I just read somewhere about a disc brake upgrade for our trucks. Anyone gone through with it? Info is needed. Thanks

 

For a 96?
What sort of an upgrade do you mean? I have Powerslot rotors and Hawk HPS pads but it really isn't that much of an upgrade. Are you looking for upgraded calipers? Rear disc conversions? A full-race Brembo conversion?

 

You have disk brakes on the front axle. If you want rear disks, it's a lot of work & expense for not much benefit.

The best-performing pads & rotors are stock MotorCraft parts. Anything that reduces the contact surface area between them (like holes, slots, dimples) reduces the braking efficiency & life, and INcreases the temperature.

 

Steve, I have to disagree. The stock pads are terrible. They seem to be designed to prolong rotor life rather than to actually stop the truck. I changed from stock pads to PFC "Z" pads and was shocked by how much more quickly they stopped the truck. Unfortunately they were very, very dirty and I decided I wanted something cleaner. I knew Hawk HP+ pads were comparable to the PFC "Z"s but from using them on other vehicles I knew that they are equally dirty. The HPS pads I have on it now are substantially cleaner and work very nearly as well and worlds better than the stock ones.

Slots and holes in the rotor do not reduce braking efficiency. They promote outgassing and cooling and thus improve efficiency. After an initial breaking-in, the slots do not materially reduce pad life. Holes are another matter. They have a "cheese-grater" effect on the pads and chew them up pretty badly. They also create a place for the rotors to begin cracking as they go through thermal cycles. Holes in the rotors are a bit of racecar technology that simply do not translate well to the street

 

FWIW, I will be changing to Wagner TQs on the next pad change. They have done awesome on my 2005, I expect the same results on my 1992.

 

Here you go http://www.tsmmfg.com/2530.htm