New brakes/rotors for 2001 taurus

[volk06]

The new taurus brake pads look pretty thin and shake a bit when I come to a stop. I'm wanting to replace the brake pads and possibly the rotors if needed. Whats a good replacement brake pad and rotor for this car? If I have to replace the rotors how much more of a job is that than just the brake pads? Also, the back has drum brakes? How much of a pain are those to replace? Basically, while im in the wheels I want to do as much PM as I can. I also saw to repack the bearings if I take the rotors off, is this true? I usually use NAPA but lately I havent been hearing good things about them.

I can get the front brakes and rotors changed at the local ford dealership for $315 or $137 w/o rotors. When pricing things out, that seems about right, when you factor in their labor. Is this a case where its better to have the dealer do it for the price?

 

[randomhero439]

Drum brakes are horrible to change compared to standard disc brakes. Drum brakes dont really need to be changed that often. For the fronts, just got some to tier quality orielly or autozone rotors and Wagner ThermoQuiet pads.

 

[volk06]

Too late to edit but if I used their coupon, w/o rotors and just a turn or machining would be $99.97.

 

[exranger06]

Replacing the rotors involves almost no extra labor. You just unbolt the caliper bracket and the rotor just slides right off the wheel studs. Slide new rotor on and reinstall caliper bracket. Done. The bearings are sealed units and can't be repacked. Leave them alone unless they need to be replaced.
The rear brakes can be disc or drum, it just depends on the trim level.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

For 00+ the only ones that got discs in the rear were the wagons. You'll have drums in the back.

I'd take a look at them if it's at 100k. At 75K, the rear pads on mine were still in good shape.

Don't turn the rotors, they're too thin to being with and they'll warp quicker.

 

[SuperDave456]

I just did this on my 2002 Taurus 6 months ago.

The brakes were warped, 2nd time in 3 years it has happened, so I decided to replace both pads and rotors.

I went with pads and rotors from Raybestos, ordered them on Amazon, shipping is free with my Amazon Prime membership. I have been very pleased with them.

All I can say is to buy the highest quality you can for your car. I got mine shipped to my door for about $150.
You save a TON of money doing your own labor!

I haven't touched my rear brakes in quite some time, and yes, drum brakes are tougher to change out.

 

[randomhero439]

Definitely check the rears though. I had a 2000 Dodge Stratus with 150k in high school. My brakes when out. Turns out there was no rear drum shoe left and the pressure from the drum brake cylinder popped out the block piece and the brakes lost all pressure.

 

[volk06]

Is raybestos the some of the best you can buy? for $150 for premium brake pads and rotors, Thats 50% less than the dealer. Is this the route I should go for the front and then use the 99.95 coupon for the rears?

 

[bigjl]

Originally Posted By: SuperDave456
I just did this on my 2002 Taurus 6 months ago.

The brakes were warped, 2nd time in 3 years it has happened, so I decided to replace both pads and rotors.

I went with pads and rotors from Raybestos, ordered them on Amazon, shipping is free with my Amazon Prime membership. I have been very pleased with them.

All I can say is to buy the highest quality you can for your car. I got mine shipped to my door for about $150.
You save a TON of money doing your own labor!

I haven't touched my rear brakes in quite some time, and yes, drum brakes are tougher to change out.


This.......

Buy the best you can afford.

If money is no object I would have Tarox crossdrilled and grooved discs with matching pads.

Bit less money maybe EBC drilled and grooved discs with matching pads.

Little bit less EBC standard discs and the same pads as above(probably Greenstuff).

In my current situation I would go for Pagid discs and pads, if the discs had only a few mm of wear I might chance my arm by just doing my pads.

I always try and avoid any brake parts made outside of the EU if possible. I have never seen American made brake parts in the UK.

I would avoid Chinese though there have been some decent pads Made in India lately called Eicher.

Put Eicher pads on the Pathfinder a month or so ago, seem fine and don't leave much brake dust, actually better in that respect than the Nissan pads I replaced!

 

[mechtech2]

Get the best pads that you can afford.
Rotors? It is a gamble. The cheapest Chinese ones can be very cheap and very good. it is my first choice - new rotors instead of cutting the old ones. Small rotors on newer cars don't have a lot of margin like the old huge parts did.

I see no reason to ever get drilled, siped, grooved, etc. rotors. Noisy, can't be recut readily, expensive, prone to cracking, prone to warping, , have dirt and water reservoirs, etc..
When some very high market cars race on the track, often the stock fancy rotors are ditched for plain ones.

 

[HTSS_TR]

I normally buy both pads and rotors from Amazon, they have very good selection and good price with free ground shipping for order $25 or more. If I buy only pads then Rockauto may have lower total price.

Then either I replace pads myself or take the car to my trusted mechanic and he charges $50 for either replace pads only or replace pads and resurface rotors. I know it is weird, he should charge $30 for pads only and another $20 for turn rotors.

 

[GC4lunch]

Originally Posted By: mechtech2
Get the best pads that you can afford.
Rotors? It is a gamble.
...
I see no reason to ever get drilled, siped, grooved, etc. rotors. Noisy, can't be recut readily, expensive, prone to cracking, .

Agreed on both points. The next time you find yourself seated on the throne, look at the roll of paper hanging next to you, and ask yourself why you ever would want a part of your car that is vital to safety perforated the same way that toilet paper is; drilled rotors fail along the same lines that toilet paper tears. (The very high performance rotors on some racing cars that look drilled actually have the holes cast in; you will not be buying any of those; drilling into an already cast blank imparts stress risers into the rotor.) If you do not want made-in-China rotors, you probably will have to limit your choices to EBC brand rotors.

As for the pads, you cannot do better for stopping ability and controllable modulation in a wide range of weather and road conditions than StopTech Street Performance pads (which are sold through Amazon, among other outlets); the only downside of the Street Performance pads is that they dust somewhat, but the dust is dry and brownish, not the black greasy stuff that some pads give off. The other side of that coin is that pads that hardly dust at all don't stop the car as well either, and tend to be especially weak on cold mornings before they get warmed up.

 

[volk06]

I'm leaning toward wagner thermoquiets and rotors of some sorts

 

[volk06]

Does anyone know which auto part store has the lifetime warranty on the rotors? The wagner thermoquiets are $10 different between the semi-metallic and ceramic. Which would be the best option?

 

[yonyon]

Originally Posted By: volk06
The new taurus brake pads look pretty thin and shake a bit when I come to a stop. I'm wanting to replace the brake pads and possibly the rotors if needed. Whats a good replacement brake pad and rotor for this car? If I have to replace the rotors how much more of a job is that than just the brake pads? Also, the back has drum brakes? How much of a pain are those to replace? Basically, while im in the wheels I want to do as much PM as I can. I also saw to repack the bearings if I take the rotors off, is this true? I usually use NAPA but lately I havent been hearing good things about them.


Unless you have brake adjuster tools made specifically for the Taurus/Sable it is very much a PITA to remove the drum once it's been on there for a year or so. Without vehicle specific tool you can reasonably expect that you will destroy the shoe retainers and the shoes. If you haven't done drum brakes before and are somewhat tenacious you very well may destroy the drums, wheel cylinders, self adjusters, and backing plate. This would all happen before you even get to see what your brakes look like.

 

[volk06]

Originally Posted By: yonyon
Originally Posted By: volk06
The new taurus brake pads look pretty thin and shake a bit when I come to a stop. I'm wanting to replace the brake pads and possibly the rotors if needed. Whats a good replacement brake pad and rotor for this car? If I have to replace the rotors how much more of a job is that than just the brake pads? Also, the back has drum brakes? How much of a pain are those to replace? Basically, while im in the wheels I want to do as much PM as I can. I also saw to repack the bearings if I take the rotors off, is this true? I usually use NAPA but lately I havent been hearing good things about them.


Unless you have brake adjuster tools made specifically for the Taurus/Sable it is very much a PITA to remove the drum once it's been on there for a year or so. Without vehicle specific tool you can reasonably expect that you will destroy the shoe retainers and the shoes. If you haven't done drum brakes before and are somewhat tenacious you very well may destroy the drums, wheel cylinders, self adjusters, and backing plate. This would all happen before you even get to see what your brakes look like.


Yea, I'll only be doing the front brakes. Dealer can mess with the back brakes

 

[The Critic]

Be sure to use a roloc disc or the 3M hub cleaning kit on the hub flange to grind the surface until it is shiny. Otherwise, you're almost guaranteed to have excessive runout, which will lead to pedal pulsation by way of disc thickness variation.

 

[The_Eric]

NAPA Adaptive One pads and NAPA Ultra Premium rotors. Bleed the brakes when you're done to get some fresh fluid in there. Also don't forget to lube the slides.

 

[doitmyself]

Originally Posted By: The Critic
Be sure to use a roloc disc or the 3M hub cleaning kit on the hub flange to grind the surface until it is shiny. Otherwise, you're almost guaranteed to have excessive runout, which will lead to pedal pulsation by way of disc thickness variation.

I put a super thin layer of brake grease on both the hub and rotor hat mount areas to prevent rust build up in our climate.

Anyone else do this and, is this safe??

 

[flacoman]

Yup! good insurance.