Community Forums

guestPacer · 06-11-2018, 12:47 PM

Just a quick question has anyone ever used Ceramic brake pads on there E Super Duty / E450 on the rear?

BFlinn181 · 06-11-2018, 03:05 PM

There's lots of information on brake pads, but semi-metallic are cheaper and work better than ceramic in most cases. As you read through the links, take into account you drive a heavy vehicle that generates a lot of energy in braking action. I wouldn't be that concerned with brake dust or racing characteristics. Since ceramic pads don't transfer heat quite as efficiently as semi-metallic pads, heat could get dangerously high with ceramics and cause disk cracking.

https://www.autoanything.com/brakes/...-metallic.aspx

https://www.bridgestonetire.com/trea...lic-brake-pads

Ceramic Vs. Metallic Brake Pads

nothermark · 06-11-2018, 03:13 PM

OTOH semi metallic can rust to the rotors when the unit sits for a long time. Ceramics do not have that problem.

BFlinn181 · 06-11-2018, 03:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nothermark

OTOH semi metallic can rust to the rotors when the unit sits for a long time. Ceramics do not have that problem.

A quick move backward will usually free the pads from the rotors, a few braking cycles, and everything is back to normal.

nothermark · 06-12-2018, 06:48 AM

Freeing the rotors is one thing, passing an annual safety inspection with pitted rotors is another. That is aside from the vibration from pitted rotors. Rotors for these things are not cheap. Few shops turn them anymore. That is assuming they can be turned.

ScoobyDoo · 06-12-2018, 07:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nothermark

Freeing the rotors is one thing, passing an annual safety inspection with pitted rotors is another. That is aside from the vibration from pitted rotors. Rotors for these things are not cheap. Few shops turn them anymore. That is assuming they can be turned.

As far as I can see rotors polished by pads will rust, no matter what pad material is used...

BFlinn181 · 06-12-2018, 09:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ScoobyDoo

As far as I can see rotors polished by pads will rust, no matter what pad material is used...

I Agree, I've not seen rotors pitted by rust to the point they wouldn't pass a safety check. Semi-metallic pads have very fine metal particles (think steel wool sized) embedded in them. If your rotors could be damaged by them I'd be very surprised. In none of the reading I've done on brake pad types, has rotor damage by rusting of semi-metallic pads ever been brought up.

guestPacer · 06-12-2018, 03:36 PM

Thank everyone for voicing in on brake compounds, I agree on rotors, rust and pads a couple rotations and quite serviceable even for the ones that have been forgotten

an who knows what's living under there

. I can understand the Ceramic aren't giving you the feed back (imo)
I was going to go with a Motor Craft product made in Mexico but was getting a lot of different feed back on what sizes work online) so I stopped by AZ to see a set and like I thought manufactured in Mexico(oem replacement) and probably the same plant also able to see the shape on both half's. So when I start the project I'll go with AZ, price is better and their somewhat local (if I don't like the way they hold up and preform).I mention above country only because FoMo has a lot of small part manufacturing done there still N.A.

Mac99 · 06-12-2018, 03:50 PM

Ceramic pads are superior in every measure of performance.
I would thus respectfully disagree with post#2.

Companies do not put out a product that costs a lot
more if it does not perform better.

nothermark · 06-13-2018, 06:49 AM

The reason I am aware of the pad problems is that I had them on the first MH we bought before I knew better. The rotors rust more under the pads so there is an area that is lower than the rest when the rust scuffs off. A good inspection will find and fail it. In the meantime the vibration is not fun.

ScoobyDoo · 06-13-2018, 07:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nothermark

The reason I am aware of the pad problems is that I had them on the first MH we bought before I knew better. The rotors rust more under the pads so there is an area that is lower than the rest when the rust scuffs off. A good inspection will find and fail it. In the meantime the vibration is not fun.

Every time I have laid steel on something else and let it rust, rust was deposited on the other surface, not ate into it. Now if pads are holding moisture against the rotor, then the rotor would rust more, but if that happens I don't think it would matter what the pad is.
All my life I have run heavy. Ceramic pads might be great for stopping from high speed, but normal speeds and heavy loads I saw no great stopping performance. Same truck, same driver, same work slightly longer life. But with the SM, I could replace shoes once a year, drums every other year. The high dollar shoes, ate drums almost twice as fast.