98 f150 2wd... what is the minimum front rotor thickness? had both tires and hubs off and could not find it stamped anywhere. i know they are warped and am pretty sure they need replacing but i don't want to fork out the cash for new rotors when i might be able to get them turned.any reccomendations for rotor manufacturer...are there some better than others and are there any to stay away from. any tips on rear drum removal...other than alot of 4 letter adjectives? thanks alot.

 

you get what you pay for in rotors. I always buy the most expensive & always turn them in with a fine cut.

 

Haven't been around for a week or so and just ran across your posting. You might have figured out your brakes by now, but since I just went through this on the exact same truck I'll throw in my nickel (inflation you know).
Stay away from the Chinese Cheapie Rotors (mine were from Autozone). One of mine warped within weeks. You know when you ride the brakes and the front end starts gripping between tire rotations. Luckily Autozone replaced it for nothing, but I ended up spending too much time on a simple brake job. My next set of rotors (I have a feeling these won't last real long) will be made in the good ole US of A.

I had my old original rotors speced for turning. They were at about .975". I was told that .963" (I hope my memory is right) is the bare minimum and they couldn't turn them without going under.

Those rear drums were a real bitch to remove until I figured out that I was approaching them wrong. I originally figured that the pads were worn and that the unworn strip at the edge of the pads were keeping the drum from sliding off. But it turned out that the center of the drum was binding up instead. There is about a 2" hole in the center that fits real snug. I think the tiny bit of rust was holding it in place. I sprayed it with lubricant and wrestled with it a bit more until it finally popped off. It wasn't until I was replacing all them little springs that I started cursing real loud again.

BTW, my Dad taught me to take a Poleroid picture of the drum brake shoes before removing them. That way you know where to put each little widget and spring. Well, times have changed. Before I had a digital camera, I used to walk out with my battery powered laptop and webcam. Whatever technology you use, it's real handy to have good picture.