I posted this in the Bronco forum, but being as my 92 Bronco is essentially a F-150, I though I would post this here also.

This is the first time I've driven this truck in the rain since I got her last month. It's really touchy on dry pavement, but today I took it out in the rain, and the front locks up WAY TOO easily.

New pads on the front, and good shoes on the back.

How do I troubleshoot this? I can't let my son drive this truck acting like this, and he needs the truck badly.

Is there a way to balance the system better?

 

Are you sure it's the front brakes?


Brake grab is usually the rear drums that cause it.


To tight maybe?


Are the shoes installed correctly? Shortest facing front, tallest shoe towards rear?

 

Oh yea, it's the front locking up.

I have no problem checking to see that the rears are installed correctly, and will do so tomorrow, but I had new tires put on the truck last week and I pulled the drums to look at the shoes while the tires were off. Drums and shoes looked good, and adjustment seemed right at that time. I didn't notice if the shoes were installed "right" though.

I replaced the front pads because they were wore almost completely out, but the rotors were in great (almost new) shape.

Could the front pads have been worn like that because the braking system was out of kilter due to a bad combination/metering valve? Is that the problem I was describing in my first post?

 

I lived in Washington state so I'm very familiar with driving in the rain. For some reason, my F250's front brakes would lock up very very easily when it was wet out and I first started driving it. After a bit of driving, it'd be back to normal.

 

My 89 F150 has brake grab, but mine I know it's the rears locking up. I've seen skid marks in my driveway from them.

Really throws you on the dash! Only does it for the first couple brakes of the day, then they work fine all day.