I know I should buy a haynes or chiltons service manual which I'll be doing soon. I did a quick search and didn't find a write up on doing brakes. Truck has 54k miles and the brakes will need replacing soon. I'm wondering if I'd be getting in over my head doing this myself or having my dealership do it? Thanks in advance, and sorry for being a noob!

EDIT: Also recommendations are welcome, not sure if I should just stick with oem stuff? This is my daily driver and I don't tow anything.

 

its pretty easy to change the brakes on the truck. are you 2wd?

im running wagner thermo quiet pads. they are great pads with minimal dust.

 

I was just looking at those pad online at advance auto. My truck is 4wd. Also why do some rotors show studs on them and others not? The rears should be drums correct?

 

The rears may be drums...you'll have to look and see. Disc brakes are one of the easiest things to change. Pull the wheel off, remove the two bolts (correct me if not the proper number) that hold the caliper on, the pads just slide on the caliper, so you may need to take a flathead screwdriver simply to pry up the little tabs to help it slide off easier. Oh and as far as a manual...get a Chilton's (more info and more helpful than Haynes).

 

Thanks for the help. How hard are rotors to change? I'd rather get new ones vs having my current ones resurfaced.

 

well once you take the brake caliper off, the rotor should just pop right off.

 

^^^What he said. There may be some sort of clip or something on the lugs in front of the rotor holding it on though. Not likely, but there were some on my jeep when I had it...they just pop off.

 

Ok thanks much guys, just ordered a chiltons service manual too. I should have bought one a long time ago. I checked the rotors up front and I don't see or feel any grooves on them. Likely original brakes with 54k miles. Think I could get by with just replacing brake pads?

 

Have the rotors "turned". It basically refinishes them to like new if there is enough metal left on them.

 

Yeah, if you have ever done brakes on any vehicle these are pretty much the same. If not, then if you don't have the manual at hand there are multiple places on the web to get detailed instructions.

Watch this video and it will give you an idea of what you are getting into, if you don't think you can handle it then take it to a dealer. I really don't have a good place to do this type of work (My complex doesn't allow working on vehicles), so I took it to the dealer and I believe that they only charged me $99 an axle.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36i-cZX4JHg&noredirect=1

I'm still trying to get over that you have a '98 F150 with only 54k miles on it. Must be just like my father, he has a '94 F150 with only 37k miles on it, the only time it gets used is on fishing trips and because of his age those are getting few and far between.

 

Thanks for the video! LOL yeah it's my daily driver but I work in town, and when going on long trips we take my wifes car. I bought the truck back in 2005 and at that time it had 28k miles. Too bad it's getting some rust spots now, they salt the roads during winters here in Minnesota. It's been a good truck! And it has the 5.4L.

 

Several other suggestions:

1. Get yourself a few cans of "Brake Clean" and spray everything down before you start taking everything apart, it will go much easier if you hands aren't filthy from the brake dust. A pair of "Mechanix" gloves wouldn't hurt either.
2. Be sure to use the anti-squeak/squeal compound between the back of the pads and the caliper piston.
3. Use lithium grease on the caliper slide bolts and the ends of the pads where they slide in the caliper.
Lastly, make sure that when putting everything back together not to get grease on the contact surfaces of rotors, drums, pads or shoes.

 

Also forgot to mention...once you finish the install, you'll have to pump your brakes a few times to readjust the pistons in the calipers to where they need to be for normal operation.

 

On 4x4's the rotors can stick. Bluejay posted a video on a process for removing them easily without damage. If you're anywhere near Lake Minnetonka, pm me and I can probably give you a hand. OEM or Wagner parts are good. Yeah, 54k on a '98? Wow.

 

Great video. But one thing that I would like to point out is that, that "jack stand" looks like the oem hydraulic jack. DO NOT use that- they can fail as well. Use actual axle stands or blocks.

Good luck