My 2009 f250 4wd sat idle for about five months while I pulled the engine and repaired a dropped valve. Prior to that there were no brake issues but when finished the engine work and test drove it the right side brake was smoking. The pads were toast and that one rotor was darkened. I pulled all four rotors and had them turned and I pulled all four calipers and lubed the pins. I found that the front caliper pins were free and well lubed so they were not the cause of the problem. I installed new pads and when I reinstalled everything I expected the problem to still exist since I hadn't uncovered a cause for it and I was right, the right front caliper is still sticking. But what I didn't expect was that now the brake pedal surges and the braking is poor. I used a digital voltmeter to check the sensors. One side recorded 495 ohms while the other recorded 492 ohms. Neither side showed any voltage when I spun the wheels which is supposed to indicate a bad sensor. However, how could both sensors go bad at the same time? I've ordered a caliper rebuild kit to address the first problem but I'm unsure what to do next regarding the pulsating brake pedal. I just read a suggestion on another thread that disconnecting the battery will sometimes reset the ABS system. I'll try that and also I'll pull the ABS fuse and see if the brakes perform normally with the ABS disconnected. The hose is not twisted although it might have collapsed internally or something but I may clear that from the list of possibilities if the caliper rebuild stops the sticking problem. I suppose that the surging brake pedal problem could be solved by the caliper rebuild also but I'm not real confident about that. A new hose is $35, a new ABS sensor is $70, so throwing parts at it indiscriminately is not something I want to do. I just dropped around a grand on the engine. If anything I do corrects it I'll post the cure. In the meanwhile I would appreciate any feedback you might have if you've any experience with this sort of issue.

 

step 1 get the brakes to stick again, then back off the bleeder screw, if it releases then its the hose collapsing, buy a hose, if its still stuck its the caliper, btw these calipers are garbage to rebuild after they got hot, just save your self the trouble and get a new one with warranty, then you can replace them free for life, these trucks like to eat calipers...lol

 

Good suggestion on the hose check. I got home yesterday, pulled the ground wire off of the battery, waited a couple of minutes and put it back. It made no difference. Next I pulled the two fuses relating to the ABS system. There was still some pulsating and weakness in the pedal but not as pronounced. The brake is still dragging and I don't know how much effect that is having, perhaps it is the root cause. It will be a couple of days before I can get back to it but I'll check the hose first thing. I did look and assure that it was not twisted. I'll probably still try the rebuild since I've bought the kit. If it works it will be the first inexpensive repair I've made on this truck ($6).

I had the rotors turned at a automotive shop that works on trucks and they had the arbors and such to handle these large rotors. The first four places I stopped at couldn't handle them but this guy immediately said he had the equipment it took to turn truck rotors and that they did it all of the time. I'll be surprised if the rotors are the problem. Not trying to buy trouble, but I can't help but wonder if my pushing the pistons back into the calipers caused any pressure issues within the ABS module, perhaps pressing the ABS moving parts hard to one side or something where they could stick. Also, is it possible to damage the seals in an ABS module? The pulsations were not there until after I did the brake job . I think the cause is either: 1) rotors not turned correctly 2) caliper sticking, 3) ABS module, 4) bad hose, 5) bad ABS sensor, and 6) poor quality new brake pads. I'm not satisfied with my attempts to test the sensors but I don't know how else to test them. I know the sticking caliper has to be addressed. Checking the hose as described above will provide some good feedback. When I get to this point either the problem will have been solved or I'll be further along with the elimination process, both good things.

 

on a side note the hose will look fine on the outside, but rotten on the inside, I seen it many times, you problem is in the caliper or the hose. To keep things in check, after a highway drive when I get home I make a habit of occasionally walking around the truck and touching each wheel, noting the temperature, if I feel one warmer than the others I know it will need attention in the future.

 

Not only does the wheel feel warmer but I can smell the brake pads, almost like a burned clutch.

 

I drove the truck long enough for the brakes to start sticking (it didn't take long) and returned home and immediately jacked up the front end and pulled the wheel. There wasn't any appreciable pressure when I opened the bleeder so I pumped up the brakes again and checked the other side and the results were about the same. At this point I decided to check the caliper. It was somewhere between "sticking" and "stuck". The outer boots had leaked crap into the pistons and the calipers were heavily rusted inside the boots. One of the pistons had corroded badly about 1/4 of the way around just under the metal cap. So at this point I'm looking for a piston.
I noted that the new sealing ring in the rebuild kit was thicker than the old one. I measured and the ring material is 9 thou thicker meaning 18 thou less ID. I tried assembling the piston with the new ring and it couldn't be hand assembled. I used a C-clamp and forced it but then it wouldn't bulge. There is a lot of new technology being used in things today but I don't think that is right. Should the new sealing ring be that tight?

 

if you insist on using those cheap caliper kits, lube the seal and bore real well before assembly, like brake fluid running all over, or you'll pinch the seal and leak. after the pistons overheat even once you will need new pistons, the old are shot. they cant take heat, they swell, this is why I recommend new calipers.