OK guys, I need some help or ideas on this one...

I got the Centramatic balancers in and was going to install them today. As discussed in the post linked below(pg6-8) I was having some noise issues with the brakes.

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/6...-and-pads.html

As was suggested, I decided that checking the brakes out was a good idea since I've had the truck about a year and never pulled them apart yet. I found some things that need to be addressed, like cleaning and lubricating the caliper slide pins. I will be calling around on Monday to find a shop to turn the rotors as there is some pitting, etc that I want cleaned up. This is just a stopgap measure to get me through and I will be replacing pads and rotors, have to take a good look at what I want to get first. I'm thinking about using the heavy or severe duty rotors and I've heard good things about the Hawk pads. The local Advance Auto priced out premium Bendix parts at close to $600 for pads and rotors all the way around. Anyhow, here's where I'm at...

I have the truck up on jackstands on all four corners, wheels off, calipers and brackets off, front rotors off. I can't seem to get the rear rotors to budge. According to the Haynes manual, "On single rear wheel axles the disc can simply be slid off the wheel studs". Now I've seen some brake rotors kind of "rust weld" themselves to the hub before but they usually come at least a little bit loose with a good whack or two with a mallet. I've seem drums that got hung up on the shoes by the rim of rust at the edge of the drum. I've sprayed the hub/rotor joint with PB Blaster and let it soak a couple hours then wacked it again, no go. The parking brake cable is slack, no tension on it at all so I'm thinking it's not hung up on the e-brake shoes.

Before I get to doing something that will really mess things up I figured I'd ask here for some input. Here are some of the ideas that I have. Please stop me if they're just too crazy and/or will make thinhgs worse...

Whack the outside edge of the rotor with a BFH instead of a mallet.
Heat the rotor/hub interface with a propane torch.
Same as above but use oxy-accetylene torch.
Tack weld some pads on the rotor and use a 3-arm puller, or find a big enough puller to use directly.
Give up on the idea of saving the rotor and just cut it off with the torch.
Reassemble it and have the dealer do it.

As always any input is welcome and appreciated. Thanks in advance for anything you come up with guys.

 

This is from the service manual for the 99-02 trucks. It also assumes you don't have an axle shaft that has to be removed before removing the disc.


Disc
Removal and Installation
All except Ford single rear wheel axle
1. NOTE: The brake disc is part of the wheel hub on all axles except the Ford 10.50-inch axle for single rear wheel applications. Removal of the hub on a Dana axle is covered in Section 205-02C . The hub on a Ford axle for dual rear wheel applications is covered in Section 205-02E .
Remove the hub.
2. Remove the rotor-to-hub bolts and separate the hub and rear disc brake rotor (2C026).



Ford single rear wheel axle
3. Remove the caliper. For additional information, refer to Brake Caliper in this section.
All vehicles
4. Remove the disc.
5. To install, reverse the removal procedure.

If you decide to go with the BFH, make sure you place a block of wood or something in there so you don't damage the rotor beyond repair (yet)

 

Try hitting the Horizontal surface of the hub with a brass hammer. I good vibration and the strike force may help to knock loose any crap inside. Sometimes the lateral forces are not what is needed. I do not suggest heat.... You have bearings in there and you do not want to replace them yet do you?

 

Even though you mentioned the e-brake cable being loose, the pads still might be tight. Just like the idea of the drum/shoes scenario that you mentioned. There is a way to adjust the e-brake shoes directly not using the cable...try loosing them a bit...and that might give you enough to remove the brake rotor.

Of course…if it is rust holding it on…using a 4”x4” block of wood and a 5lb or 8lb hammer might do the trick.

Good luck...and do post back your results.


biz

 

OK guys, here's an update on progress so far...

After church today I went back out to beat my head against the axle some more. I read through the Haynes manual some more, including the section on the driveline. In looking at the part about removing the rotors it says that Dana axles have the rotor bolted to the hub from the back side. Hmmmmm...

So I go ahead and pull the axle shaft out and sit there staring at the hub nut for a while... In I go and make some calls around, Advance says they have the special tool to use on the hub nut. They tell me that it's a 6-tab for the 1 ton trucks, but I am looking at a 4-tab. What size is it, they ask. I measure it at about 2 3/8", roughly the size of a can of Aero-Kroil. Off to Advance with the can in hand to size check it, sure enough it's what I need. So I get this $20 special socket along with two new inner seals and head home.

Now the book says that for the Dana to use the special tool to remove the hub nut but for the Ford 10.5" axle there is a note that the left side hub nut has left handed threads(no note for the Dana). OK, I figure that rotor fixed to hub means Dana axle so lefty loosey. Not this time. Left handed thread on this one. Hmmmmmmm. I remove the hub nut, rotor still seems to be rather solidly attached to the hub but both are loose from the axle but still hanging up(probably on the e-brake shoes) and not coming off. By this time it's getting dark and a bit cold so I wrap it up for the night. I guess I'll have to fiddle with the e-brake tomorrow and maybe I'll finally get the thing off of there.

So now I have to ask, does anyone know if the Dana axle has left hand threads on the left hub nut? Is it possible to use a Dana hub/rotor assembly on the Ford 10.5" axle? I'm wondering just what exactly it is that I have here.....

 

My service manual says you need the special 4 prong tool, but does not mention left handed threads.
F-350


NOTE: Make sure that the drive tangs on the special tool engage the four slots of the hub nut.

Using the special tool, remove the hub nut (1124).

 

The "special tool" is quite something, let me tell you. I'll try to describe it as best I can. Imagine a deep well socket welded inside a really big regular socket. The inner part acts like a pilot shaft and fits inside the bearing where the axle shaft passes through it. The outer part is like a piece of pipe with four prongs sticking out in an axial manner. These prongs point in toward the differential and engage the four notches in the hub nut. It is 1/2" drive and will be used with the torque wrench during installation. It was $18.88 plus tax, made by AmPro, part No. T72041. Use the Product Search feature on the link to see it(sorry, couldn't get a direct link to it).

http://www.ampro-usa.com/

 

Based on your sig...you have a '03 F350 SRW 4x4 correct? If YES, then you have a 10.50" Sterling Rear. Anything you read about the Dana rear does not apply. The Dana in a F350 is found only on a DRW application.

Chances are...the e-brake shoes are holding you up. Like I mentioned in my first post...adjust the e-brakes or back them off...and that should give you enough to remove the rotor.

So here...just back off the screw making sure to count the number of turns on the screw. The brake rotor should release...and start to feel loose.

Good luck!


biz

 

OK guys, back with another update....

Monday was rainy and I didn't want to have to lay on the ground and get soaked so I put it off until today. I went back out and loosened the adjuster at the bottom of the parking brake for maximum slack. I was then able to get the hub/rotor off after turning and wacking it several times, but the inner seal was ripped apart in the process. This rotor had indeed "rust welded" itself to the hub. I had to place the rotor on the ground, put a 2X8 on top of the hub and give it several hard hits with an eight pound sledge hammer in order to seperate the rotor from the hub. The board split in the process.

Well.... on to the right side. First thing was to again loosen the adjuster for maximum slack. I pulled the axle which allowed the hub to turn freely and tried wacking it as I turned it. Success at last!! This one came free without having to pull the hub. I will end up doing it anyhow so I can clean and inspect the bearings and since I have new seals I'll install them.

I did remove the parking brakes from the left side(inspection of right side to follow later) and found a fair amount of rust on the dust shield, enough that I would like to replace it now. I called the dealer and guess what? You can't get just the stamped out tin, you have to get the adaptor plate too for $212 per side. I'll have to see if I can find anywhere that has just the dust shield. If anyone has any ideas on that please let me know. It seems like a deliberate plan to extract the working man's money from his pocket by making him have to buy the whole assembly when the cast part should be good for the life of the vehicle while the stamped sheetmetal piece just isn't going to hold up that long.

Tomorrow I'll pull the right hub and do the clean and inspect. By then I hope to have something on replacement dust shields. Then it's on the the front to service those hubs....

If anyone has any ideas on how to prevent this problem of the rotor locking to the hub I'm open to suggestions. This was a very frustrating situation that I'd rather not have to go through again. Thanks in advance for any input.

 

Really like your attitude. Keep on keeping on!

 

Well, no luck on finding new dust shields. The only ones I found are like a hub cap on the inside of the wheel to keep brake dust off the wheel. So it's on to "Plan B". I will use some Alvin's Lab Metal to do a repair on the dust shield. It is like a thin putty straight from the can and I will use it that way to fill in the rusted out areas. The dust shield looks like it's a couple of layers and only one layer rusted through in some spots so there are no holes that go all the way through it. Any area of repair will have some material backing up the area to be filled. I also got the thinner which you use to make it into a paint-like consistency. You can then use the "paint" to seal up the areas where there's surface rust(after cleaning) to help prevent additional damage.

I have used this stuff before. I had one of the ears that the distributor cap screws down to on my old F-150 snap off. I built up a new ear with the Lab Metal and let it cure, then drilled and tapped it. It worked just fine for the rest of the life of the truck.

http://www.alvinproducts.com/

 

I always use a soft faced dead blow hammer and smack the back of the rotor while rotating it. After some strikes it normally comes right off.

 

Anyone know the re-torque procedure for the Sterling 4 prong hub nut?

 

Tighten to 60 lb/ft.

1. For new bearings, ratchet back five teeth or notches (1/8 turn) on the hub nut. Five notches must be felt during this operation in order to have performed it correctly.

• For used bearings, ratchet back seven teeth or notches (1/6 turn) on the hub nut. Seven notches must be felt during this operation to have performed it correctly.

 

Just straighten out the 0ld dust shields and use them. It's not like it will hurt and anybody will see them.