Here's a picture tutorial, on how to replace your brake calipers on a F-150...

Here we go...

(Assuming you have a garage/flat ground to work on...)

#1)
Press in the Emergency Brake and jack the truck up....And ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS, use jackstands.....Guys, I CANNOT, stress the importance of those 2 mundane pieces of equipment....They saved my *** tonight....Just so happened, I had them in place, and was needing about 1" extra room....Couple pumps of the jack....I was set.....Then it came...

A low creaking/groaning noise....And I started scrambling as fast as a 287lb man can, to clear the truck...Then...BAM....The truck came down, and the jackstand was there to catch it....My night woulda ended up VERY differently, if I hadn't invested the $25 for the set.....

In other words, and I hate to be like this...But if you don't use a jackstand, you, are in short, a freakin' *******...Not an idiot...They have self preservation instincts....But a *******....


#2)

Remove the tires/wheels are you've safely gotten the E brake set, and a set of jack stands under the truck...



#3)

Use a hammer and a chisel, etc...To push out the sets of pins/clips at the top and bottom of the caliper...

Here's the top one....And when hitting these, hit them, so as they will press in, and towards the other one...





And the bottom one...


#4)

After removing the top and bottom clips....

Then, firmly tap around on the caliper, until you can wiggle it free....(BE VERY CAREFUL, NOT TO HIT THE ROTOR...)

Also, at this time, before you pull the caliper off, loosen/remove the 15mm bolt holding the rubber hose on.....Also, don't let the caliper hang by the rubber line....


And then remove the inner brake pad...


#5-If replacing the rubber lines also, like I was....
Remove the clip, on the inside of the frame rail, where the hose's connector meets the hard brake lines...


#6)

Clean the 15mm bolt you removed previously EXTREMELY WELL.....And use the new copper bushings/washers as follows...




Pics are shown, with the new rubber line....

#7)

With the copper washer/bushings arranged as previously shown, put the new rubber hose on the caliper...(Or reattach the old hose to the new caliper, using the copper bushings that came in the calipers' hardware kit...






Now, at this point, all you have to do, is put the caliper back on, in the reverse order as taking it off....Also...Put the anti-rattle clip on the bottom on the INNER calipers...

And a side note....If doing BOTH calipers at the same time....MAKE SURE, the the bleeder screw, is ON THE TOP......

Also, the Driver's side rubber hose, has a T fitting at the top; The passenger side has only the female fitting...




And the finished product....



And don't forget to bleed the brakes!!!!!

 

Good write up Wes! Those old calipers def looked like they needed replaced.

I know somewhere along the lines they swapped from that style caliper to the ones that have 2 bolts on the back side going to the knuckle. At least my 95 Bronco has that style, maybe its a 4wd thing.

 

1993 was the last year for this style of calipers...1994 has the 2-13mm bolts you mention.....

I loved that setup.....SOOOOOOO simple.....

 

i'm swapping my 87 spindles to a set of 95 spindles just so that i can run the new calipers ...

the fact that i have a caliper hanging up and two bad ball joints made the decision easier

 

I'd agree to that, if I coulda found a setup for $100.....And coulda simply spent the other $75 on the new calipers and a nice meal...lol

 

I picked up the spindles at a yard for 25 for the pair ... came with rotors the guy just put on before he junked the truck. pulled them all apart, all new Timken bearings inside, so i repacked the bearings, bought new seals, and turned the rotors ever so slightly to get rid of the surface rust. the spindles are getting powdercoated Monday (another $40) then new ball joints, new calipers, and stainless braided hoses.

I'm spacing everything out because I'm trying to spread the cost over a few months, the ball joints and caliper aren't bad enough to cause damage, I'm just being picky, and I'm stalling hoping to get some drop beams for this truck ...

 

I found a set of knuckles on ebay for $35 a piece shipped. The 2wd ones can be had even cheaper. Plus last knuckle I ordered came with ball joints (ok) and a dust shield.

 

The ball joints in the spindles I got were less than a year old ... I would have run them but I had to press them out to powdercoat the spindles

 

Hi
I have a Australian assembled 1990 F150. This is equivalent to a USA 1986.
I have been reading your post about swapping spindles. Which later model spindles will bolt directly onto the 1986 truck.
Is the whole assembly, rotors.calipers etc.Interchangeable .
If so ,which year would you suggest for the best fit.

Regards

kiwimagic.

 

As far as i know, at least in USA terms, the spindle swap will only work from 1987 to 1996. something with the I beams.

The ideal spindles would be from a 94-96, and use the spindles, rotors, calipers, pads, and bearings. i have heard of guys who had 1980-1986 trucks swap the I beams and radius arms from a 1987-1996 F150 just to be able to use the 94-96 spindles.

I hope this helps you out.

 

My front calipers do not have the pins that you knock out. I can't seem to find out how to remove them.. The caliper pistons are sticking and I need to get them off.. Anyone have any clue?

Here's some pics...

 

You drive out the 2 piece retainer at the bottom of the caliper, the part with the two half round cutouts... see the marks where someone was beating on it with a chisel? Hit it right there driving it out. There I should have been a bolt right where the inner half circle is, is it broken off or did you already remove it?

 

And that is not where the anti rattle clip goes. You install it on the lower ear of the inboard pad, then install that pad, follwed by the caliper with the outer pad attached to it.

 

Unless you absolutely, positively know the brake hoses have been replaced, save yourself some grief & replace them. Rubber brake lines are a 6 year life span. They close up, rot, crack. Castrol makes a Low Moisture Absorption brake fluid which I recommend since brake fluid is hygroscopic (absorbs moisture). Flush your brake fluid every 2 years & always bleed from the furthest to the closest. RR, LR, RF, LF (assuming USA).