Pad and rotor recommendations

[Justin33]

I stayed away from drilled because some brands would crack at the holes. This was many years ago ,and I believe it has been corrected by chamfering the holes.

However old habits die hard , I’m in flat land and don’t tow often anymore .
So the slotted are supposed to help expell gases and dirt/dust.
There’s a lot of different brands to choose from , is one better than the next ? Idk.
Price at the time may ave influenced the decision.

Right but you said Wagner and they are a legit rotor either way time to upgrade and flush have a 15 at 58k

 

[RamDiver]

You sly dog you…side note living in the northeast have any of you jsut gone the plain faced rotors as these are going to get demolished from salt.

There's not much point of repeating what's already been covered, but if you want to hear it again, I can say I've used Wagner OEX pads.

They did produce less dust and provided better stopping power than the OE pads on my former Tundra. The OE brakes on the Tundra sucked.

The drilled PowerStop kit I installed on the Tundra was excellent, but I waited and bought it on sale. I don't know if PowerStop runs promotions like they did years ago.

I bought a full kit with braided steel lines.  The kit installation did make a marked improvement on my Tundra.

I did learn to never use grooved or drilled rotors on a truck that isn't a daily driver.
I had a company truck and only used my truck on some evenings and weekends.

I believe the grooves collected moisture and caused excessive premature rust buildup.

I live in Ontario, road chemical capital of Canadastan. Then again, I was laid-off by my employer of 33 years and had just replaced the GFs car which had just less than half the gas consumption.

My gas-guzzling Tundra didn't get driven enough after that, which is likely why it had a rust problem with the drilled/slotted Powerstop rotors.


And, I thought the DOT fluid article was very informative and had good information on which fluids were compatible to blend or not and were not compatible with ABS brakes.

.

 

[dhulsey779]

Powerstop rotors and pads, hands down the best.
I agree and stay away from slotted and drilled.

 

[EdGs]

On my '15, I had a slide pin hang up, pad wore uneven and the backing plate contacted the rotor. Front passenger inboard pad.

I used Wagner rotors and Wagner Thermoquiet semi-metallic pads. Haven't used the OEX ceramic pads, but heard alot of good things about them, same with the Powerstop Z36 kits.

Just make sure the calipes are in good shape, clean and lube the slide pins, and if due, replace fluid as well.

Good luck.

 

[diymirage]

Powerstop rotors and pads, hands down the best.
I agree and stay away from slotted and drilled.

Funny story about those powerstops...
I put a set on my truck a month or two ago
Something when wrong and occasionally when I would push (push is somewhere in between tap and hit) the passenger front would lock up and pull the truck off on the shoulder

When I finally tore it appart it turned out there was a ridge on the drivers side pistons and they would hang up on there, simply not engaging

So it felt like one side was locking up, but it was only using that side and still topping that truck on a dime

 

[Rambo71]

Hey guys so so have a 15 ram with a four inch lift. I’m pretty sure the front and back breaks have had at least one change since I’ve owned the truck. Recently this summer after a trip to Conway NH, I started hearing a squeal or that spur of sound with light breaking. I tried pushing on the dust covers today thinking maybe something was rubbing or caught but still hear it with light breaking. Could be the pads at wear fab so maybe it’s time I upgrade at least the fronts for now as the truck is lifted with a bigger tire. Any recommendations as I was originally going to go Powerstop all corners but probably not smart to spend that when I have the rockers starting to rust. Need recommendations on pads and rotors…have read some posts with z36 and plain pads working for people?

Z36 upgrade is legit. You wont regret it. DO replace the rear caliper slide pin bolts, they stretch when torqued properly, do not re-use them.

 

[jservay]

I bought Detroit Axle slotted rotors and pads from American Trucks and haven't had any issues with them with trailing loads or normal driving. They stop great and they don't leave metallic particles on the wheels or body like the previouspads/rotors from Advanced Auto Parts.

 

[MAULEMALL]

Power Stop. Did mine 1.5 years ago and am so glad I did.
Discs and pads. Follow the break in procedures.

 

[Tominator223]

PowerStop seem pretty good . You can get coated rotors they may hold up a lil better in salted area. Also don’t mix brake fluid type’s. I heard a guy mixed 3 & 5 and it turned to gel. Bed them proper. Should be ok. One side has more wear , caliper slides not sliding correctly

 

[Replacement]

I had powerstop on an F150 and they were great for about 15000 miles. The kit came with the slotted and drilled rotors. The rotors ended up warping and the pads on all 4 corners cracked. Yes i followed the bedding procedure.

I ended up replacing them with some centric rotors and akebono ProAct ultra premium ceramic. This setup was far and away a better than the powerstop. Great braking, no dust, no fade...

As always, you mileage may vary, just sharing my experience.

 

[Bighorn_Brown]

Mine are the Powerstop Z36 on my truck as I pulled a boat. Best aftermarket brake kit I ever had on a truck.

Autozone and such places, their rotors warp and pads sux.

While PowerStops are good brakes I will have to disagree with the AutoZone rotors and pads comment.

I say this because of experience with Ford OEM brake parts used to repair both 2004 and 2016 Expedition’s. Had the rotors warp after changing in I call too short of a lifecycle.

So, researched different options; PowerStop being one of them. Ended up going with AutoZone carbon ceramic instead. For a few reasons… price, reviews, lifetime warranty, and easy same day replacement near my home.

With the new pads and rotors the truck experienced much less brake dust on the wheels. AND… they lasted my from 2021, until I traded it in 2024 with no warping issues.

Had an argument I guess you can say with an ignorant Raptor owner on their forum (the Raptor boys are more about power mods than the Expedition forum). He tried to tell me there is no such thing as carbon ceramic brakes. Well, they exist and work very well.

Not only did I have no mechanical issues with them, but had no adverse effects on stopping when pulling my utility trailer, pulling my car trailer with a Buick Encore loaded on it from Huntsville to Arizona, or pulling my RV at approximately 4.5k-5k loaded.

FYI… should you decide to go this route be sure to get the rotors and pads as a carbon ceramic set. Don’t mix semi metallic and carbon ceramic. They are not designed to be used together.

 

[04fxdwgi]

Was just providing my experiences with the local big box store brake components. Never lasted more than a year on my F150.

 

[Cableman]

Wagner oex gets my vote, and order from rock auto, think i paid just over 300. They have ceramic pads or semi metallic, i used ceramic.

 

[Spree]

I went with the power stop Z36, defiantly an improvement, stock rotors.

 

[Justin33]

I need to do this as well going to do the fronts first and obviously should do a fluid change.

 

[Shawn Burns]

I am another voter for PowerStop and z36 pads. I have the drilled and slotted rotors and I live in the Northeast. The rotors still look new after about 5 years of use and a lot of towing.

 

[aventur1]

^^^ THIS!!! (Highly Recommend)

Fantastic kit and it comes with new hardware as well.
Follow their bedding/seasoning instructions, too. Very important process to do, especially with these brakes.

Also recommend to do a thorough brake fluid flush & fill with a higher quality DOT4 or DOT5.1 brake fluid, too!
This is something that is quite often overlooked when doing brakes, especially on older vehicles.
The brake fluid is only good for so long

2007 Ram 3500 single back tire. I just got the et front and back brake pads, Z36. Now for the rotors, I'm having a tough time finding the rear rotors? A lot just say front, o there for a dually. Is Detroit Axle rotors any good? Summit has front rotors but no back ones. any ideas and a budget of about $120.00 a piece..

 

[CanuckRam1313]

2007 Ram 3500 single back tire. I just got the et front and back brake pads, Z36. Now for the rotors, I'm having a tough time finding the rear rotors? A lot just say front, o there for a dually. Is Detroit Axle rotors any good? Summit has front rotors but no back ones. any ideas and a budget of about $120.00 a piece..

The best quality front and rear brake rotors for a 2007 Ram 3500 in the USA include PowerStop Z36 Extreme Truck & Tow, Brake Performance Drilled & Slotted, and Raybestos, noted for superior towing performance, heat dissipation, and longevity. These premium options prevent warping—a common issue for this heavy-duty truck—using zinc-plated steel and superior alloys.
Top Recommended Brake Rotors for 2007 Ram 3500

• Best for Towing/Heavy Use: PowerStop Z36 Extreme Truck and Tow Brake Kit (Rotors + Pads). These are drilled, slotted, and zinc-plated to keep brakes cool, reduce rust, and prevent warping under heavy loads.
• Best for Durability & Performance: Brake Performance Dimpled & Slotted Rotors. These are made of high-quality cast iron, precision-machined in the USA, and offer a lifetime warranty against warping.
• Best Premium Alternatives: Raybestos or EBC rotors offer durable and consistent braking for daily driving and heavy loads.

Key Considerations

• Rotor Type: For a 2007 Ram 3500, drilled and slotted rotors are highly recommended to dissipate heat and prevent brake fade, especially if towing, as standard solid rotors may warp quickly, explains this YouTube video.
• Coating: Zinc-plated or coated rotors (e.g., from Brake Performance) are vital to resist corrosion from road salt and rust.
• Quality Standard: Look for rotors that meet or exceed G3500/ISO9002 casting specifications for heavy-duty applications.

For the best performance, it is highly recommended to replace both front and rear rotors along with heavy-duty brake pads simultaneously.

PowerStop Z36 Truck & Tow rear brake kits, as well as other brake kits for the Ram 3500 are available through retailers like AmericanTrucks and BuyBrakes

 

[papaadams]

Just wanted to say thank you to all you guys for your inputs.
I needed to replaced my rear pads after 66k miles; think it associated with towing a travel trailer.
I bought the powerstop rotor and ceramic pads. Did the replacement job yesterday, they feel good. I still need to flush the brake fluid but that’s for another day.