Diameter of front-brake rotors

[jeffreybehr]

Based on specs here... http://www.theautochannel.com/news/2006/01/13/207380.html ...I conclude that the AWD models have larger front rotors than the FWD models. My AWD's are c. 12.5" diameter; I wonder how large the FWD's are.

[Smiley]

Based on specs here... http://www.theautochannel.com/news/2006/01/13/207380.html ...I conclude that the AWD models have larger front rotors than the FWD models. My AWD's are c. 12.5" diameter; I wonder how large the FWD's are.

You seem to be in the know on all things Brakes. Can I after my brakes wear out have my dealer up-grade the rotors and calipers to a size larger, like the AWD ones if its true that these are larger then for the FWD version. Any advise thanks.

[jeffreybehr]

"You seem to be in the know on all things Brakes." Ahem...thx; I just pay attention and have improved brake systems on a couple vehicles.

 

I suspect that: 1. You wouldn't notice any difference in pad or rotor life between the FWD and the AWD rotors, and 2. It'll cost a proverbial arm-and-leg to buy and have those parts installed at a Ford dealership.

 

Probably the AWD rotors are maybe a quarter-inch larger than the FWD versions. I suspect that LOTS-larger rotors, such as maybe 14"ers, would indeed make a difference in performance and pad and rotor life. My Porsche Cayenne Turbo has what was once the largest brakes on any production SUV, 13.8" fronts and 13" rears...

 

Those are 20" wheels and the rotors still look fairly large.

 

The best brake pads I've ever used on a vehicle are Porterfield's R-4 carbon/kevlar stuff... http://www.porterfield-brakes.com/pads.html

 

I started using the R-4 pads in the early '90s on the front of an '87 Mustang that was equipped with a Corvette-based 12" front-brake system from Baer Brakes. The R-4 worked so well I bought it for the rears, too*. The R-4 pads have high friction cold AND hot, are very low in dust, don't squeel, and last a long time. I've since used R-4s on a '99 Jeep Grand Cherokee and the Cayenne. They're the overall-best that money can buy, IMO, and worth every penny of their premium price. You might contact them. BTW I have NO interest in Porterfield other than as a customer. Hal Baer of Baer Brakes is a friend, and I'm hoping he'll come up with an affordable 14"-rotor system for the Edge. However his development efforts are very backlogged, so if it happens, it may not be for a year or 2.

 

 

* I installed a Ford Motorcraft 11"-rotor system on the rear.

Edited August 26, 2007 by jeffreybehr

[akirby]

I had good luck with the Porterfields on my Lincoln LS, although they tend to squeal and aren't that great when they're cold.

 

Unless you're doing a full big brake kit with larger calipers you won't get any performance improvement with new rotors. If it's just for looks then you just have to make sure the wheels fit over the new rotors and it will also require a caliper or caliper mount change to adjust for the larger size.

 

Unless you're running 22's I don't see the need for bigger rotors.

[Larryw1]

Based on specs here... http://www.theautochannel.com/news/2006/01/13/207380.html ...I conclude that the AWD models have larger front rotors than the FWD models. My AWD's are c. 12.5" diameter; I wonder how large the FWD's are.

 

 

FWD 295 mm

AWD 320 mm = 12.59 etc "

Conversion chart

http://sixmm.com/tech/cvtcht.htm

[jeffreybehr]

Thx, Larry--I didn't know the particulars.

[DUCKRACER]

You seem to be in the know on all things Brakes. Can I after my brakes wear out have my dealer up-grade the rotors and calipers to a size larger, like the AWD ones if its true that these are larger then for the FWD version. Any advise thanks.

 

I bet that BREMBO makes some rotors/calipers that will do the trick.

[NYEdge]

I bet that BREMBO makes some rotors/calipers that will do the trick.

 

I've been looking for after-market "high performance" brake calipers and rotors (preferably larger rotors).

I haven't been able to find anything.

[SMACKyaONdaFACE]

In Canada when you order you EGDE with the 20" wheel upgrade package which is $800 more on the bill, it includes a 17" brake upgrade as well.

It's what I was told when I bought mine, and also it's advertized on the website when you build and price an EDGE AWD LIMITED with the 20" wheel package.

Check it out:

 

http://ford.ca/app/fo/en/suvs_crossovers/edge.do

 

That's why I opted to order my EDGE with the wheel upgrade. It's a heck of a lot cheaper to spend the $800 then, than to go hunting for aftermarket parts and spend an arm and a leg on parts and labour....not to mention you still have to upgrade rims to be able to fit such a large rotor and caliper.

 

I have to say though, the upgraded brakes make a world of difference. The brake response is much better than the EDGE (with standard size brakes and 18inch wheels) that I test drove before buying mine. It gives you that BMW brake feel... I would totally recommended to anyone. EVen the calipers are much larger than teh 18inch loaded EDGE.

[bbf2530]

In Canada when you order you EGDE with the 20" wheel upgrade package which is $800 more on the bill, it includes a 17" brake upgrade as well.

It's what I was told when I bought mine, and also it's advertized on the website when you build and price an EDGE AWD LIMITED with the 20" wheel package.

Check it out:

 

http://ford.ca/app/fo/en/suvs_crossovers/edge.do

 

That's why I opted to order my EDGE with the wheel upgrade. It's a heck of a lot cheaper to spend the $800 then, than to go hunting for aftermarket parts and spend an arm and a leg on parts and labour....not to mention you still have to upgrade rims to be able to fit such a large rotor and caliper.

 

I have to say though, the upgraded brakes make a world of difference. The brake response is much better than the EDGE (with standard size brakes and 18inch wheels) that I test drove before buying mine. It gives you that BMW brake feel... I would totally recommended to anyone. EVen the calipers are much larger than teh 18inch loaded EDGE.

 

Hi Smackya. :D Unfortunately, that information is incorrect. No passenger car, not even high performance cars like Corvettes, Ferrari's and Lamborghinis, have 17" brakes (rotors). They all top out at somewhere near 15".

 

Actually, we have answered this question before. For some reason, when they quote brake specifications in Canada they quote the minimum wheel diameter needed to clear the rotors and calipers. That is deceiving, as the brake rotors themselves are only 320mm front and 302mm rear. That means the rotors are only 12.6 inches front and 11.9 inches rear.

 

Brake size is determined by the rotor diameter by everyone else in the world.

 

If any of us were to walk into an auto parts shop and asked for 17" brakes (rotors) for an Edge, they would fall on the floor laughing.

 

In other words, Canadian brake specifications merely state how large your wheels need to be to clear them, not the actual size of the rotors. Again, rotor size is the accepted measure of brake size, so the Ford Edge Sport has 12.6 in inch brakes (actually 320 mm).

 

Again, no passenger vehicle comes with 17 inch brakes (rotors).

 

Good luck. :beerchug:

Edited October 6, 2008 by bbf2530

[BLACK ICE]

When I find a good reputable aftermarket performance supplier I will add it to the Word file of parts that I'm working at. I've posted once with oe parts # and some aftermarket but I'm working on a suppliers list also. Just keep watching the forum ,it may be a while before I get as much info as I'm looking for.

 

I may include some sizes : I'm also trying to get wheel widths ,stablizer bars dia, maybe wheel offsets etc.

FWD Rotors 295 mm

AWD Rotors 320mm

RR rotors all 302mm

Edited October 26, 2008 by BLACK ICE

[siphen]

Hi Smackya. Unfortunately, that information is incorrect. No passenger car, not even high performance cars like Corvettes, Ferrari's and Lamborghinis, have 17" brakes (rotors). They all top out at somewhere near 15".

 

Actually, we have answered this question before. For some reason, when they quote brake specifications in Canada they quote the minimum wheel diameter needed to clear the rotors and calipers. That is deceiving, as the brake rotors themselves are only 320mm front and 302mm rear. That means the rotors are only 12.6 inches front and 11.9 inches rear.

 

Brake size is determined by the rotor diameter by everyone else in the world.

 

If any of us were to walk into an auto parts shop and asked for 17" brakes (rotors) for an Edge, they would fall on the floor laughing.

 

In other words, Canadian brake specifications merely state how large your wheels need to be to clear them, not the actual size of the rotors. Again, rotor size is the accepted measure of brake size, so the Ford Edge Sport has 12.6 in inch brakes (actually 320 mm).

 

Again, no passenger vehicle comes with 17 inch brakes (rotors).

 

Good luck.

 

I'm so glad i found this, i have been banging my head on which front brake rotor i need to buy for an upgraded performance kit for my 2008 Edge FWD Limited with 20" Wheels... i also had the wheel upgrade, and my VIN was showing on ford parts the 17" brakes option only with no other specifications what so ever for this part..

 

The brake kit I'm looking at is here:

http://www.powerstop.com/product/power-stop-z16-kit/#y=2008&mk=FORD&mo=EDGE&ss=320mm%20(12.6)%20Front%20Rotors

 

The issue i was having was that Powerstop was describing this part only for the AWD, yet the information i was getting for my 20" Wheel FWD was that i also did have the same front brake rotor the AWD's model came with. Now i can order my upgraded brakes system from Powerstop with confidence!

[carguy75]

 

I'm so glad i found this, i have been banging my head on which front brake rotor i need to buy for an upgraded performance kit for my 2008 Edge FWD Limited with 20" Wheels... i also had the wheel upgrade, and my VIN was showing on ford parts the 17" brakes option only with no other specifications what so ever for this part..

 

The brake kit I'm looking at is here:

http://www.powerstop.com/product/power-stop-z16-kit/#y=2008&mk=FORD&mo=EDGE&ss=320mm%20(12.6)%20Front%20Rotors

 

The issue i was having was that Powerstop was describing this part only for the AWD, yet the information i was getting for my 20" Wheel FWD was that i also did have the same front brake rotor the AWD's model came with. Now i can order my upgraded brakes system from Powerstop with confidence!

The rotors look nice!!

 

But I would just get some just slotted or even plain rotors, since the holes and slots in these rotors actually gives you less surface area for the brake pads to grab on to.

 

The drill rotors are good to have with racing pads to prevent fading from heat, but do not really work better than plain rotors on regular roads.

 

I would try to find some high carbon plain rotors or slotted if you really love that look and some carbon pads, that will be powerful braking combination.

 

High carbon rotors applies more friction to pads for quicker stops and the carbon pads resist fading so they can keep up with the high carbon rotors since regular OEM pads will fade sooner when paired with high carbon rotors.

 

FYI, I think that your Edge may only have the 11.8 front rotors since only the AWD models and Sport models get the 12.6 front rotors.

 

I would look at your front and rears rotor and see if they are the same size(or if the rears are larger since Ford changed brake design in 2011), if so then the you have the 11.8 front rotors.

Edited October 15, 2015 by carguy75

[kwcard01]

On 8/24/2007 at 1:57 AM, jeffreybehr said:

Based on specs here... http://www.theautochannel.com/news/2006/01/13/207380.html ...I conclude that the AWD models have larger front rotors than the FWD models. My AWD's are c. 12.5" diameter; I wonder how large the FWD's are.

My 2008 fwd edge has 20 inch factory rims and I have 320mm front rotors.  All factory.  I had to go to Ford dealer, they ran my vin and from that was able to give me correct rotor size.