Ford Superduty Brakes and Shocks: DIY?

[bajajoaquin]

So I posted another thread abut KYB vs Bilstein, and I've given it some thought beyond that. I'm looking at the labor rates and I can save about half by doing it myself.

Anyone done all four disk brakes and shocks on a leaf-spring Superduty? Mine is a 2003 6.0 diesel, if it matters. I'm not an auto mechanic, but I'm pretty handy, and have the tools.

Basically, are there sensors or weirdness that I need to worry about? It should be a pretty straightforward unbolt the old and bolt on the new, right? I'm thinking first time it's a solid weekend. Right?

 

[fifty]

Super easy...for the shocks. Maybe take you 30 minutes to do all 4 if you take your time. Front brakes are straight forward. Rears may need some help with the rotors.

 

[ExpoMike]

If you need a hand doing shocks, I would be happy to help.

 

[SLO_F-250]

Yup, shocks are a piece of cake. DO IT! As for the brakes, I assume you are just talking about brake pads.... Yup, easy to. No use in paying a mechanic $100/hr to do em. Grab a beer Saturday afternoon and knock it out! Good Luck!

 

[Revco]

Shocks are super simple, if one can turn a wrench in the right direction, they can replace their own shocks. The brakes are a little more complicated for a beginner, but once you do one corner, you'll find the rest are a breeze. Just do one at a time, don't go taking everything off the truck at once, give yourself something to look at if you get lost.

Buy a can or two of brake cleaner and hose down everything you touched with it before bolting the wheel back on. I suggest using anti-seize on the lug nut threads. I'm not familiar with the new Fords, but if the rotors come off easily, now's the time to take them to get turned at the local machine shop or auto parts store. Now's also the time to inspect wheel bearings, axle seals, balljoints, etc.

Pick yourself up a Chilton or Haynes manual at the parts store, visuals help more than words in most cases, and those books usually have drawings, diagrams, or photos to go along with the repair procedure.

 

[Buliwyf]

Eveything on a Superduty is really easy to fix EXCEPT the engine which often can't even be reached.

I missed my window to change my brakes two weeks ago. I'm going to do them this weekend if the weather holds. I'll get some pics of what is involed. But it'll be really easy. Shocks are even easier. I may do a 1" BDS lift and shocks in the front soon to get me by, until I do the whole suspension on my truck.

I like to change rotors and pads at the same time. (my rotors are warped) Usually my replacement rotors hold up better than stock. And I tend to get 80-100k miles on brakes, so the extra time and expense is worth it. I like to buff the hub clean with a wire wheel on a drill, and replace the slide pins so every thing is smooth. Lube everything with antisieze.

If the rotor has pad material imbedded into/on it, you can get them turned down, but if they are truely warped, turning them is a waste of time, they'll quickly warp again.

I use:
Napa Ultra Premium Rotors
EBC Yellow, Green, or Napa Ultra Premium pads (Raybestos).
Richland Speed Bleeders

 

[98dango]

Ok this is a simple job I do/did this for a living. Till my current job I hate and am about to go back to it. The front brakes easy as 1 2 3 #1 remove wheel #2 remove caliper bracket #3 pull off rotor reverse repeat. Rears a little harder but still easy. if your reusing your caliper no need to bleed the system. How ever i have found a fluid change is a good thing to do as the head creates moisture. The whole job in your drive way start to finish 5 hours with no knowlage just a book and some beer. At work on a hoist i plan 2 hours per truck for brakes shocks are a 15 min deal with air tools and every thing i need right at my finger tips.


Now I get paid about 6 hrs for this job book time.

 

[locrwln]

Easy as pie.

Just don't bother turning the rotors and a SD, big waste of time because they will warp again. Been there done that. Spend the money on some Cryo'd front rotors and your choice of either Hawk LTS/EBC pads and you will have the best brakes. My '02 warped the factory front rotors in 30k, replaced them with Napa Rotors and Napa Pads. Rotors warped (15k, turned them and they warped again within 10k), pads squealed and dusted no matter what I did. Put the Cryo'd rotors on with the Hawk LTS pads (got them through Summit Racing) and life was good. Brakes were better than new (I know, I bought the truck with 25 miles on it) and they lasted over 45k without any warpage or dusting/squealing and still felt like new (sold the truck).

Don't put cheap rotors on a 99-04 SD, they will warp...everytime. I had several friends with 99-04 SD, and we all eventually ended up spending the money on the cryo'd rotors and better pads after trying other options. The front set up will run you about $400 or so, but it is worth it.

Jack

 

[bajajoaquin]

Thanks. I'm looking at doing pads and rotors. The tip on Cryo is good. Any brands I should look at or avoid? My first search showed "Power Slot" and EBC.

 

[locrwln]

Thanks. I'm looking at doing pads and rotors. The tip on Cryo is good. Any brands I should look at or avoid? My first search showed "Power Slot" and EBC.

Yep, Power Slots. They make the regular and cryo'd. Spend the money on the cryo'd ones. They will probably be the last rotors you have to buy.
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/PSR-126-65071CSR/

Jack

 

[StromHawk60]

Don't want to rain on the parade...but if you've never done brakes, be prepared for serious elbow grease. Seem to remember that on my 2002 f350 it takes over 100 ft lb of torque for the calipers. 98dango has the rig time allotted just make sure you have the right tools. 102000 on my truck and I turned rotors with no issue. They're pretty solid hunks of metal.

 

[Saiyan66]

Ok so since this is your first time (it sounds like) doing brakes here are some tips to add to those already mentioned here.

1: Anti-seize on wheel studs is a good idea, but NEVER use WD-40 on them. Your lug nuts will come off while you are driving!

2. The auto parts store will try to sell you caliper grease and some gooey stuff called disc brake quiet. Get both, you will need them.

3. Have a 5gal bucket handy to set the calipers on when you get them unbolted from the axle. Don't let them hang by the brake lines.

4. Take your pads out of the box the night before and spread an even coating of the disc brake quiet on the backing plates. Let them sit and dry.

5. When you get the old pads out of the caliper you will need to push the piston of the caliper all the way back in to compensate for the thicker material on the new pads, otherwise you wont be able to get the caliper to slide back over the rotor. A set of those deep jaw vise grips works great for this. As you push the piston back into the caliper the excess fluid will run back into your master cylinder reservior. You will know when the piston is all the way in as it stops.

5. After this you will want to grease your caliper slide pins with the caliper grease. The caliper has a piston that only pushes on one side of the rotor. In order to equalize pressure on both sides, the caliper slides back and forth on two large pins. Take the caliper and slide it off these pins, clean them and re-grease before putting it back together. This is one of the main causes of warped rotors because the caliper can't move freely and builds heat continually on one side of the rotor.

6. Now you are ready to put the new pads in. They will be kinda gummy on the back because the disc brake quiet never really hardens all that much. This gummy surface is what helps to absorb and eliminate small high frequency vibrations that the pads make, therefore quieting them down.

Now you can reassemble and enjoy your truck again without warped squealing brakes! Make sure to torque everything properly on reassembly too.

 

[bftank]

good tips!

 

[bajajoaquin]

Awesome, thanks, guys.

I do my own maintenance on my motorcycles, and have replaced rotors and calipers, on them. I just didn't know if there was some newfound complexity in modern trucks. Like I would get in there and find that I need some 30-wt ball bearings when I get to the fetzer valve. Or something.

 

[fifty]

If I remember correctly, the rear rotOr may need a special tool. My dually did. I have my buddy (ford mechanic) do the rears.