I need to replace my left front brake rotor on a 1990 Ford F250 7.3L Diesel Lariat XLT. I guess the brake is classified as Heavy Duty, 'cause the rear brake is the 3" one. I read the threads on this board, and conclude all I need is brutal force to remove the rotor. Unforturnatly, my biggest hammer is only 3 lb. I hammered it for 10 minutes, nothing. I can see grease between the axial and the hub-shape of the rotor, so the rust shouldn't be too bad. What can I do to take it off?
Can I just loosen the lug nuts a bit, drive it around the block, see if that will loose anything?
Does anyone here have an exploded view of the front brake. I see a few funny grooves on the inside of the hub-shape of the new rotor.

 

Rockies, whatever you do, be sure to use american made rotors! i was using cheap foreign made rotors on my E150 and warping 'em every few thousand miles. i now have a set of Raybestos(canadian made, still in the americas) and they are still running true. i've heard you should replace both sides. anyone know if this is true?
good luck on getting that rotor off, sounds tough.

 

You do not need to replace both rotors if one is too thin/cracked/heat checked, etc. I worked in a brake shop for a few months, and have taken my share of Fords apart.

You also don't need a hammer to take the rotor off. Once you remove whatever's in the way, the rotor pulls right off. Is your truck two wheel or four wheel drive? Auto or manual hubs?

 

Thanks for the help. My truck is rear wheel drive. From what I see on the new rotor, Stop Master, don't know who made it, the studs are mounted on the rotor. Unless I missed something, the wheel and rotor are bolted together, so there ought to have something holding the rotor in place.
I tried to pull it off, pry it off, hammer it off. It just doesn't want to come off. Whatelse should I try?
When you say whatever's in the way, what is in the way anyway?


Norm

 

Ok, if it's two wheel drive, it's a piece of cake.

There's a metal dust cap in the center of the rotor. You can use a chisel, screwdriver, whatever, to pop it off.

Underneath that there is a cotter pin holding a castle nut-looking lock that prevents the outer nut from moving. Pull the pin, and the lock falls off. Then take a pair of channel locks to the nut. It should unscrew very easily.

Behind that is a washer and the outer wheel bearing. If you pull on the rotor slightly, the outer bearing will fall out. At this point, with the outer bearing out and the rotor still hanging on the spindle, screw the nut back on a couple turns. When you pull the rotor off, catch the inner bearing on the nut, and the grease seal will come off with the inner bearing. Take the nut back off and you're done.

At this point, you should probably buy new bearings and have them greased in a shop unless you know what to look for and how to grease them. The races in the rotor are new, and you'll have the best luck if you replace the bearings at the same time. A new grease seal is only a couple of bucks as well.

The installation is the reverse of removal. When you torque the nut in place, make sure you don't overtighten it. You want to seat the bearings in, but you don't want to burn them up. Snug them up, and then play with the rotor. Spin it around a couple times, wiggle it, snug, and repeat. Don't forget the lock and a new cotter pin.

 

Thanks for the help. It's much clearer now. My Chilton's Manual is a POS, the only thing I can find in walmart, should have got myself a decent manual. I'll give it a try tomorrow.
Thanks again.

Norm

 

Andym, thanks for your advice. I replaced the rotor per your instruction, it's a breeze, well, I won't call 30 c outside with sun blazing "a breeze". But it's surprisingly easy, saved me quite some money. I reused everything except the cotter pin.

 

No problem. The bill's in the mail.

Once you do it, it's a cakewalk. People are surprised at how easy brakes are to work on.