DBA Brakes for the Ford F-150: Which Parts Fit

By Core Brake Parts Tech Team — Circleville, OH warehouse

DBA (Disc Brakes Australia) makes two parts we currently carry for the Ford F-150: the DBA 4000 Series T3 slotted 4X4 Survival front rotor DBA42790S for 2012-2014 six-lug trucks, and the DBA XP Xtreme Performance rear pads DB15122XP for 2012-2017 trucks with a manual parking brake. Both are aimed at trucks that tow, haul or run heavy tires, and they pair well together or with a matching front pad.

Below is what each part is, how to confirm it fits your truck, and what to replace at the same time so the upgrade actually pays off.

The DBA Parts That Fit the F-150

Fitment on a half-ton Ford comes down to model year, lug count and, for the rear, the parking brake type. Here is how the two DBA parts line up.

DBA's own spec sheet for DBA42790S lists a 350mm diameter, 34mm new thickness, 32mm minimum thickness, a six-hole 135mm bolt circle and a 90.1mm centering bore, at 13.1kg per rotor. If you are unsure whether your truck is a match, measure the existing rotor and compare it with those figures before you order. A rotor that is off by a few millimeters in diameter or hat height will not work, no matter what a fitment chart says.

The rear pad listing is specific to trucks with a manual parking brake. Check which parking brake setup your F-150 has before ordering, because the rear caliper and pad shape can differ between versions.

What the 4000 Series T3 Rotor Does Differently

A stock F-150 rotor is a plain straight-vane casting. The DBA 4000 Series changes three things:

• Kangaroo Paw ventilation. Instead of straight vanes, the core uses 144 diamond and teardrop shaped pillars. DBA states this gives up to 30 percent more internal surface area and up to 20 percent better cooling than a traditional straight vane design. On a truck pulling a trailer down a long grade, cooling is the thing that keeps pedal feel consistent.
• Thermal Stability Profiling (TSP). A heat treatment that DBA says realigns the iron's microstructure, so the rotor stays stable under repeated hard stops.
• T3 slots. The tri-symmetrical slot pattern gives pad dust and gases more exit points and keeps the pad face clean, which DBA says gives quieter, smoother engagement. The design is symmetrical, so the same part fits left or right.

The rotor also carries thermographic paint on the outer edge. The marks change color at set temperatures, so after a hard tow you can look at the rotor and see how hot it actually ran. If the paint shows your rotors are regularly reaching the higher bands, your pad compound or braking habits need attention.

DBA offers other 4000 Series finishes too, including cross-drilled versions, but it notes that the drilled and dimpled XD style is not recommended for heavy off-road use. For a work truck, the slotted T3 is the sensible choice.

What the XP Pads Are Built For

DBA describes its Xtreme Performance compound as a carbon-fiber, low-copper formula with a scorched surface treatment. The goal is high initial bite and steady friction across a wide temperature range. DBA lists heavy towing and upgraded 4WDs among the intended uses, alongside police-pursuit and track-day cars. It also recommends pairing XP pads with T3 slotted 4000 or 5000 Series rotors.

What that means on a truck: expect a firmer, more immediate pedal than a quiet OE-style ceramic pad, and better resistance to fade when you are hauling. The usual trade-off with any high-friction compound is more dust and sometimes more noise. If your F-150 is a daily driver that rarely tows, a ceramic street pad such as the Hawk Ceramic Street rear pads for 2012-2016 F-150 may suit you better.

Signs Your F-150 Is Ready for New Brakes

• Pulsation in the pedal or steering wheel when slowing from highway speed, usually uneven rotor thickness or pad material deposits.
• Fade on long grades, where the pedal gets longer or the truck stops less well after repeated braking with a load.
• Grinding or a steady squeal from worn pads reaching the backing plate or wear indicator.
• Blue or cracked rotor faces, which point to overheating.
• A rotor at or below minimum thickness. For DBA42790S that is 32mm. For your current rotor, use the figure cast into the rotor hat.

A Brake Warning That Is Not a Pad Problem

Before blaming pads and rotors for a soft or long pedal on a 2013-2017 F-150 with the 3.5L EcoBoost, rule out the master cylinder. Ford Safety Recall 16S24 covers certain 2013-2014 F-150s with the 3.5L EcoBoost, built from August 1, 2013 into late August 2014. In those trucks a seal at the rear of the master cylinder can let brake fluid leak into the brake booster. The truck warns the driver with a chime, a message center alert and the red brake light. If fluid keeps dropping, front brake function is reduced while the rear brakes keep working.

Ford later issued Recall 20S31 for certain 2014-2017 F-150s with the 3.5L EcoBoost, after finding leaks into the booster outside the original recall population. If your truck shows a low-fluid warning with no visible leak at the wheels, check for open recalls using your VIN before doing anything else. New rotors will not fix a master cylinder that is leaking internally. If the master cylinder is out of warranty and needs replacement, see our brake master cylinders.

What to Replace at the Same Time

• Pads with rotors, always. New DBA rotors on old glazed pads will not bed in properly. For the front of a 2010-2014 truck that tows, the Hawk SuperDuty front pads HB672P.714 are built for towing and hauling. For 2014-2016 trucks, the Hawk LTS front pads HB791Y.714 use a light-truck compound.
• Hardware. Replace the abutment clips and slide pin boots if they are rusted or torn. See our brake hardware kits.
• Brake fluid. Fluid absorbs moisture over time, which lowers its boiling point. A truck that tows benefits from fresh fluid of the type printed on the master cylinder cap.
• Both sides of the axle. Rotors and pads are always replaced in pairs across an axle.

If you would rather replace a whole axle with an OE-style setup, the Brembo OE front kit KT00544 for 2010-2014 F-150 and the Brembo OE rear kit KT00681 for 2012-2014 F-150 bundle ceramic pads with coated vented rotors. You can also browse all brake rotors and brake pads.

How Hard Is the Job?

Front rotor and pad replacement on an F-150 is a reasonable driveway job for someone with a floor jack, jack stands, a breaker bar and a torque wrench. The caliper bracket has to come off to remove the rotor. Rust between the rotor hat and hub is the most common hold-up, so clean the hub face with a wire brush before the new rotor goes on. Rust left there causes runout and pedal pulsation.

Torque caliper bracket bolts and lug nuts to the values in the factory service manual. Tighten lug nuts in a star pattern with a torque wrench, not an impact gun.

After installation, bed the pads in so they lay down an even transfer layer on the new rotor. Follow the procedure supplied with the pads: a series of moderate stops from speed without coming to a full stop, then a cool-down drive. Skipping this step is a common reason new performance brakes judder.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the DBA42790S rotor fit a 2015 or newer F-150?

Our listing covers 2012-2014 six-lug F-150s. The 2015 and later trucks are a different generation. Confirm diameter, thickness and bolt pattern against DBA's specs before fitting it to any other year.

Are slotted rotors worth it on a truck that does not tow?

For light daily driving, a quality plain rotor is usually enough. Slotted, better-cooled rotors earn their keep when you tow, haul, run oversized tires or drive in the mountains.

Can I run DBA XP pads on my stock rotors?

Yes, as long as the rotors are above minimum thickness and in good condition. DBA recommends pairing XP pads with its T3 slotted rotors for the best result.

Why does the rear pad listing mention a manual parking brake?

F-150s in this range were built with different rear parking brake setups, and pad fitment follows the caliper. Check your truck's parking brake type before ordering.

My brake light is on and the fluid is low, but the pads look fine. What now?

On a 3.5L EcoBoost F-150, check for open master cylinder recalls (Ford 16S24 and 20S31) using your VIN. Fluid leaking into the booster will not show at the wheels.

Sources

1. DBA USA - 4000 Series Brake Rotors - Kangaroo Paw pillars and cooling claims, TSP, thermographic paint, T3 and XD options
2. DBA USA - Front 4000 Series T3 Rotor DBA42790S - diameter, thickness, minimum thickness, bolt pattern, weight
3. DBA USA - Xtreme Performance Brake Pads - XP compound, intended uses, T3 pairing recommendation
4. NHTSA - Ford Safety Recall 16S24 dealer notice - 2013-2014 F-150 3.5L master cylinder leak, build dates, warnings
5. NHTSA - Ford Recall 20S31 chronology - 2014-2017 F-150 3.5L master cylinder leak into booster