Last year I changed the front rotors and pads because I got what feels like a warped rotor. I sometimes have to go down steep hills and I thought I over heated the rotors.

Within a couple of weeks the symptoms were back, so I know there's something else going on. I get a very, very slight pull to the left when I apply the breaks so I think I have a stuck caliper. Oh, and I needed to change the fluid a year ago but I hardly drive the truck because gas prices. Could bad fluid cause a stuck caliper?

So the question is, how much do you think should I replace? I was thinking about replacing the rubber brake hoses, rebuilt calipers, having the rotors turned and new pads. I thought I should do the hoses because they could be original, I just don't know.

I'm taking the truck on a long (1200 mile rt) trek at the end of August and I need good brakes.

Thoughts? Thanks

 

If the left front wheel has a sticking caliper, it's possible it could have warped the rotor. If the hoses are not cracked, I wouldn't replace them, but that's me. What kind of pads are you using?

Take a close look at the pad wear on the left side. If the outer pad has heavy wear, the slides are sticking and you need to clean or replace the slides and lube them. If the inner pad has heavy wear, the piston is sticking and you need to replace the caliper.

 

Thanks for that.

There is definitely something warped, now just to find which side.

I bought rotors and pads from Car Quest. If I remember the pads were a bit expensive ($70?) but the rotors were reasonable ($35? ea.)

No cracking of the hoses, I just thought I'd change them because I don't know what's causing this warping.

The problem could be sticking slides. I didn't see anywhere in the Haynes manual that talks about cleaning or greasing them so I doubt I did it.

 

It's been years since I've done a brake job on a Ford, but on the Chevy's I've owned I would always take a wire brush to the caliper ends where they meet the spindles and to the spindles to clean off excess brake dust and rust. Then I'd apply a very thin coat of anti seize to those spots. As for the slides, I'd clean them and apply anti seize lightly to them as well. They also sell a brake caliper slide lube that you can use as well.

Also, when you buy new rotors, you want to clean them with brake cleaner and take some sand paper and swirl both sides of the rotor. I never turn my rotors, just swirl them and slap new pads in. If they're warped, I replace them. I use semi-metallic pads as well.

Lastly, I just remembered that years ago I did a brake job on a truck like yours where I turned the rotors. Put it all back together and still had a pulsating pedal. Turned them again, same problem. Ended up having to turn the rotors with them on the truck and the problem went away. I don't know why that truck gave me such a problem but it did. Hopefully you wont have that same issue.

 

usually cheap rotors will warp easily. within weeks is not surprising. find yourself a parts house that sells a better rotor. 35 bucks a rotor sounds crazy cheap. dont bother cutting them. pulling one way could also be the alignment.

 

It could even be a bad shock or ball joint.

 

CarQuest only sells OEM or better quality, so I don't think quality was the issue.

Ball joints are fine and the shocks are new.

I remember putting a little grease on the part of the pad that contacts the slider, but not the slider itself.

I read something about floating calipers. Are the caliper bolts supposed to have grease on them? Under the boots?

The brake fluid should have been changed years ago. It was dirty but the bleeders were stuck and I didn't want to deal with it. I think I'll replace the fluid, calipers pads and rotors.

Thanks

 

I have bought them from Car-Quest for $46 per side...No problems...Maybe I simply got lucky...

 

CarQuest's "OEM" rotors are now often made in China these days and quality is spotty. I went in to my local CQ to look at rotors for my truck and left shocked that what was presented to me was considered 'acceptable' - badly cast fins, awful machining, and they seemed a bit on the thin side even though they were clearly of new manufacture.