While working on the Ex I found my front caliper dust seals torn. It is a good time to fix them with a long weekend coming up and truck is apart. I also found my lower shock bushings are worn.

Advance does not have them in stores, order only. Auto Zone doesn't carry them. O'Reilly can order seals, not listing bushings.

Does anybody fix stuff anymore? I know, more money in replacing than fixing.

 

Good ole Amazon. Search for the part numbers on the Dorman site, enter them into Amazon and on Friday they will be here.

 

I ordered my caliper rebuild parts from RockAuto.

 

So many people these days do not work on their own vehicle.
They pay other people to work on it for them.
In many cases the cost of labor makes swapping in new parts more cost-effective than repairing.

 

Ordering stuff is fine but personally when I have a car apart and need something I would like to get it and get it done. It seems like to me parts houses are relying on warehouses of parts to order from and not having stuff in stock. Basic brake repair items like grease seals, bearings and caliper kits were at one time the staple of auto repairs.

 

honestly, i buy lifetime shocks from oreillys...if I noticed the bushing is worn, I just get a whole new shock...which is easier than a bushing...so that might be why they don't carry them.

 

I don't repair calipers, if they are torn they are also high mileage and have been over extended. Replacement of calipers and hoses is the service procedure .

 

Parts houses stock the most sold parts for quick turnover of their stock. When we have older vehicles, we should expect delays in getting parts. Before beginning a project, I get my parts then start the work. Sometimes, I find other problems while working on my vehicle and have to decide to keep it apart or wait to replace those parts later.

 

I haven't rebuilt a wheel cylinder on a drum brake since ... well since drum brakes were common on front wheels. Don't think I have ever rebuilt a caliper. I admit it, if something needs a part, I change the part. As already mentioned, parts stores stock what sells. Caliper dust seals for a 15 yr old truck would sit on the shelf for a while before someone came along to buy them. Just the way of the world.

 

Last time I priced out drum brake cylinder rebuilds for a Honda, the rebuild kit was more expensive than a new cylinder after I factored in buying a cylinder hone and everything. A pair of Cylinders was just shy of $20.
Even if you have the O-Rings and dust boots and hone to rebuild a caliper or cylinder, you've gotta have the time and skill to actually hone the cylinder... That also requires patience so you get the right crosshatch pattern.
Odds are the cylinder is going to be scored up and/or pitted from moisture contamination because nobody flushed brake fluid.

Additionally, no rebuild kit is going to be able to replace broke off bleeder nipples and/or hydraulic fittings... Which happens about 90% of the time I'm replacing a caliper anyhow.

On a vehicle as common as the Ford SuperDuty, everywhere has calipers.

On a rare vehicle, I can see attempting a rebuild.

 

I use the motorcraft caliper rebuild kits because the sesls are better quality then the parts used by many of the remanufactured calipers you are going to find in the parts stores, even if the parts stores stocked the sesls they would likely be cheap china junk.

 

I agree with the parts quality. I replace wheel cylinders rather than rebuild, honing is an art. If a caliper can be repaired I would rather do that. I learned one thing with old cars and restorations, the OEM stuff is alot better than reproduction.

 

Do you happen to have part numbers for these? I could use a few.

Thanks!