Any Advice?
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Freshman User
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 38
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From: Florida
Any Advice?
Hi all. Looking for any advice from anyone that has a similar truck with similar problems. I have a stock 2000 F150 5.4L 4x4 Super Cab w/75000 miles. I just had the sway bar links replaced, and the shop that did them said the rear shocks are leaking, and the front brakes and rotors need to be replaced. I trust the shop, have used them before. I checked the rotors, the inside is worn beyond have them spun. Any idea why just the inside of the rotors would wear a lot more than the outside (other than the inside pads weren't changed when the outside ones were)? I don't have a lot of money to buy high quality parts (married with 4 kids and in the military), but I've searched the local parts stores (advanced, autozone, and o'reilly). O'Reilly has the best prices on all the standard parts, which is what I'd have to go with. I don't go off road, only use the 4 wheel drive in the winter on the snow. Would the parts (rear shocks, brake pads, and rotors) from O'Reilly be worth putting on? I've done brakes and rotors on other vehicles before, not Ford trucks though. Are there any special tools needed to do front disc brakes on the truck? One last question for anyone out there with advice, I'm starting to get a lot of rust under the truck, leaf springs, axles...etc, the body doesn't have any. Like I said I don't have any extra money to keep putting into the truck, and if I got anything else it'd be used as well, so my question is, is the truck worth keeping, or should I try and find another used one?
Posting Guru
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,466
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From: N. Fort Myers,FL
Usually rotors/pads that are worn on one side more than the other means that the caliper slide pins are rusted up. When you do the brakes check to see if the caliper moves freely.
As far as the cheaper standard parts go...
Rotors- usually cheaper rotors will warp easier, esp. if you tow and they could wear a little faster than good rotors.
Pads- cheap pads usually suck, they sometimes wear real fast, make more noise, throw off alot of dust, and stop worse.
If I was in your situation, I would buy just normal rotors but spend a little more for better pads(I like Duralast Golds, they come with a lifetime warranty, are quiet, not alot of dust, etc. and only cost like $40).
If you like the ride now, I wouldnt replace the shocks. The only thing you would really notice with new shocks is a little bit stiffer ride, and less "bouncing".
No special tools required, just a selection of metric sockets and a caliper compressor.
As far as the cheaper standard parts go...
Rotors- usually cheaper rotors will warp easier, esp. if you tow and they could wear a little faster than good rotors.
Pads- cheap pads usually suck, they sometimes wear real fast, make more noise, throw off alot of dust, and stop worse.
If I was in your situation, I would buy just normal rotors but spend a little more for better pads(I like Duralast Golds, they come with a lifetime warranty, are quiet, not alot of dust, etc. and only cost like $40).
If you like the ride now, I wouldnt replace the shocks. The only thing you would really notice with new shocks is a little bit stiffer ride, and less "bouncing".
No special tools required, just a selection of metric sockets and a caliper compressor.
Senior User
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 452
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sounds like you have a good truck none of my business but something to consider is if it is paid off you can put a lot of new parts on it for what a payment would be, also 75000 miles for and 8 year old truck is nothing, heck it would be praticaly new to me. when you go to do the brakes you will need something to depress that pistons in the calipers i use a c clamp on mine it works great good luck man BTW thanks for what you do in the military!!!
Elder User
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 695
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The parts from o reillys will be just fine. When you do the brakes, buy some caliper lube. The smaller bolts that hold the actual caliper on go through a sleeve that has a rubber boot on it. Push the sleeve out of the rubber boot and clean the sleeve. Then apply the grease to the inside and outside of the sleeve. Use one of the old pad and put it on the piston on the inside of the caliper. Use a c clamp to press the piston in. Make sure you have the brake maser cyl cap off when doing that. Install brakes like you would on any other car. As far as the rear shock, look at them. If you see a wet spot coming from under the upper boot area, (probably metal if they are original) then they should be replaced.
Thread Starter
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Freshman User
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 38
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From: Florida
Thanks all. I'm gonna keep the truck, I do still love it. I bought it used about 2 1/2 years ago, still paying on it. I have a large c-clamp from doing brakes before. I had someone else suggest the calipers could be bad. The shop I had the work done said they saw something on the shocks, and that's how they knew they were leaking, I looked, and didn't see anything. the backend does bounce around alot even over little bumps. pretty sure they are still the original. Thanks again for all the advice.
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Senior User
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 236
Likes: 1
From: Sparta NJ
i changed my shocks a year ago cause they were leaking a little and when my friend looked at them off he said they didnt feel soft. the new cheap sensatrac ones make it feel like a old boat and they started to leak but the company said that was normal for new shock cause they could have been overfilled.
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