Having the weirdest problem. I know that the '03 had some brake dust issues, but haven't read about rotor issues. I had my rotors turned 3 x before replacing all 4. That replacement was about 3 months ago. Well, it's starting up again (you know ... the vibration as you step on the brakes). I'm at a loss. Anyone have a suggestion? Experience?

The truck is all stock, 4wd, EB. Nothing special ... 'cept paid for.

 

I bought my 03 last year in April w/ 27K miles. I replaced the brakes and tires. I put about 20K miles on in one year. I noticed recently some vibration in the brakes when applied. Not bad though. Probably needs the rotors turned. 3 months seems awefully short for them to get outa round.

I switeched to ceramic brakes for the front. Very little dust. Good stopping power.

I will be interested in hearing others with this issue.

Oh, I do know one thing. My brake wobble started when my left front tie rod end went bad. I think the wheel wobble messed up the rotor which should now be turned.

Oye. one more thing....

 

Never had rotor warp on the orig rotors but I did have a pad where the material fractured and started grinding away between the other part of the pad and rotor.. The latest chinese rotors I got seem to be fine. fyi

 

I bought my 03 with 28K miles on it and replaced all brakes and rotors and those crummy stock tires. Put ceramics on the front. Very nice. at 52K miles now, there is a slight vibrating probably from the rotors needing to be turned. No biggie though.

Your time frame seems short to me. Maybe try new rotors and ceramic pads.

 

I have an 05 aviator. At 25K miles, the vibration up front was so bad the dealer notated it during a warranty service. THey said it was due to aftermarket tires (yeah, right since they weren't the same factory michelins they are considered aftermarket ) and the aftermarket pads. (them not realizing the stock pads were still in place) I ordered new stock ceramic pads and turned the rotors. They had to be turned 5 passes to cut true. The pads had 60% life left on them.....here I am now at 38K miles, and the damn thing is vibrating like an SOB again. Fords rotors are crap.

 

My Ford dealer told me that my rotors could not be turned. I did not run the pads down to metal, in fact still had room on original pads. They said I had to buy new rotors each time I did the brakes, because the Ford rotors cannot be machined (too thin).

I took it somewhere else (local guy) and he replaced the pads with no problems.

This is on my '04 and had less than 30K miles on it at the time.

 

That was on my '04 Expy with less than 25K on it at the time.

 

There's something going on and the dealer can't explain it. We are now on our 4th set of rotors (3 for 2007). It's just an around the town, wife drivin', kid hauler, saw a gravel driveway once ... that's about it. This last set feels good. The dealer has replaced them at no charge and I think he's getting frustrated. He has now said: "This is the last time I replace them for free. You'll have to buy the next set".
That doesn't sound right to me.

 

There is a reason why many car manufacturers don't recommend turning rotors, it's because when they become too thin, they will warp.

Unfortunately for me, I started to happen shortly after I had a brake job, my original rotors turned, and I went with ceramic pads as well.

Of course my steering started to vibrate under braking, mainly because my rotors were probably too thin even if they were within "spec", and having ceramic pads (semi-metallic was OEM on those rotors), which run hotter than the original pads were a recipe for rotor warpage.

Also, rotors tend to warp because they are operating in temperatures beyond their design (i.e. ceramic pads on OEM rotors), and components of the brake pads get imbedded into the rotors and creates a "bump" which can also cause annoying brake vibrations.