2000-2005 Ford Excursion Front vs Rear Brakes: What Wears First and What to Replace

By Core Brake Parts Tech Team — Circleville, OH warehouse

On a 2000-2005 Ford Excursion the front brakes almost always wear out first. The front axle carries the weight of the engine, and every stop pushes more weight forward, so the front pads and rotors do most of the work. Expect to replace front pads more often than rears on a truck that is driven empty, and check the rears more often if you tow or run the truck loaded.

How the Excursion brake system is laid out

The Excursion shares its chassis and brake hardware with the Super Duty pickups of the same era, and it is built to stop a heavy, tall SUV. Ford's 2005 Excursion Owner Guide confirms the key pieces you need to know before buying parts:

• Four-wheel disc brakes with four-wheel ABS. The owner guide describes a four-wheel anti-lock brake system and says pedal pulsation and pump noise during a hard stop are normal ABS behavior, not a fault.
• Hydraulic brake assist (hydroboost), not a vacuum booster. The brake booster runs off power steering pressure, and the owner guide calls for MERCON ATF in the power steering system. A leaking or low power steering system can show up as a hard brake pedal.
• DOT 3 brake fluid. The refill table lists Motorcraft High Performance DOT 3 Motor Vehicle Brake Fluid, part PM-1, for all Excursions, filled to the line on the reservoir.
• A foot-applied parking brake. The parking brake is set with a pedal and released with a pull lever, and it uses its own parking brake shoe set at the rear rather than the rear disc pads.

That last point matters when you plan a rear brake job, because the rear axle actually has two wear items: the rear disc pads that do the service braking and the parking brake shoes that hold the truck in place.

Why the front brakes wear first

Two things load the front axle. First, the engine sits over it, so even parked the front tires carry more weight than the rears. Second, when you brake, momentum shifts weight forward. Bendix explains that this forward weight transfer is the main reason front rotors are usually larger than rear rotors, and that most vehicles are built with front brake bias. Power Stop makes the same point: front axles often bear more weight, so the front pads and rotors wear faster.

On an Excursion that effect is strong. It is a heavy, tall vehicle, and the V8, V10 or diesel engine puts a lot of mass over the front axle. The practical result for owners:

There is one common exception. If the rear pads wear out before the fronts, do not assume it is normal. Look for a dragging parking brake, a rear caliper that is not retracting, or a trailer being towed without working trailer brakes.

Symptoms and how to tell which end is worn

Ford's owner guide is direct about the warning signs: occasional brake noise is normal, but a continuous metal-to-metal grinding or continuous squeal means the linings may be worn out, and continuous vibration or shudder in the steering wheel while braking means the brakes need inspection. Use the symptom to point you at an axle:

• Shake in the steering wheel when braking usually points to the front rotors, because front rotor thickness variation is felt through the steering.
• Pulsation felt in the pedal or the seat with a steady wheel can come from the rear rotors.
• Grinding from one corner means that pad is down to its backing plate. Stop driving on it; it will cut the rotor.
• A hot, smelly rear wheel after a drive points to a rear caliper or parking brake that is dragging.
• A hard pedal that takes a lot of effort points to the hydroboost or its power steering supply, not the pads.
• A red BRAKE light with the parking brake released can mean low fluid or a hydraulic problem. The owner guide says to have the brake system serviced immediately.

The owner guide also notes that the brake fluid level drops slowly as the brakes wear and rises when new parts go in. A reservoir that has fallen from the MAX line is often a sign of worn pads, not a leak, but check for wet spots at each wheel before you assume that.

Measuring before you buy

Pull a wheel and look at pad thickness on both the inner and outer pad; the inner pad is the one you cannot see through the wheel, and it often wears differently. Then check the rotor. Power Stop explains that the minimum thickness is marked on the rotor, on the hat or inside the cooling vanes, and that you measure with a micrometer at the thinnest point of the pad contact area. If a rotor is below that number, or it has deep grooves, a raised lip at the edge, or blue heat spots, replace it. Replace rotors in pairs across an axle, because a thickness difference side to side can make the truck pull.

What to replace on each end

Front brake job

On an Excursion that is 20 years old, a front job is usually pads and rotors together, plus new caliper hardware and fresh slide pin grease. If the caliper piston boot is torn, a slide pin is seized, or one pad is far thinner than the other, replace the caliper. Shop brake pads and brake rotors, or start with the 2000-2005 Ford Excursion front ceramic brake pads if your rotors still measure in spec.

Rear brake job

The rear job is pads and rotors like the front, with one extra step: inspect the parking brake shoes while the rotors are off. If the shoes are thin, glazed or oil-soaked, or the parking brake no longer holds the truck on a grade, replace them now. The owner guide notes that if the parking brake cannot hold the vehicle, it may need service or the vehicle may be overloaded. Rear kits that include parking brake shoes save a second teardown. Browse brake shoes and brake hardware kits for the small parts.

Parts worth adding to either job

• A brake fluid flush with DOT 3 that meets the Ford specification. Old fluid absorbs moisture, which lowers its boiling point.
• Rubber brake hoses if they are cracked or bulge under pressure. See brake hoses.
• Calipers if a piston will not push back smoothly. See brake calipers.

Towing and loaded driving

Many Excursions still pull campers and boat trailers, and that changes the pattern. A trailer and a full cargo area put more load on the rear axle and more heat into every brake. Power Stop notes that towing creates more heat during stops and that heat buildup without proper dissipation causes brake fade. For a truck that tows, a carbon-fiber ceramic pad paired with a drilled and slotted, coated rotor is the common upgrade, and Power Stop builds its Z36 Truck and Tow kits for trucks, 4x4s and SUVs that tow and haul. The owner guide adds that a trailer's hydraulic brake system must never be connected directly to the truck's brake system, and that separate functional trailer brakes should be used above the limits in its towing section. Our Power Stop collection covers truck and tow kits.

If you tow, inspect the rear brakes at every front brake job rather than waiting for noise. Rear pads on a towing Excursion can wear much closer to the fronts than on one that is driven empty.

How hard is the job

For a driveway mechanic with a floor jack, jack stands and a good socket set, the brakes on an Excursion are a manageable job. The parts are heavy and the wheels and rotors are big, so plan on more physical effort than on a car, and use a dual-piston caliper compressor to push the pistons back. The rear takes longer because of the parking brake shoes and their springs. Tighten caliper bracket bolts and lug nuts to the values in the factory service manual, bed in the new pads with a series of moderate stops, and confirm the parking brake holds before you drive.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do Excursion front brakes wear faster than the rear?

Yes, in normal driving. The engine weight over the front axle and forward weight transfer during stops put most of the braking work on the front pads and rotors.

Does the 2000-2005 Excursion have rear disc brakes?

Yes. It has disc brakes at all four wheels with four-wheel ABS. The parking brake uses a separate set of shoes at the rear.

What brake fluid does an Excursion use?

Ford's owner guide lists Motorcraft High Performance DOT 3 Motor Vehicle Brake Fluid for all Excursions. Use a DOT 3 fluid that meets the Ford specification.

Why is my brake pedal suddenly hard to push?

The Excursion's brake assist runs off power steering pressure. A hard pedal usually means a power steering or hydroboost problem, not worn pads. Check the power steering fluid level and the drive belt first.

Should I replace rotors with every pad change?

Only if they are below the minimum thickness marked on the rotor, are grooved or heat-spotted, or cause a shake. Always replace them in pairs across the axle.

Why did my rear pads wear out before the fronts?

That is not normal. Check for a dragging parking brake, a sticking rear caliper or slide pin, or heavy towing without trailer brakes.

Sources

1. Ford 2005 Excursion Owner Guide - four-wheel ABS, brake noise and vibration guidance, parking brake operation, brake fluid level behavior, DOT 3 fluid (PM-1), MERCON ATF power steering fluid, trailer brake guidance
2. Bendix: brake bias explained - forward weight transfer and front brake bias
3. Power Stop: how to tell if you need new rotors - minimum thickness location and measurement, front wears faster, replace in pairs
4. Power Stop: brakes for towing - towing heat and brake fade, carbon-fiber ceramic pads
5. Power Stop Z36 Truck and Tow kit - truck and tow kit intended use
6. 1A Auto: 2000-2005 Ford Excursion rear brake replacement - rear pad and rotor job tools including dual-piston caliper compressor, rear kits with parking brake shoes