Today i've changed my original Brake-Rotors and Wheel-Bearings with a pair of Raybestos PG Rotors and National-Moog inner/outer Bearings which i have in Stock. Reinstalled the Cardone Reman. Calipers (Phenolic) together with the Raybestos PG Pads, both served already as an assembly for one year and 15'000miles on the old Rotors.

Everything went just fine and i took care of doing everything as described in Haynes and in this Forum, even watching for same offset caliper mounting point to rotor. Slide grooves are clean and greasy so the slide pins, pad clips are in place but i forgott to lubricate the back of the left inner pad where the piston makes contact.

While on a Testdrive an hour ago i made a short pit-stop half way to check the Wheels/Hubcaps for abnormally high temperatures. And, my gosh, the left Wheel-Rimm felt realy hot whereas the right side Wheel felt cool. Jacking up left side to free the Wheel and trying to spin it by hand: it took alot of force to move it just a little bit!
Taking off the left Wheel and Caliper right away on-site to check what makes the Wheel sticking reveals the Caliper as the culprit. Had to open the Bleeder-Valve while trying to move back the Piston by hand (no C-Clamp handy there). Reassembled everything back, put the Wheel on and checked for free spin: now it was good to drive home. At home i've once again checked the front Wheels for excessive heat: Still is the left side hot or warmer then the right side Wheel.
Have to go over it once again tomorrow.. I understand new Rotors and almost new Pads = not much space left.


97' XLT RWD 3.0L 215'000miles

 

Just make sure it's the caliper and not a brake hose. My '97 F250 recently had a brake hose that acted as a one-way valve and would not let the brakes release.

 

Make absolutely sure the caliper pistons move freely. I don't care for phenolic pistons, too many problems over the years. I always replace with steel pistons

some greases cause the rubber in the chrome slide pins to swell and seeze. try a different high temp disc brake grease. I like the high drop point synthetic disc brake greases.
Motul makes some high quality greases.

slide pin grooves in the caliper and mount must be spotlessly clean.
they rust and pit, get rough, over the years. salted roads make it worse

use wire brush, then paint store acetone or toluene to clean all old grease
then rough cut sand paper and then finish with fine sandpaper to smooth.
do the mating surfaces between the caliper and mount also.
final cleaning with degreaser and blow off with compressed air.
poor design.

lightly grease the pins, just a thin coating, NONE on the compression rubber
great the grooves and the mating surfaces between the caliper and the mount.

Kruse is right on the flex brake hoses breaking down internally, mine did at about 12 years old. too much heat from the engine and brakes.

 

Thank you so much for the Advises!

I have FORD K-HT Grease for hi-temp Applications. Still got a pair of new Raybestos PG Brakehoses - time to replace the old ones. Just making thoughts about the Workflow of an Brakehose exchange, therefore my Question:
- How to avoid Brakefluid spilling out of the Brakeline right after i took of the Brakehose?
- Makes it sense to pre fill the Caliper/Brakehose Assembly before attaching the Brakehose to the Brakeline?

WB

 

Any spilled brake fluid can be washed off with water. Brake fluid will not hurt metal chassis parts, but don't get any on the paint.
There is no need to prefill your hoses or calipers. They will fill quick enough.

 

Problem is solved..

Took the whole thing appart on both sides once more. On the left side, where the Caliper stuck yesterday, i've pushed out and pressed in the Piston several times with the Pedal and C-Clamp/Woodblock respectively. Then clean, sand and coat both Notches upper and lower, where the inner pad is clamped in; those were looking realy bad (rust, debris). A typical spot where the home-mechanic has no line of sight.

Finally replaced the Brake-Hoses and then off and out for the same Testdrive. No more hot Wheels. With the new Wheelbearings the ride is more quiet then ever before. Had a steady slight hammering on the Steering-Wheel since a few weeks - that issue is solved now too.

Thanks again for Yours continuous Support - worth a Donation!