Hey guys I'm new to this forum and I have some questions I hope you guys can clear up for me. I recently bought a 2000 f250 with a 7.3 and a ZF6 it's a 4x4 with a 2.5-3 inch lift in the front and 1 ton springs in the back. Single cab, it's a beautiful truck with 118k. However when I test drove it I noticed it had a slight pull to the left, I was so excited I found a 4x4 7.3 with a manual that I blamed the road or maybe it was just the mud tires. Well it got worse, and I smelled that all to familiar smell, then I put it all together. So my left front caliper is dragging. It doesn't do it until about 2 miles of driving. But when I hit the brakes and let go of the wheel it pulls to the right. I greased the slide pins as best I could but the caliper won't come off because the stud on the brake pad is protruding and not letting the piston slide off. So it's either the pins need to be lubed better or the piston is bound (one of them at least) and not letting it retract off the rotor making it drag. I'm really pissed about the whole situation because I'm in the navy and the only time the shop is open is Friday afternoon and Saturday and that interferes with my schedule... Or I can take it to a shop and have some under qualified liar try and tell me I need a brake job, new muffler bearings, and I'm a pint low on blinker fluid. I'm not stupid I was a mechanic prior to enlistment and I now work on 68.2 million dollar jets.. I'm new to the super dutys I prefer a bowtie and I wanna see if anybody has had this same problem and can save me some time. And the brake hose is fine. Thanks guys.

 

welcome to FTE. i just had the same thing happen on my 02 diesel last month.
remove the two larger caliper mount bolts and take the whole assembly off. when you buy a rebuilt caliper it comes with the bracket and new slider pins anyway.

this saves you the aggravation of removing the caliper and then having to go back and remove the bracket too.

 

Welcome to FTE, Airframes4life .

The slide pin is the usual culprit. Sometimes they get so corroded and pitted the only thing you can do is replace them. The caliper piston might also be sticking, it's hard to tell until you take it apart.

 

Yeah ill probably just get new calipers and brackets, it's best to do it right the first time in an 8,000 pound truck especially living in mountains (WA). 205$ for everything

 

I've got a dragging caliper right now too. Ive got 2 new calipers to install, both fronts. I cod have done one but I prefer to do both sides when doing anything on wheels like that.

I got reman loaded motorcraft calipers.

 

I grew up in Western Washington. My parents still live in Snohomish County, I think you need the brakes more for the Seattle area traffic than you do for the mountain passes.

 

piston was binding, replaced both calipers and new brake pads for 190 bucks, im getting about 3 more mpg now too.

 

when the driver side front locked up on me last month, within 2 miles the rotor went from hand touch cool to 998 degrees measured with a digital infrared at 2 inches away.

needless to say, the front brake was locked up damn near solid.
once it cooled off for 45 minutes it released and i could drive it for another 2 miles before it locked up again.

took me just about 4 hours to make it home from 10 miles away.

 

I've had the same thing happen on my 05. Took me several hours to get back home!

I ended up replacing all 4 calipers. I noticed a couple MPG better and the truck felt like it had 50 more HP.

 

Calipers that stick,flex lines that act like a check valve,slide pins that are to be cleaned and relubed every 6000 miles.Disc.brakes on these trucks stink out loud!

 

I remove and re lube the slide pins twice a year. Before and after winter. I tried several things but what seems to work best for me is a combination of wheel bearing grease and anti seize. While I am at it I clean out the hole with a copper pluming cleaning brush and break cleaner, followed by blowing out with compressed air.

 

i have never had a problem with the slide pins. all 7 calipers i have had top change were because of seized pistons.

 

The trucks here in Ohio are know for this. Road salt may add to the problem.

 

Has anyone used Raybestos brand Calipers? Any preffered brands?I need to replace one of the originals and will probably do both sides. FSD

 

Hey Super Duty,

I have a 04' Super Duty and went through the brake pull problems and frozen caliper sagas last year. I bought this truck new and was surprised after only 118k miles.
Anyway, I would recommend you stay away from any rebuilt calipers, no matter how good the deal is.
Also don't buy calipers with ceramic pistons; they are more prone to warping from heat ==that metallic pistons--It was hard to believe.
As long as you use new calipers: Bendix, Wagner, Cardone and of course Motorcraft are very good sources for replacements.
Brakes are your life, so I don't squirm too much for a $150 caliper.
Don't forget to flush your brake fluid after your brake job; that HCU for your anti-lock brake system is over $1,100. So don't let corrosion ruin anything in your brake system.
Take your time and double check everything.
Good wrenching on your rig!!