drlovegun

I've done some drum brake replacements in the past, and now need a full set of rotors and pads on my 99 F150 4x4.
I'd prefer not to spend $600 that I've been quoted a couple of places. It looks pretty basic though, as long as I have the rotors and pads it should be a pretty basic swap. Any suggestions or is it as simple as it looks? Do the rotors float or do I need to remove the axle assembly? Thanks and sorry for the dumb question.

topshelf

You should be able to have the rotors turned instead of replacing them unless they are really bad or you want a different kind. I caught mine early and didn't even turn mine. You just have to remove one bolt(on the back side of the caliper) to get the caliper off I think the rotor just floats. You will need a 4" c clamp to back the plunger out (the front brakes have 2 plungers so you will have to back both out ) then you can put the new pads on. Not much else to do once you clip the new pads in. Don't forget to take the master cylinder cover off before you start so you can back the plunger out

drlovegun

Thanks, that's pretty much what I expected to hear. Thanks for your help!

sgtsupercrew

well yes you can turn the rotors but as a mechanic i would not recommend it, the rotor that are on there from the factory are chineese rotors. from experiance at work i wouldnt do it. the rotor are floating and they will come off without taking the axel off like the older trucks. you will have to take the 2 caliper bolts out then remove the mount. the bolt for the caliper should be a 14mm and the caliper mount should be a 19mm. you will have to take a hammer to the rotor to get it off the hub because they rust badly to it.
i recomment you spending the money and get brembo rotors and AKEBONO ceramic brake pads if you plan on keeping the truck. the ceramic pads cut down on alot of break dust and they also dont get as hot as semi-mettalic pads so it reduces the chance of glazing the pads and you getting a squeal. make sure you clean all the contact points on the caliper mount and replace the caliper mount hardware and clean under the metal clips very well or the pads wont fit right, when you put it all together make sure you lube all points wear the pads touch the mount so it will move freely. just make sure not to get any thing on the pads. if you have any other questions feal free to ask me. remember you get what you pay for with parts and brakes are no place to be cheap. buy what i recommended and you will be happy

sgtsupercrew

also when you compress the caliper pistons use one of the old brake pads to ensure you push them both back at the same time, cause you dont wanna do one at a time because if you pop a piston out your buying calipers

Mr B

Make sure to check the condition of the flexible brake hose. They have a tendency to get dry rotted. Use a good synthetic grease on the wheel bearings and install the rotors to the specs. When you put the wheel back on, make sure to torque the lug-nuts. It goes a long way towards keeping the new rotors from warping. After 25 miles of driving, recheck the lug-nut tq. Good luck, it's not too hard of a job.

01Bolt

just to add on from what was said above when pushing in the pistons on the calipers you might expect to have some brake fluid come out of the master cylinder so you might want to take some out. Also when you have the calipers off make sure to lube up the slide pins with some dielectric grease so they can slide easily and don't bind up on you.

sgtsupercrew

the best kind of lube for all parts of the braking system that get lubed is SYL-GLIDE

transmaster

This is also a good time to flush out and replace your brake fluid. This is something that if done regularly will prevent all kinds of problems caused by contaminated brake fluid.