Brakes?

[rtmozingo]

I’ve had four Ford vehicles, including the Raptor, and all of them have had long brake travel.

Anyone else notice this? Seems to be a Ford design I guess?

I almost threw up when I drove the in-laws new Kia because the brakes had so little pedal travel my chest was in my throat when I stepped on it. It was nice once you got used to it for them to be firm and actually stop when you press the pedal.

Most trucks I've driven in general are like this. It is especially good thing in our trucks, and is just like how the throttle responds in Baja mode. When you are going at speed, sudden changes in wheel speed can drastically alter your course rapidly and cause a crash. You want slow, predictable response with no surprises, which is exactly what you get with both pedals.

Actually a friend just got the full alcon kit (he's the one featured in my stock vs modded video) and was saying how the stock brakes just won't cut it. I'm not saying better brakes aren't better, but I've never found the stock brakes lacking, and I've run equivalent or faster times than all but perhaps the race trucks out on the track. There are a few panic situations where it would be nice to stop faster, but the terrain meant tire grip was the limiting factor, not the brakes. And in many other cases heavier brake up front would make high-speed control of the truck more difficult.

 

[MFNG]

@rtmozingo Thanks for the insight, it’s always good to hear from someone who has more experience than one’s self!

Have you replaced your original brakes? If so, did you go with Motor Craft, or something else and why?

 

[rtmozingo]

@rtmozingo Thanks for the insight, it’s always good to hear from someone who has more experience than one’s self!

Have you replaced your original brakes? If so, did you go with Motor Craft, or something else and why?

I'm at 28k miles and brakes aren't showing much wear (tho you can surely smell them and other things burning after a hot lap!). So I'm still on the ones that got put on at the factory.

I've observed most mods are quite expensive vs what they actually gain you, and brake kits seem especially high priced to me. I may upgrade pads next time around, provided they don't change the braking characteristics too much, people rave about the R1 and Alcon sets.

I wouldn't do stainless steel lines - too costly and supposedly firms up the brake, which I'd be concerned about with my stock setup. A full kit would only help with brake fade, which really hasn't been very impactful to me. Sometimes I can tell they are getting warm, but usually by that time I'm fatigued myself. Overall impact is that I might run a second or two slower per mile, kind of a trifling difference IMO.

 

[Trouble-T]

I am one of the few that feels it brakes really well stock. It seems to brake much quicker and more effortless than my XLT I traded in. I felt the XLT brakes were great but Raptor feels even better.

 

[MnFlyer]

I am one of the few that feels it brakes really well stock. It seems to brake much quicker and more effortless than my XLT I traded in. I felt the XLT brakes were great but Raptor feels even better.

I’m with you. The brakes are more than adequate.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[TheBoctor]

I feel like using a BBK as the go-to remedy for a spongey pedal is like going straight to morphine when you feel a headache coming on. A BBK is only really the answer if your spongey pedal is due to insufficient heat dissipation (aka boiling the brake fluid constantly), and you've tried higher temp range pads, high quality DOT4 fluid, better vented rotors, etc.

Braided lines, more aggressive compound pads, and a good thorough bleed with a high quality brake fluid will go a long way to improving pedal feel.

 

[Rustler]

I like the relatively soft initial feel, and long travel. I find that when you get into them there is plenty of bite. What I don't like so much is the inconsistent feel. To me it feels like the brakes go between soft and grabby at lower speeds, for instance when coming up to a red light, or the end of a highway off ramp. One second I'm wondering if I have enough pressure to stop, and the next second I feel myself jerking forward, or vice versa.

So, I don't want to feel the brakes bite higher in the pedal travel, or overall harder brake feel, but I would like more consistent feel. Any thoughts?

 

[MFNG]

@Rustler completely agree.

I did have to mash them the other day and I was surprised how good they were still for needing an update/replaced.

I was traveling on gravel at roughly 15 MPH towards a dual sided gate that swung open towards me.

I hit them hard as **** and the truck stopped instantly. While I wasn’t traveling fast, I was surprised how quick it stopped on gravel.

I also took it off-road for the first time (new to me/used [93K miles] owner here) and was surprised at how well whatever the previous owner had on them, if they did anything at all.

 

[MFNG]

@Rustler completely agree.

I did have to mash them the other day and I was surprised how good they were still for needing an update/replaced.

I was traveling on gravel at roughly 15 MPH towards a dual sided gate that swung open towards me.

I hit them hard as **** and the truck stopped instantly. While I wasn’t traveling fast, I was surprised how quick it stopped on gravel.

I also took it off-road for the first time (new to me/used [93K miles] owner here) and was surprised at how well whatever the previous owner had on them, if they did anything at all.

 

[FINRPTR]

Does the Alcan kit inside the stock wheels?