Common Problems on F250 SD
Thread Starter
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 196
Likes: 2
From: Madison USA
Common Problems on F250 SD
I am on my second F250 - had a 2000, now a 2001. Both of these have had two problems in common:
1) Front brake rotors warped in what seems like very little mileage. Result: steering wobble and hopping about under braking. On the first truck, I turned the rotors and they were warped again within 30K miles.
2) Front leaf springs squeak like all hell....truck creaks like an old ship when I hit a speed bump or something that compresses the front springs.
Every other F250 owner I know of has #2, and every SD owner I know of has #1. One of my friends is a 4X4 shop owner and his brand new 2004 F350 dually is already starting the front rotor warp wobble with only 13K miles!
Seems like this front rotor thing is something Ford oughta address.
Anyone else experiencing these same problems?
1) Front brake rotors warped in what seems like very little mileage. Result: steering wobble and hopping about under braking. On the first truck, I turned the rotors and they were warped again within 30K miles.
2) Front leaf springs squeak like all hell....truck creaks like an old ship when I hit a speed bump or something that compresses the front springs.
Every other F250 owner I know of has #2, and every SD owner I know of has #1. One of my friends is a 4X4 shop owner and his brand new 2004 F350 dually is already starting the front rotor warp wobble with only 13K miles!
Seems like this front rotor thing is something Ford oughta address.
Anyone else experiencing these same problems?
Senior User
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 389
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From: Georgia
I'm on my 3rd F250. 97, 01, 04. I have never had brake problems. My dad's 94 did. it was bad calipers. the slide rails were bad/rusty. The squeeeekey springs however, a little spray of wd40 on the bushings at the ends of the springs every 8 to 10 months will cure that. If you have Polly bushings. Remove them and coat them with greese, re-install. good for maybe a year b4 you need to repeat.
New User
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 11
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no brake issues on my 2001, but my lift springs squeak every few months also and when they start i coat the entire spring in warrens penetrating oil and it stops for 5 or 6 months, if is is squeaking over speed bumps it is probably the springs rubbing against each other and a good coat of oil should do it.
Junior User
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 70
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From: Canton, MI
I am not sure it is just a super duty thing or more of a Ford thing. Every Ford I have owned has ended up with warped rotors at low mileage. Part of it is my driving style I am sure (lots 'o brake or heavy towing=hot warped rotors) but a Ford engineer I talked to (I used to contract to Ford) also told me that it is common for this to happen because the auto companies are trying to shave off every ounce they can off the weight of the vehicles and the stock rotors are just too thin and will end up warping if they get hot. I have not tried any of the higher quality after market rotors yet but have heard good things about them. For the most part I just consider having to replace or have the rotors turned a fact of life.
Freshman User
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 47
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From: San Antonio
Originally Posted by jimcald
I am not sure it is just a super duty thing or more of a Ford thing. Every Ford I have owned has ended up with warped rotors at low mileage.
Junior User
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 63
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There is a TSB about the front leafs squeaking. I went to a customer survey thing through Ford and the lead engineer fixed my truck 
They replace the separators at the ends of the leafs with new plastic ones--no more squeak! Mine has not squeaked in 3 years now.
They replace the separators at the ends of the leafs with new plastic ones--no more squeak! Mine has not squeaked in 3 years now.
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Senior User
Joined: Mar 2003
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My springs squeek like hell, but they are Deavers and i have no clue how to make it stop. Deaver said give a few thousand miles, so i have (5000). Still squeek. Oh well, don't feel like taking the front end apart. No probs with brakes, even with 37s.
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Freshman User
Joined: Oct 2004
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The squeaky suspension is something you can fix yourself for just a few $ and hours. See my post at the end of the thread below describing how to do it:
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/s...d.php?t=209069
My front rotors are slightly warped (notice a little vibration when light braking at higher speeds). Would like some member recommendations on after-market rotors and calipers.
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/s...d.php?t=209069
My front rotors are slightly warped (notice a little vibration when light braking at higher speeds). Would like some member recommendations on after-market rotors and calipers.
Thread Starter
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 196
Likes: 2
From: Madison USA
Originally Posted by cburgess
See my post at the end of the thread below describing how to do it:
This brake thing bothers me....my Toyota trucks have lasted several hundred thousand miles (total) and I have never had to turn rotors for warpage, just replace pads. And they have been through all sorts of mud and muck over the years. Why cant FoMoCo build me a truck that can do same or better?
Post Fiend
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 9,293
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From: Parker, CO
Yep, my brakes have just recently started giving me symptoms of warped rotors. I've got 64,000 miles on my truck. I guess it took longer than others because I don't tow very often, just haul bulky but fairly lightweight loads every now and again.
I'm wondering if there is any info from Ford about the rotor issue. I'm just thinking if enough people contact Ford, maybe they would look at it and address the issue. It seems like this has been going on for the past few years, and they haven't done anything about it with recent models. I know pads are designed to wear out, but this problem is getting a bit out of hand, ya think? Could turn into a safety issue, especially for those that tow often. Cheap rotors from the factory, turns into a big and unneccesary expense for the consumer in a premature amount of time.
I'm wondering if there is any info from Ford about the rotor issue. I'm just thinking if enough people contact Ford, maybe they would look at it and address the issue. It seems like this has been going on for the past few years, and they haven't done anything about it with recent models. I know pads are designed to wear out, but this problem is getting a bit out of hand, ya think? Could turn into a safety issue, especially for those that tow often. Cheap rotors from the factory, turns into a big and unneccesary expense for the consumer in a premature amount of time.
Senior User
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 201
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From: Tally-ho
ya left out hub bearings, and vss sensor! and my truck has a bad habit of the the rear pads wearing down and falling out....destroying the caliper piston soon afterwards. and lets not forget the pwr door lock actuators and 4r100
Freshman User
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 37
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So I am not crazy. My wife's Jeep Cherokee had a pad fall out and went metal to metal on the rotor. I told the shop that I had just checked the pads the previous month and, while worn, still had plenty of wear, and it must have fallen out. They said that pads just don't fall out, the caliper must of stuck and wore it down. I had a hard time believing that since a stuck pad would be very noticable.
Anyway, Ford rotors are premium compared to the Jeep rotors. They warped within the first few thousand miles and wear out fast. This was confirmed when I was staying at a hotel that backed up to a Jeep service center. In their scrap pile as a mountain of rotors.
Anyway, Ford rotors are premium compared to the Jeep rotors. They warped within the first few thousand miles and wear out fast. This was confirmed when I was staying at a hotel that backed up to a Jeep service center. In their scrap pile as a mountain of rotors.
Posting Guru
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 1,708
Likes: 3
From: North Dakota
Originally Posted by alabamatoy
This brake thing bothers me....my Toyota trucks have lasted several hundred thousand miles (total) and I have never had to turn rotors for warpage, just replace pads. And they have been through all sorts of mud and muck over the years. Why cant FoMoCo build me a truck that can do same or better?
