Poor brakes compared to standard F-150

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Nick@Apollo-Optics

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The brakes have been an issue for quite a few folks. As far as speaking with your dealer, there's not much they'll do. Unfortunately, the factory brakes are weak.

If you'd like to explore upgraded options, we're happy to help!
 

jaz13

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This is such fanboy ******** it’s pathetic the stock raptor brakes are cheap garbage period. They are not meant to be this way by design Ford cheaped out. They cut some corners on brakes and rear leafs.

Ford Performance Vehicles should come with real “performance” brakes.


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Curious, how many miles do you have off-road?

I spend lots of time on the trails and wouldn't change the brakes because they work great at what they were designed for. The "sponginess" makes it easy scrubb speed on loose terrain without locking up. Starbuck's parking lots are paved and is why you don't understand what I'm talking about.
 

Raptorguy1

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I’m on my third Raptor and been driving ford trucks since the 80’s. Trust me when I say these 18 brakes suck. I have already been close to crashing into the vehicle in front of me three times. As soon as I can I’m getting the Alcons from nick from Apollo Optiks.


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Some of the reviewers also point out lack of confidence in braking feel. One reviewer said it was a truck that required deliberate inputs and you need to be aware of that. I find the pedal a bit soft, but I'm used to driving big 50-60 year old cars that had state of the art braking then, but are scary be today's standards. You get used to it and drive accordingly.
 

FordPerf Addict

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Any way to improve the brakes without spending $6,000 on a big brake kit? There’s gotta be an option that isn’t ridiculously Priced. I’m not sure exactly how and what makes better brakes more money, but can’t there be a better pad and rotor combo of the stock size that do a better job?


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jabroni619

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Any way to improve the brakes without spending $6,000 on a big brake kit? There’s gotta be an option that isn’t ridiculously Priced. I’m not sure exactly how and what makes better brakes more money, but can’t there be a better pad and rotor combo of the stock size that do a better job?


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You can replace the rubber brake lines with steel beaded ones and use a softer compound pad if one is even available. Though your pads will wear faster and you’ll get more brake dust on the rims between washes.

Not sure what “what makes better brakes more money” means. In my handful of decades of being a consumer, almost everything that is “better” costs more money.
 

FordPerf Addict

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You can replace the rubber brake lines with steel beaded ones and use a softer compound pad if one is even available. Though your pads will wear faster and you’ll get more brake dust on the rims between washes.



Not sure what “what makes better brakes more money” means. In my handful of decades of being a consumer, almost everything that is “better” costs more money.



What I mean is what makes the oversized brake kit so crazily priced ? and also, I’m shocked you can’t get a stock sized rotor or combo for $1,000 that’s substantially better then stock.

And I have no idea the specs of brakes and what makes them better or worse, and that was also my part of the question. Is it strictly rotor size? Or is it pad material, rotor construction, brand, pad size, does it have anything to do with brake lines, the material and how they are set up ? slotted rotors ect ect


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jabroni619

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What I mean is what makes the oversized brake kit so crazily priced ? and also, I’m shocked you can’t get a stock sized rotor or combo for $1,000 that’s substantially better then stock.

And I have no idea the specs of brakes and what makes them better or worse, and that was also my part of the question. Is it strictly rotor size? Or is it pad material, rotor construction, brand, pad size, does it have anything to do with brake lines, the material and how they are set up ? slotted rotors ect ect


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Because the BBK isn't just pads and rotors. It's also the caliper which is the most expensive part. The drilled rotors themselves vary in cost depending on materials and how the holes were made. If they were molded in vs drilled after the fact. Then there's the fact that it's a completely unnecessary item, so people who insist on an upgrade are willing to pay for it, so it's priced accordingly.
 

BajaFred

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The drilled rotors themselves vary in cost depending on materials and how the holes were made. If they were molded in vs drilled after the fact. Then there's the fact that it's a completely unnecessary item, so people who insist on an upgrade are willing to pay for it, so it's priced accordingly.

Just an FYI - there are no (in widestream or even average consumer use) drilled rotors made via mold - all are drilled after the fact.

If anyone tells you it is molded, ask for photos and videos of the rotors being manufactured. You’ll get crickets.
 

jabroni619

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Just an FYI - there are no (in widestream or even average consumer use) drilled rotors made via mold - all are drilled after the fact.

If anyone tells you it is molded, ask for photos and videos of the rotors being manufactured. You’ll get crickets.

It's been a while since I've done a BBK on any vehicle I've owned, but from my memory, you are correct. The talk back when I was researching this years ago was that companies like AMG use pre-molded disks, but I cant say how accurate that is. I'm personally not a fan of drilled rotors as they have a tendency to form cracks. I'd rather have slotted or nothing at all.
 

rtmozingo

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As pointed out in this thread, Ford knows how to make brakes because they do it in the standard F-150 as well as high performance cara like GT350R.

The Raptor's brakes are "mushy" by design because that gives the driver better braking modulation in low traction environments, ie offroad. In case you hadn't noticed, the suspension is also softer than the stock F-150 because it helps off-road.

Ford built the best off-road truck you can get from the factory and that includes the brakes. People who don't like the way it handles on the street shoud look at the Platinum with the new HO engine. That will have much better street maners.

Glad you said this. It is like the owners that complain about the Gen 1's offroad mode or the Gen 2's baja mode linear throttle - it gives you lots of modulation, exactly what you want. Using a throttle adjuster such as a Pedal Commander just mucks that up. Same for the brakes. They shut down good when you want them too.
 
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