fluid for $500.

I'm inclined to go with #3. Just wondering if the Wagner rotors and severe duty pads are quality parts, and if $500 is out of the ball park?

Thanks.
Tow Vehicles

70 Replies

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  • Atlee's avatar
    Atlee
    Explorer II
    Nov 08, 2017
    Just looked at my Owners Manual for my '14 F150. It definitely calls for Dot 4 brake fluid.

    MitchF150 wrote:
    Is that price for all 4 corners or just the front? Is it just for pads or pads AND rotors? Doubt you really need a fluid change?? My 13 calls for DOT 3 fluid.. Did they change that for 14??

    I've got a 13 F150 with the Max Tow and 55,000 miles and just did a front and rear brake job myself using these, Power Stop K6268-36 Front & Rear Z36 Truck and Tow Brake Kit.

    Got them from Amazon for $435 shipped. Took me a couple of hours, but I'm very comfortable with this kind of job..

    Anyway, love the new brakes! Far superior to the stock ones and I've had the Wagner's before and they were a decent pad, but nothing compared to the Power Stop's..

    Good luck!

    Mitch
  • Atlee's avatar
    Atlee
    Explorer II
    Nov 08, 2017
    To answer a few questions. My truck has 47K miles on it. This would be the first brake work done to it. They have worked fine so far. I can wait until early spring to do the work. Only the fronts are being replaced. The rears have over 50% life left in them.

    I don't know what the pads are made of. They are OEM from Ford. Don't know if Ford put severe or heavy duty type pads on the '14 Heavy Duty package or not.

    The pads the Ford store was going to put on were definitely "standard" duty pads.

    The reason I was thinking about flushing the brake fluid is make sure my brakes are as fit as they can be for next spring/summer trip to Utah, Idaho, Yellowstone and the Black Hills. I also consider since 1/2 of the 47K miles have been towing first a 5K GVWR and now a 6.5K GVWR trailer as severe usage, so I want my brakes to be very good.

    I wish I were a competent enough mechanic to do the brakes myself. There is a lot of money to be saved there.
  • ACZL's avatar
    ACZL
    Explorer
    Nov 08, 2017
    Is there any way you can make it thru the winter months w/o having to change any brake parts? If so, I'd burn off anything you have left on existing parts for the winter, then in Mar-Apr range replace needed parts.
  • babock's avatar
    babock
    Explorer
    Nov 08, 2017
    I flush my brake fluid every 2 years. It's cheap and it prevents corrosion in your calipers and more importantly, your ABS unit.

    I always turn or change rotors when I change pads. Worst thing you can do is to just do a "pad slap". New or turned rotors lets the new brake pads properly bed into the rotor.

    I always use Centric rotors and Akebono pads on all my cars and trucks.
  • Mortimer_Brewst's avatar
    Mortimer_Brewst
    Explorer II
    Nov 08, 2017
    Ford doesn’t give an interval for changing the brake fluid on my 2014 Explorer. On my Mazda though, the interval is 3 years. I just flushed the fluid on the Mazda after 4 years and it was somewhat discolored. I would suggest getting it flushed within the next year.
    It’s tough to inspect rotors over the internet. Are your current pads ceramic or semi-metallic? A semi-metallic pad is going to be tougher on the rotor. It will also stop better than a ceramic pad. With a ceramic pad on there, I’d probably leave the old rotors untouched. Otherwise I’d go new. (I’m not a fan of cutting down rotors. I rather go with new than take a bunch of metal off).
    My advice: since you tow a lot and are going to be driving in the mountains, I’d get new rotors put on the front and leave the back alone for now. Wagner products are okay, but there are better.
    If you want an idea of what parts should cost, take a look at rockauto.com.
  • darsben1's avatar
    darsben1
    Explorer
    Nov 08, 2017
    If brake pedal does not pulse and there are no SEVERE gouges in the rotors then the rotors do not need turning
  • time2roll's avatar
    time2roll
    Nomad
    Nov 08, 2017
    I would just slap some new pads on and get on down the road.
    Wagner is fine IMO. I have used OEM, Motocraft, Performance Friction and EBC Yellow.
    I like the EBC. Have not turned the rotors in 196,000 miles.
    I do flush with DOT4.
  • Denny___Jami's avatar
    Denny___Jami
    Explorer
    Nov 08, 2017
    First you don't need a fluid flush on a 14 truck. Last timed I used Wagner Premium pads they were fading garbage, I replaced them with a carbon metallic pad and all my problems gone. I replaced my front pads on my 13 DRW with NAPA premium fleet pads and so far they are great without replacing or turning the rotors.

    Denny
  • fj12ryder's avatar
    fj12ryder
    Explorer III
    Nov 08, 2017
    You don't say how many miles you have on the truck. Why change the rotors if they are within their service limits, and not warped? A good set of brake pads can be had for around $50. And I wouldn't mess with the rears if there is 50 percent life. I certainly wouldn't pay to have the rotors turned.

    Brake jobs are an easy job, and easy money for a shop. $700 is nuts, but $500 is probably what a decent shop will charge you. Just figure you're spending about $300 for the labor.

    I'm too frugal to needlessly spend money just for the sake of spending money.
  • MitchF150's avatar
    MitchF150
    Nomad
    Nov 08, 2017
    Is that price for all 4 corners or just the front? Is it just for pads or pads AND rotors? Doubt you really need a fluid change?? My 13 calls for DOT 3 fluid.. Did they change that for 14??

    I've got a 13 F150 with the Max Tow and 55,000 miles and just did a front and rear brake job myself using these, Power Stop K6268-36 Front & Rear Z36 Truck and Tow Brake Kit.

    Got them from Amazon for $435 shipped. Took me a couple of hours, but I'm very comfortable with this kind of job..

    Anyway, love the new brakes! Far superior to the stock ones and I've had the Wagner's before and they were a decent pad, but nothing compared to the Power Stop's..

    Good luck!

    Mitch

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