First of all I know some are going to assume it's warped rotors with this post but I have to let you know ahead of time that this is the third set of rotors I've placed on my truck. I drive a 2006 F150 XLT 4x2. Of course it all started with the originals @ about 4,000mi. Took it to dealership, had them turned, problem fixed....sorta. At 9,000mi shaking started again. Had dealership inspect them again and they stated it was warping, again. So I bought new pads and new rotors and installed them at about 23,000mi. Front end shaking never went away but wheel bearing started going bad. Swapped out rotors one more time, and shaking still present. This only happens when I brake and at all speeds. Now I'm hearing a clicking/clunking noise from tire area when I turn wheel left and right about half a revolution either way. Sound is faster in pace when driving faster and slower in pace when driving slower. Checked components in brake area for anything loose but found nothing. Noise gone when driving straight. If anyone can help me figure out what's making my front end shake when I brake I would really appreciate it. I'm thinking the shaking is somehow causing my wheel bearing to fail as well, as I've noticed grease slowly ooze out.

 

If it's not the rotors then the next thing I'd look at is the wheel bearings.

You stated you have a 2wd, so the front rotors/hubs are a single assembly so there can't be anything behind the rotors. If you have a dial indicator with a magnetic base: jack up the truck & support it, pull the wheel and back off the brake pads. Put it against the rotor and turn it and see how much runout you have on each side.
If the pads are wearing uneven, you could have a caliper hanging up on the pins and that might do it. Clean and lube them and see if that helps.
I suppose if you check the hub for play in the bearing area while you have the wheel off, see if you can get any top-to-bottom or side-to-side movement without the brake pads contacting the rotor.
One last thought, was the wheel nut tightened to the right torgue value and a cotter pin in? That also might do it. Sorry, don't know the torque on these.

 

I wouldn't be so quick to rule out warped rotors. You said the first time you took them to the dealer and had them turned and it fixed the problem. That would indicate that the problem was the rotors the first time. They checked them the second time and said it was warping again. So you bought new rotors and the problem is still there. When I buy a new set of rotors I always have them checked and turned(if needed) before I put them on because I always get at least one that is warped even when brand new. My ex wife was a pedal stomper/tailgater and she warped a set about every 5k miles and I had to have many new rotors turned in the 150k miles she had the car.

 

Every 5,000 miles Josh?
Did she ride them all the time?


nolascor76, welcome to FTE.

I have gotten new rotors that needed to be turned out of the box.
If I were you, I would pull them and have them turned.
Beyond that, I cant really help, I have never worked on an F150

 

Every 5k miles. My routine with her car was to change the oil and turn the rotors every 5k miles. I would turn them 2 or 3 times and then buy a new set. She was one of those people that tailgate people 2 inches from their bumper and then have to slam on their brakes anytime they see taillights. When she pulled out, the gas was to the floor and when the stopped, the brake pedal was on the floor. She drove it 150k miles in about 4 years too. So figure out how many sets of rotors I put on it per year. I had to replace the brake pads about every 15-20k miles and the calipers at least once per year.

I also told her that if she ever saw a check engine/water/temp/oil light come on to pull off, shut the car off and call me. Oil light came on 50 miles from home and she decided to just go ahead and keep driving. To make a long story short, a broken $5 oil pump shaft cost me a new engine. The crankshaft melted the main bearings and fused them to the block and main caps.

 

Did you ever try to tell her that you would not have to do 5k mile brake jobs if she was more gentle? I bet she killed tires. lol

I have a 4.6 that is like that inside.
It was in a CVPI and was 49,000 miles over do for an oil change, ran low and locked.

I thought I could rebuild it, but I couldn't get the crank out of the block!
Had to scrap every thing but the heads.

 

I just let her drive it the way she wanted to. If I told her it was her fault and to ease up on the brakes it would lead to a week long argument. Many times I thought to myself, if I just leave the rotors off this time she won't be able to warp them........lol. She wasn't really bad on tires. It didn't have the power to spin them and it had anti lock brakes, so the tire wear was about normal. Not trying to hijack the original thread or anything, just letting the guy know that just because he bought new rotors doesn't mean they are true. Plenty of the ones I bought for her had to be turned straight out of the box and were in just as bad shape as the ones I took off.