2013 Explorer 3.5L FWD Front Brake Option Questions - OEM & EBC

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Location
northern Alabama
2013 Ford Explorer XLT 3.5L Duratec V6 FWD with 110k miles
Looking to replace the front brakes for a friend. Brake pads & rotors were replaced 45k miles ago with something from Brakes for Less. So, going to replace front pads & rotors again but this time with some quality parts as I suspec they used basement level quality items but who knows.

I've settled on either Ford OEM or EBC Brakes.

Ford OEM non-HD brake pads & rotors
OEM pads & rotors = $315 with shipping (online dealership parts)

I assume the vehicle doesn't have HD brakes. However, can Ford HD brakes be used as replacements or does that require other hardware changes? If no extra items required, then thoughts on going this route? What would be the advantage(s)? Price is about the same maybe a few bucks more depending upon which storefront it's ordered from.

DG1Z-2001-FFront brake pad set; w/ HD brakes; w/o painted caliper
EU2Z-2V001-DFront brake pad set, includes spring clip
EB5Z-2001-BFront brake pad set; w/o HD brakes
GB5Z-2001-BFront brake pad set; w/ HD brakes; w/ painted caliper
CB5Z-1125-AFront brake rotors, w/o HD brakes
GG1Z-1125-AFront brake rotors; w/ HD brakes

EBC pads & rotors = $251 from BuyBrakes.com
Kit p/n S1KF1096 includes:
(1) pad set Ultimax2 p/n UD1508 pads
(2) Standard rotors p/n RK7559

EBC pads & rotors -= $285 from BuyBrakes.com
Kit p/n S14KF1236 includes:
(1) pad set Greenstuff 6000 p/n DP61873 pads
(2) Standard rotors p/n RK7559

Per EBC Brakes:
Ultimax2 pads have GG braking coefficient; 7/10 for low dust, 6/10 wear life, & 6/10 low noise
Greenstuff 6000 pads are suited for SUVs with 10-15% better stopping than Ultimax2; 8/10 for low dust, 5/10 for wear life, 9/10 for low noise
 
How is the car used? What driving conditions do the brakes face?

My choice would be OEM rotors and EBC Ultimax2 pads.

The HD brakes have bigger rotors up front (an inch diameter over the standard). The HD is for the police interceptor.
The rear HD rotors are vented, while the civilian rear rotors are solid.
 
It's a typical suburban family of mom, dad, & kids with typical driving of city driving, family trips, etc.
I figured it was for the police interceptor. Standard front rotors are 12.8" diameter.
Owner really wants lower dusting pads. That is the least of my concerns, but not for him which is fine. I take that to mean a lower pad life in exchange for lower dusting while throwing in better stopping would be a good way to go - hence the Greenstuff pads which also appear to be very quiet, always a good thing for folks that don't want to worry about their vehicle.
 
I've never found the Greenstuff to be a good value, usually being priced too close to the ceramic Redstuff pads.

If low dust is important, you want ceramic. Akebono is the gold standard of a good quality low-dust pad for everyday driving. They also have their ASP performance pads which are still low-dust ceramic.

I have experience with the Ultimax/Blackstuff, and they are silent. Dust is similar to OE, though my wheels were so dirty (before using the EBC) that I couldn't accurately judge the dust EBC leaves, since the car already had 250k on it and the wheels couldn't be cleaned! I would use them again.

I have a set of Greenstuff pads that I have yet to install. I got them NOS on eBay. However, since I haven't installed them yet, I can't judge the dust.

Be aware that EBC has changed the Greenstuff formula several times and may not be low-dust anymore.
 
Greenstuff pads are $35 more compared to Ultimax2 pads, in the kit pricing anyway.

Yes, fair point about the Greenstuff formula change as that probably explains why some EBC resellers had different ratings on dust levels. The values in my original post are from EBC's website so should be the most current.

I have used Akebono on several vehicles I own & others that I maintain. I may consider them here as well. Thanks.

I've bought & installed Ultimax2 pads before for a Honda Civic I maintained so have some idea of them but never Greenstuff pads so am also interesting in trying them out.
 
I have used EBC Ultimax2, Greenstuff and Yellowstuff extensively on different applications over the years and in a nutshell, I will say this:

Ultimax2: These are a great set of OE replacement pads for a very fair price. They're non-metallic with R90 approval and low dust. I'm particularly pleased with their initial cold bite and service life. All the sets I have purchased have had GG edge codes, and produced a noticeable difference in braking in comparison to OE pads from tier 1 suppliers in non-performance applications, particularly where highway driving is concerned. I say this because in my neck of the woods, it's very common to come to a complete halt on the freeway due to bottlenecks wherever there is an exit.

Greenstuff: These are a bit pricier than the Ultimax2, and my experience is limited to their 6000 Series. They're made from Kevlar and have a grabbier "bite" compared to the Ultimax2, and while dust is not really an issue, you will notice it slightly more. Although their service life is somewhat similar, they're pretty much a step up from the Ultimax2 in terms of braking performance and a decent upgrade for a little more money.

Yellowstuff: Pricier than both the Ultimax2 and Greenstuff 6000 Series, there is definitely an improvement in braking performance from the get-go. Their cold bite is much more noticeable compared to the other two, but these pads dust considerably. I put about 400 km (250 miles) on a vehicle per week on average, and by the end of the week, the chrome plated aluminum wheels were literally coated in brake dust and turned dark gray. The biggest advantage these pads have, however, is miminal brake fade in high heat conditions and that, IMO, is worth the dusty wheels. They get pulled off once a week for deep cleaning anyway, so it doesn't really bother me all that much. These pads also have a shorter lifespan than the other two. I got roughly 110,000 km (68,750 mi) out of the Ultimax2 and Greenstuff pads, but by 55,000 km (34,375 mi) the Yellowstuff pads had about 25% life left in them.

I would suggest the Greenstuff 6000 Series as an upgrade, but they will dust a bit more than the Ultimax2. If you're just after an improvement over the OE pads, consider the Ultimax2.
 
I looked at not doing an EBC brake kit & using Akebono ProACT pads with the EBC rotors.
They are about the same price as Ford OEM pads before shipping. Ford & EBC rotors are about the same price before shipping. EBC rotors have free shipping but Ford does not, of course.

EBC rotors p/n RK7559 - $215 from BuyBrakes.com
Akebono ProACT pads p/n ACT1508 - $65 from Advance Auto Parts with 20% coupon code 536Z1
Total: $280

So, this wasn't a less expensive option after all. They really discount those brake kits with pads & rotors from the same mfg.
 
I have used EBC Ultimax2, Greenstuff and Yellowstuff extensively on different applications over the years and in a nutshell, I will say this:

Ultimax2: These are a great set of OE replacement pads for a very fair price. They're non-metallic with R90 approval and low dust. I'm particularly pleased with their initial cold bite and service life. All the sets I have purchased have had GG edge codes, and produced a noticeable difference in braking in comparison to OE pads from tier 1 suppliers in non-performance applications, particularly where highway driving is concerned. I say this because in my neck of the woods, it's very common to come to a complete halt on the freeway due to bottlenecks wherever there is an exit.

Greenstuff: These are a bit pricier than the Ultimax2, and my experience is limited to their 6000 Series. They're made from Kevlar and have a grabbier "bite" compared to the Ultimax2, and while dust is not really an issue, you will notice it slightly more. Although their service life is somewhat similar, they're pretty much a step up from the Ultimax2 in terms of braking performance and a decent upgrade for a little more money.

Yellowstuff: Pricier than both the Ultimax2 and Greenstuff 6000 Series, there is definitely an improvement in braking performance from the get-go. Their cold bite is much more noticeable compared to the other two, but these pads dust considerably. I put about 400 km (250 miles) on a vehicle per week on average, and by the end of the week, the chrome plated aluminum wheels were literally coated in brake dust and turned dark gray. The biggest advantage these pads have, however, is miminal brake fade in high heat conditions and that, IMO, is worth the dusty wheels. They get pulled off once a week for deep cleaning anyway, so it doesn't really bother me all that much. These pads also have a shorter lifespan than the other two. I got roughly 110,000 km (68,750 mi) out of the Ultimax2 and Greenstuff pads, but by 55,000 km (34,375 mi) the Yellowstuff pads had about 25% life left in them.

I would suggest the Greenstuff 6000 Series as an upgrade, but they will dust a bit more than the Ultimax2. If you're just after an improvement over the OE pads, consider the Ultimax2.
Any thoughts on the new Greenstuff 6000 formulation? EBC claims that they actually dust less than Ultimax2 now.
 
I wouldn't bother with EBC, unless its 'yellow' as the starting point.

I'd wager that Akebono ASP would be a pretty hard pad to beat at its price point.

Wagner OEX and Raybestos EHT are some options are different price points when compared to ASP.

For rotors, Bosch Quietcast, Raybestos Element3, Wagner SevereDuty.

You'd have to visit the Ford forums to see if the Police package larger rotor/pad combo is an option. On my Toyota/Hyunda/Kia vehicles, the larger rotor/pad option required calipers along with their brackets too, shields, and a matching master cylinder(that many simply ignore). On my VW, the larger rotor required caliper brackets, the bigger rotors... but used the same pad/caliper/mastercylinder.... Think about liability if you mod something for someone.

Here's a big brake upgrade that someone posted online, but didn't mention master cylinder at all. I just don't see it as an affordable option unless the owner wants it done all around, and then addresses the part numbers for the master cylinder differences too.

FRONT
  1. DG1Z1125C x2 13.8" Front Rotors
  2. DG1Z2B121E Caliper Left
  3. DG1Z2B120E Caliper Right
  4. DG1Z2B292A x2 Caliper Brackets
  5. DG1Z2001D Front Brake Pad Kit
  6. DG1Z2K005A Shield Left
  7. DG1Z2K004A Shield Right
  8. EOAZ2149B x2 Gaskets
REAR
  1. DG1Z2C026A x2 Rear Rotors
  2. EG1Z2552A Caliper Left
  3. DG1Z2553F Caliper Right
  4. EG1Z2200B Rear Brake Pad Kit
  5. DG1Z2B511A Bracket Left
  6. DG1Z2B511D Bracket Right
 
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Any thoughts on the new Greenstuff 6000 formulation? EBC claims that they actually dust less than Ultimax2 now.
While I have no personal experience with it just yet, I'm sure it has been improved. The Ultimax2 was certainly a noticeable improvement from the Ultimax pads, and I have yet to purchase anything from EBC that I have not been happy with.
 
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