Rear brake pads on a 2002 F-250

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May 27, 2008 | 05:40 PM

pminne

Thread Starter

Rocky Mountain High

Joined: Nov 2007

Posts: 135

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From: Parker, CO

Rear brake pads on a 2002 F-250

About to replace the rear brake pads (2002 F-250 7.3L diesel 4x4, short bed, auto trans). I know that it is fairly simple and straight forward job (done it before on other Fords, just not an F-250); however, does anyone have any words of wisdom, tricks, or secrets? Any recommendations on pad brand or type? Lastly (and most important) are there any special tools required? It always seems like these kinds of jobs are 5 times faster if you buy a $15 left handed widget to unscrew something. Plus, I like having an excuse to buy another cool tool. Any help would be great. Thanks gents.

May 27, 2008 | 06:57 PM

triton_2002

Postmaster

Joined: Aug 2003

Posts: 2,977

Likes: 1

From: South Texas

this is the F150 (97-03) forum, but should be the same. It's got disk brakes, right?
The last time I did my 02 F150, it was really easy even though it was the first time I did it. Just a couple of bolts to take off the caliper, and the only "specialized" tools I used was a 3 lbs. sledge and block of wood to tap off the rotor. I got the semi-metallic lifetime warranty pads from Advance Auto and they work just fine, no noise or dust. I got the stock rotors resurfaced. I don't do any towing, so that didn't need to get any real heavy duty stuff

May 27, 2008 | 07:06 PM

mjunk1

Fleet Mechanic

Joined: May 2005

Posts: 1,739

Likes: 14

From: Vale, NC

Just did mine on a 2001 F150 this weekend and it was a piece of cake. Be sure to bleed them and make sure the fluid doesn't come spilling back out the master cylinder when you re-compress the piston. I used a C-clamp and just turned it in, but it does force fluid back towards the reservoir. If you have filled yours with fluid as your brake pads wore down, it can be pushed back out. Oter than that, just clean everything up nice and shiny!

May 27, 2008 | 07:31 PM

pminne

Thread Starter

Rocky Mountain High

Joined: Nov 2007

Posts: 135

Likes: 0

From: Parker, CO

Oops sorry! Thought I had posted to the F-250 forum. Thanks for the info!

May 27, 2008 | 09:25 PM

deadscout

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Joined: Apr 2008

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Quote:

Originally Posted by mjunk1

If you loosen your bleed screw before compressing the piston and the fluid will go out the bleed screw and not back up into the resevoir.

Also, I used to use a c-clamp which worked OK, but now have a very large pair of pliars that are quicker and easier to compress with.
Also, I'm not sure about these newer models, but on the older trucks you should bleed from the fartherest wheel and work to the front doing the driverside front last so that your proportioning valve would be set correctly.

May 28, 2008 | 07:02 AM

Notthd

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Joined: Aug 2007

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A trick I like to do is attach a 2-3' clear vac type hose to the bleeder prior to compress, open the bleeder and c clamp it. What this does is it prevents any air from getting in by keeping a small volume of fluid at the bleeder. I have done this and had to bleed the brakes only once or twice for a solid pedal.....

May 28, 2008 | 07:11 AM

mjunk1

Fleet Mechanic

Joined: May 2005

Posts: 1,739

Likes: 14

From: Vale, NC

Quote:

Originally Posted by deadscout

Also, I'm not sure about these newer models, but on the older trucks you should bleed from the fartherest wheel and work to the front doing the driverside front last so that your proportioning valve would be set correctly.

I just bled mine this weekend with a vacuum pump bleeder. It worked well in that I have a good solid pedal, and I removed a bunch of old fluid. I was really hoping to clean out the whole system but it would have taken forever. I didn't go backwards though. I started closest to the master cylinder and worked away, which was the way the bleeder instructions suggested. Seems fine. I have never heard of doing it the other way. What is your source for that?

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May 29, 2008 | 08:00 AM

deadscout

New User

Joined: Apr 2008

Posts: 21

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Quote:

Originally Posted by mjunk1

I read it on another forum when I was having trouble with the brakes on my mom's truck. The theory sounded good. The guy said that the piston in the porportioning valve moves back and forth to keep equal presure on the front and back so that the back brakes don't lock up before the front or vice versa. If you bleed the front and then bleed the back this is what happens, when you open the bleeder valve for the back it lets off the pressure on the rear lines so the porportioning valve moves all the way over trying to divert more pressure to the rear, then essentially, there is very little pressure on the front system. You should go back and open up the front a tad to center the piston. Honestly, I don't know if this pertains to the newer trucks or not, but it helped my mom's truck and the rear brakes no longer locked up before the fronts did.
I can see, however, how it should be better to move away from the master cylinder to get air out. I think next time I will bleed ait out going away then come back and bleed the front a tad, unless someone can come up with something definative.