Rear Rotors Warping Due to Parking Brake Applied on Hot Rotors/Pads?

[Morgangwc]

I just changed out my rear brake pads and rotors at 40k miles because I was getting a heavy, fast pulse from the rear when braking from over 45mph on downhills. The pads still had more material than the backing plate so it seemed like they should have gone quite a bit longer. I also noticed the inner brake pads were worn 1-2mm more than the outer pads, not sure if this matters or not I just noticed it.

I live in a very hilly area and to get to my house I have to use my brakes hard on a long, fast downhill turnoff, then park fairly soon after and need to use my parking brake.

With how the parking brake is designed to engage the pads on the rotor (as in there is no secondary set of brake pads for the parking/emergency brake), could putting the parking brake on when the rotors and pads are really hot cause warping? From what I understand uneven heating/cooling causes warping usually right?

Thanks for the help!

Hi, On my 2020 I had to replace my rear pads and rotors at 30k miles. The dealer said not covered by B2B cost me $1,180.00 . At 75k I had to replace front rotors and pads even though I ask them at 40k and 60k 70k miles how they were. It sounds to me like they knew there was an issue. I've never heard of rears going before fronts it didn't make sense at the time.

Sponsored

 

[P. A. Schilke]

Hi, On my 2020 I had to replace my rear pads and rotors at 30k miles. The dealer said not covered by B2B cost me $1,180.00 . At 75k I had to replace front rotors and pads even though I ask them at 40k and 60k 70k miles how they were. It sounds to me like they knew there was an issue. I've never heard of rears going before fronts it didn't make sense at the time.

Morgan,

I just read another post of yours about your 2023....sorry but this seems to be something that a Taco Troll would post... Please submit your 2020 dealer repair tickets...

With your poor luck with Rangers....sell your 2023 and purchase a Jeep or Colorado is my recommendation.

Phil

 

[Wytchdctr]

Hi, On my 2020 I had to replace my rear pads and rotors at 30k miles. The dealer said not covered by B2B cost me $1,180.00 . At 75k I had to replace front rotors and pads even though I ask them at 40k and 60k 70k miles how they were. It sounds to me like they knew there was an issue. I've never heard of rears going before fronts it didn't make sense at the time.

$1200 for just the rear pads and rotors? Did the service manager at your dealership drive off in a Ferrari?

 

[UtahShooting]

I used mid priced powerstop rotors and pads from rockauto

My 2019 with 56,000 miles has some shudder that feels like rear rotors/brakes. What are you all using for new rotors and pads on the rear? For that matter, what are you using on the front?

Anything worth noting on rear rotor removal on these? I've done a Titan and F250 rotors and pads before.

 

[mang5927]

My 2019 with 56,000 miles has some shudder that feels like rear rotors/brakes. What are you all using for new rotors and pads on the rear? For that matter, what are you using on the front?

Anything worth noting on rear rotor removal on these? I've done a Titan and F250 rotors and pads before.

One of the easier brake jobs for me. You don't need to disconnect the parking brake cable, in fact the cable housing was a convenient way to hold up the caliper while swapping the rotors.
The pistons are screw type so you will need the tool to compress them. Rear left is counterclockwise, rear right is clockwise.

Other than that a few dead blow hits to knock the rotor loose.

 

[Morgangwc]

Morgan,

I just read another post of yours about your 2023....sorry but this seems to be something that a Taco Troll would post... Please submit your 2020 dealer repair tickets...

With your poor luck with Rangers....sell your 2023 and purchase a Jeep or Colorado is my recommendation.

Phil

Hi Phil, not sure what a "taco troll" is. But A) I don't want a Jeep I've had a few but not really interested in having a FIAT. B) My 2020 Ranger was great for 100k miles (in 2y8m thats alot of driving), the brake thing was strange. I'm in the truck 8-9 hours a day, it's my office and how I make my living. So I just had them fix it and moved on. Post my ticket? I traded my 2020 in for my 2023 because my transmission no longer would shift between 6-8 and sometimes between 1-3. I gave my owners manual and paperwork and extra key with the trade but I bet I can find something. I'm not giving or saying Ranger is a bad truck just my 2023 might be a lemon, it happens. My service adviser at Walnut Creek Ford says the same thing. But sure let me take some photos I'll post them.

 

[9zero1790]

so we have had issues in the past with toyota tacoma for life fans come to this forum and try to stir up arguments etc. so now many of us are skeptical and sort of suspect folks that seem to have lots of problems or complaints. Turd refers to TRD or toyota racing development . Toycoma , trollcoma, fanboys etc. are just us being anti toyota drama. the TRD crowd seems to think that the taco was passed from the heavens and landed at the local toyota dealer and no other mid size truck capable of anything at all exists. so dont take it as us being jerks, or that you are not welcome. some of us are jerks ? but we are easy to ignore.

 

[Wytchdctr]

Thought about this post today when I had to throw the spare on thanks to a flat. Snapped some pictures as it got dark when the normal tire was going back on.

Just hit 27k miles. I cause the TC light to come on from time to time. Looks like plenty of pad left and no rotor wobbling going on yet.

I wonder why some are going so freaking soon? Doing more things to get the TC to use the rear more than I do. Tuned but don't exactly drive it flat out often.

wow those seem big; sorry about that.

 

[9zero1790]

ive read a few folks say that maybe the trail control or goat mode or whatever its called on the tremor and fx4 trucks is whats eating up the rear brake parts. in my case that may be the culprit. im off road a lot and love using the electronic witchcraft instead of having to always have a foot on or near one of the pedals.

 

[Wytchdctr]

ive read a few folks say that maybe the trail control or goat mode or whatever its called on the tremor and fx4 trucks is whats eating up the rear brake parts. in my case that may be the culprit. im off road a lot and love using the electronic witchcraft instead of having to always have a foot on or near one of the pedals.

That would make sense in my case; 2wd with no such gizmos or off-roading.

 

[t4thfavor]

ive read a few folks say that maybe the trail control or goat mode or whatever its called on the tremor and fx4 trucks is whats eating up the rear brake parts. in my case that may be the culprit. im off road a lot and love using the electronic witchcraft instead of having to always have a foot on or near one of the pedals.

OG owner here, I've had my 2019 since Feb 4th, 2019. My offroad use is very limited, I don't hardly ever use the trail control, and when I am in 4x4 it's in "Ice and snow" mode (FX4). I have 64K miles, and have had my rear brakes replaced about 10 times under warranty. After the last time, I just dealt with the warped rotors for about 10-15K miles before replacing them myself with BrakeBest (literally the only ones I could find in stock at the time I needed them) rotors (Motorcraft are national backorder for what seems like forever). I replaced all four corners with the same pads and rotors. I can say that the front rotors could have been saved and turned, but the rears were absolutely done for. the pads were just getting into the wear bars, but the rotors were scored, and rough looking throughout the entire braking surface.

About 3k miles after changing to the aftermarket pads and rotors, they all look great, and they haven't begun to score or get dull and discolored like the OEM ones did after maybe 500-1000 miles.

Ford refused to buy my truck back without me suing them, so needing the truck I paid $46K for and not being able to drop it off at the dealership 1 hour away for a few days every other week I decided to just live with the terrible brake pulsing and see what happened when I went aftermarket. It "Seems" to be OK now, but since Covid I don't drive the same 108 daily miles I used to.

 

[9zero1790]

mines back at mechanic shop today for rear brakes grabbing, hanging, and feeling like warped rotors.

 

[maxbottomtime]

interesting - i've noticed a shudder from the rear on mine in the last 10K miles or so. at 40 now. Most noticeable after the rotors warm a bit (I expend they are expanding from heat). I'm a soft braker (i.e. I coast a lot, plan ahead, etc.), so a bit disappointing. Dealer mentioned they'd think I need rear soon at my last included oil change. I'll do em myself soon enough.


I use the parking brake at times, but in flat country. use TM maybe 20 times a year? Not a serious weekend crawler.

 

[JJG]

I just replaced my rear rotors at 30k due to the vibration when braking. Plenty of pad left, and wear was even on inboard and outboard pads for both sides. I also had new pads put on the front as well since Ford offers lifetime pads, I wanted them all new so they were all equal life. Not sure why the rears warped, I just couldn't stand the vibration anymore. Parking brake was fine and not dragging. Dealer was surprised because everything looked new and had even wear at all corners.
Only thing I can think of that caused it was a severe panic stop I had about 10 months ago when a car pulled out on a country road while I was doing 45 or so. I hit the hooks pretty hard, and it seems ever since then this problem came about. Rotors were cold at the time since we were only about a mile from our camper. Probably had around 26k on the clock at that time. No brake vibration issues before that event. Still baffles me why the rears took the hit and not the fronts?

 

[9zero1790]

OG owner here, I've had my 2019 since Feb 4th, 2019. My offroad use is very limited, I don't hardly ever use the trail control, and when I am in 4x4 it's in "Ice and snow" mode (FX4). I have 64K miles, and have had my rear brakes replaced about 10 times under warranty. After the last time, I just dealt with the warped rotors for about 10-15K miles before replacing them myself with BrakeBest (literally the only ones I could find in stock at the time I needed them) rotors (Motorcraft are national backorder for what seems like forever). I replaced all four corners with the same pads and rotors. I can say that the front rotors could have been saved and turned, but the rears were absolutely done for. the pads were just getting into the wear bars, but the rotors were scored, and rough looking throughout the entire braking surface.

About 3k miles after changing to the aftermarket pads and rotors, they all look great, and they haven't begun to score or get dull and discolored like the OEM ones did after maybe 500-1000 miles.

Ford refused to buy my truck back without me suing them, so needing the truck I paid $46K for and not being able to drop it off at the dealership 1 hour away for a few days every other week I decided to just live with the terrible brake pulsing and see what happened when I went aftermarket. It "Seems" to be OK now, but since Covid I don't drive the same 108 daily miles I used to.

i figured it was my "driving" that was hurting my brakes. sounds like the issue is not me or the off road systems fault at all.

Sponsored