Help! Brake job gone wrong

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Mar 11, 2007 | 05:39 PM

Hobbs

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Help! Brake job gone wrong

I did a brake job on my '04 F150 and had the rotars turned. I have it all back together and when I apply the brakes, I can feel the pedal moving up and down like as though a rotars are warped. What did I do wrong?

Mar 11, 2007 | 07:12 PM

motown

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From: Michigan

Who ever turned your rotors may have not had then correctly mounted on the brake lathe. So they are now machined with a wave in them. I had this happen to me once, had to scrap the rotors and buy new ones. I have gotten to the point that when ever I do brake I just get new rotors, the OEM's are making the rotors so thin that I was never able to save them.

Mar 11, 2007 | 07:31 PM

b2_tim

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I agree with motown. Check the runout with a dial gauge or feeler. I have had good luck with just cleaning off the rotors/drums, and if nothing was wrong with them before the job, just put them back on. Never had a problem with this method. Lube your slide pins lightly, clean off any varnish. I bet the F150 rotors are expensive, sorry to hear that.

I was just reflecting with a neighbor yesterday, on how we used to resurface drums and turn rotors, but now days it is just about as cheap to buy new when needed. My experience is most shops turn stuff that isn't in need. On my vehichles I had a set of rotors on my Lumina APV for 150K miles. The Bronco II has 193K on one rotor, and about 150K on the other. I have yet to do the F150 with 30K. (PS dont use ceramic pads if you want your rotors to last). General brake work is another one of those jobs that I don't trust to anyone but myself.

Anyone know how to bleed antilock brakes PM me thanks.

Good luck Hobbs

Mar 11, 2007 | 10:39 PM

Hobbs

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Thanks for the info. They were in need of turning. The truck has 39K on it and I was told that Ford went to a softer rotor to eleminate squeaks and they were only good for 35 to 40K. I didn't believe it but thought I had better check and sure enough, the rotors had deep grooves wore in them and the pads were almost gone. My 2000 Chevy had 100K before I had to change pads and didn't have to do the rotors.
Anyway you were right, parts store messed them up. I didn't know new ones were so cheap. I found an all night parts store that had them and got them on a few minutes ago. All is fine now.
Thank you for the response!

Mar 12, 2007 | 10:29 AM

bsocko

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Joined: Oct 2006

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From: Pennsylvania

A set of rotors should cost about $50.

Mar 12, 2007 | 12:39 PM

96f150

Fleet Mechanic

Joined: Nov 2000

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From: In my House

Rotors for $50? Where? just curious? I wouldn't turn down my rotors. Why would I want to make them any thinner? They can't dissapate the heat fast enough now as it is.