Hey guys/gals:
I recently did a 4 wheel rotor replacement and pads replacement on my truck and wrote up a how-to.

I have not seen one of these here, so I thought I would post this. I hope it helps! If you have any questions, let me know......

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Complete front and rear rotor and brake pad replacement

-----> 2007 F150 FX4 <-----

Replaced with Brake Performance rotors and Ceramic pads

Tools Needed:

1. 10mm (rear), 13mm (front), and 18mm (front) sockets

2. 1/2" drive (for 18mm socket) and Breaker bar

3. 3 Pound rubber mallet

4. 18" pry bar

5. Steel and brass wire brushes

6. CRC Disc Brake quiet

7. CRC Synthetic Brake & Caliper grease

8. 8" C-Clamp

9. Patience

1. The best way to do a complete and safe job is put the entire truck on jack stands:


2. Tires removed and old equipment still on.


3. Find the two 18mm outer bolts (attached to the caliper/bracket) and break loose with 1/2" socket and breaker bar. Once the bolts are removed, use pry bar and flat head screw driver to gently pry off the caliper from the brake pad carrier. (This is much easier than trying to remove the entire assembly together).


4. Hang the caliper by a wire (do not let it hang by the brake line itself). Once removed, remove the two 13mm bolts (they have rubber boots on them) from the brake pad carrier. Once these are removed, slowly "walk" the carrier off the rotor. Be very carful not to let the two locater clips (springs) pop off while doing this.


5. Once caliper and pad carrier are off, rotor should come right off. Clean up hub in preparation for new rotor. (Wire brushes come in handy for this part)


6. Ford stock rotors and new rotors


7. Ford pads (left) and new ceramic pads (right)


8. Place a thin layer of CRC Synthetic Brake & Caliper grease on the hub before installing new rotor. This only need to be done to the front rotors.


9. Gently install new rotor and tighten it down with 3 lug nuts in preparation for the reinstall of caliper housing.


10. Clean caliper housing with brass brush to remove all brake dust (paint at this time, if you want to). Slowly and evenly (using old brake pad) compress the caliper pistons in. There is no need to remove the master cylinder cap because there is a built in vent.


11. Once compressed back, they should be even and flush with the housing.


12. At this time, clean the face of them and apply a thin coat of CRC Disc Brake Quiet. Once the new pads are installed in the brake pad carrier, gently slide it in to place, within the caliper.

 

13. Reinstall the caliper (with the brake pad carrier) on the new rotor tightening the 18mm bolts first (to the brackets), then tighten the 13mm brake pad carrier bolts.


14. This is the rear brake housing. There are two 10mm bolts the hold the rear caliper in place. Remove those bolts and hang the caliper or set on something so it is not hanging by the brake line. Remove rotor - this CAN BE a real "job". The E-Brake pads were holding the rotor on and I had to use a 3 pound rubber mallet and a couple of good swings to remove the old rotor. Once removed, clean up all the parts with the wire brushes.


15. You can see the E-Brake shoes here. See how they are not totally retracted? There is a star wheel at the bottom of the housing for the E-Brakes. Adjust it so the shoes are all the way in, in preparation for the installation of new rotor.


16. Replacement of the rear brake pads are pretty simple. Again, slowly compress the single piston back in so it is smooth with the housing, and install the new pads. One of them "snaps" in to the actual middle of the piston (rear brakes are one piston) and the other pad "snaps in to place on the housing.


17. Stock Ford Rotor and new rotor. Once you have installed the new pads in to the caliper unit, slide the new rotor in to place. If it does not slide on, check to make sure the E-brake is completely retracted by adjusting the star wheel on the bottom of the housing. Using the 10mm bolts, reinstall the calipers.


18. Finished brake job. Before you go ANYWHERE, start truck and pump brakes or you will have NO brakes to start with. Push and release E-Brake a few times so it will "self adjust" itself.


Complete job on single webpage: http://www.07fx4.com/urls/brakes

 

very informative..Thank You....are those EBC rotors?

 

Baaa thanks!!!

I was tossed up between doing my brake pads and painting my calipers or buying a two-way remote start/alarm system. Just bought the alarm system today, but doing the brake pads is definitely my next mod. Bookmarked.

 

Killer write up, S! We appreciate your contribution!! Welcome to TAC!

-RP-

 

Thanks Rockpick I hope it will help someone in their next mod "adventure"!

Not EBC. These (and the pads) are made by Brake Performance - here in the US Awesome company to work with! Highly recommend them!

 

Thank so much, just logged on to get wheel torque specs because I am in the middle of a complete brake job as well. Great call out on the grease on the front hub behind the rotor, I would have missed that.

Thanks
Tommy

 

great write up and pics...

doin this in the spring

 

I'm looking for brakes for my 05 Navigator now and think these are a decent price and just want to see how they are holding up and how is performance? I feel like the dimples and slots will eat pads up quick.

 

Very informative, thanks for the help. made life a lot easier doing my speed sensor.

 

good write up, FYI, I never used grease and turned out just fine, just saying if you forget not a big deal.

 

^
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Great write up and pics. I just did them all today and found that the rear pads were completely shot with the front pads still having about 70% left. I do live in the country, travelling gravel and dirt roads often while pulling trailers, which I suspect helped add to the rear pad wear.

 

I installed the Brake Perfomance premium dippled and slotted rotors with standard semi-metallics last weekend and I have had a chattering/humming noise since. The noise gets louder when I go faster and is not there or not noticeable under about 10mph.After searching, the only thing I came up with that made these types of noises is ABS. Any info would be helpful.

 

I will say thanks again for the awesome write up...tool list is soooo great...

Did the fronts last year with about 30k on the clock...easy as pie...
just did the rears today with about 45k...

I highly suggest before you stat the rears make sure your arm is rested and you have a mini sledge hammer...I must have hit the rotors a hundred times each to get them off...
The rotors laughed at rubber mallet...

no idea why your brakes are making noise...
no roblems ever on front and after 10 miles with rears they seem ok too...