How do I know if my Explorer has heavy duty brakes?
If you own a Ford Explorer, you may be wondering whether your vehicle is equipped with heavy duty brakes. Heavy duty brakes are designed to provide enhanced stopping power and durability, making them a valuable feature for certain driving conditions or towing needs. In this article, we'll explore the key signs to look for to determine if your Explorer has heavy duty brakes.
Identifying Heavy Duty Brakes
To know if your Ford Explorer has heavy duty brakes, you'll need to look for the following indicators:
- Brake Rotor Size: Heavy duty brakes typically feature larger brake rotors, often measuring 12 inches or more in diameter. You can visually inspect the size of the rotors or check your vehicle's specifications to confirm the rotor size.
- Brake Caliper Size: Heavy duty brake systems use larger brake calipers to accommodate the bigger rotors. Calipers on heavy duty brakes are usually 4-piston or 6-piston designs, compared to the more common 2-piston calipers found on standard brakes.
- Brake Pad Thickness: Heavy duty brake pads are thicker and designed to withstand more wear and tear than standard pads. Inspect the thickness of your brake pads to see if they appear beefier than typical pads.
- Brake Fluid Type: Vehicles with heavy duty brakes often use a higher-performance brake fluid, such as DOT 5.1 or DOT 4, to handle the increased heat and pressure generated by the larger braking components.
If your Ford Explorer meets these criteria, it's likely equipped with heavy duty brakes. Keep in mind that some Explorer models, particularly those designed for towing or off-road use, may come standard with heavy duty brakes, while others may have them as an optional upgrade.
Importance of Heavy Duty Brakes
Heavy duty brakes offer several benefits for Ford Explorer owners, including:
- Improved Stopping Power: The larger brake components provide more surface area and clamping force, allowing for shorter stopping distances and better control of the vehicle, especially when towing heavy loads or driving in demanding conditions.
- Enhanced Durability: Heavy duty brakes are designed to withstand more wear and tear, reducing the frequency of brake pad and rotor replacements and providing a longer service life.
- Increased Towing Capacity: Vehicles with heavy duty brakes are often rated for higher towing capacities, making them better suited for hauling trailers, boats, or other heavy equipment.
If you frequently tow heavy loads, drive in mountainous terrain, or engage in off-road activities, having heavy duty brakes on your Ford Explorer can be a valuable asset, providing you with increased safety, control, and peace of mind on the road.
How do I know if I have mechanical or hydraulic disc brakes?
Hydraulic disc brakes don't have a cable they operate by compressing fluid. If you squeeze the hydraulic brake lever you will only be able to see the pads. Moving not the caliper.
How do I know if I have heavy-duty brakes?
Maybe the easiest way to tell without pulling up your build sheet is to look at the rear rotors. HD brakes are vented both front and back while non-HD brakes will have a solid rear rotor. HD brakes are also larger in the front (350 mm vs 330 mm) but that's harder to see without having both next to each other.
What size rotors are on a Ford Explorer?
The front rotors are sized 325mm (standard) and 352mm (heavy duty & police). For the rear rotors, the 325mm (standard) and 352 (heavy duty) are the most common, but some years and models use 330mm or 345mm. The Sport and Limited and Tow, Package equipped (e.g. a Base with FACTORY tow) use the 352mm front and 352 rear.
What is considered heavy braking?
WHAT IS HARSH BRAKING? Harsh or hard braking occurs when a driver uses more force than necessary to stop a vehicle. This action can indicate distracted or aggressive driving which leads to increased tire wear, a variety of maintenance issues, and sometimes, costly insurance claims.
How do I tell what type of brakes I have?
How to tell whether your brakes are drum or disc. To double-check, look through one of the holes in the top of your front wheel. If you see a shiny smooth metal surface, that is your disc rotor. However, if you see a rusty and not smooth round surface, that's your brake drum.
How do I tell if my 2013 Ford Explorer has heavy-duty brakes?
Visual Inspection: Physically inspect the brake components if possible. Heavy-duty brakes may have thicker brake pads, larger calipers, and heavier-duty brake lines compared to standard brakes. If you're unsure, consult a qualified mechanic or contact your vehicle manufacturer for assistance.
What are the different grades of brakes?
Basically, there are four different grades of brake pads on the world markets – 1) semi-metallics, 2) organics, 3) ceramics, and the newest of all types – 4) NAO Ceramic enhanced formulations. The lowest cost materials to blend where steel fibers constitute half or more of the brake pad volume.
Which type of brakes do most heavy duty vehicles have?
Most heavy-duty vehicles use dual air brake systems for safety. A dual air brake system has 2 separate air brake systems, which use a single set of brake controls. Each system has its own air tanks, hoses, lines, etc. One system typically operates the regular brakes on the rear axle or axles.
Where is rotor size stamped?
Sizes Stamped on Rotor
If the rotor has not been worn down too much, you will be able to see the size stamped right on the rotor itself. It will be in millimeters and usually on the wheel side of the rotor.
Will the VIN number tell me the brake rotor size?
A vehicles rotor size is not identified in the vehicle VIN. I recommend you contact an auto parts store, provide them the year, make, and model of the vehicle and they will be able to provide you the rotor size.
