Need a little help with my 2002 F150 Lariat SuperCrew 4WD. Should say right up front I am by no means a mechanic, but I can follow directions. I'm trying to figure out this problem hoping that I have a better understanding of what it could be and fixing it myself or know enough to tell a Ford tech what it might be. Repairs have already been attempted and money spent to no avail.

So for the last year or so I've been getting an intermittent grinding/scrapping sound at low speed when braking to a stop. Seems to be getting worse and more persistent. Doesn't happen at higher speeds, basically when I'm coming to a stop, but again not all the time. The brakes have new rotors/pads/calipers. Pads have been replaced multiple times. Parking brake has been rebuilt. Noticed that "sometimes" I can stop the truck and put the parking brake on 2-3 times and the sound goes away for a little while. The noise is louder now than ever and sounds like lite metal on metal sometimes and other times just a lite squeal, like when new pads "kinda". Sometimes it will happen from the moment I start to drive other times it takes driving around for a while before it starts happening. People think I'm a bit crazy as it rarely does it when others are around, though it's happening enough now that people have heard it. I assumed it was brakes and believed it to be the front but now I'm pretty sure it's coming from the rear.

I read another very long thread where newer model years where consistently having a very similar problem, I think. Some fixes where IWEs and/or check valves, wheel hubs, bearings, vacuum issues, ...... Most people did like me at first and spent money on braking components and the problem never was resolved there. I suppose it could still be the brakes, but I don't know what part(s) could be failing.

Things I read to try to narrow things down, not sure if these make sense?

When the issue starts to happen, switch into neutral and see if it persists. If it does it could still be the brakes. If not, probably not brakes.
When the issue starts to happen, try doing some hard braking at speeds to re-seat the brakes (?).
When the issue starts to happen, have somebody drive the truck and stop near you to see if it's coming from front or rear (I think rear).

Anybody have this problem and figured out what it was? It's driving me crazy.

 

Try raising the vehicle and hand spinning the wheels to try and locate which wheel is causing the noise. Maybe have someone manually apply brake, with engine off, to test for noise source.

Also while wheel is raised. check for play in bearings.

Brakes are critical to be in proper working condition. If you can't find the problem, take it into a shop and have a mechanic find the problem. Repair costs are cheaper than an accident.

 

^^
Yes -- Brakes are VERY important!

I have a feeling it might be rubber brake hose that is (or starting to) collapsing. I would replace the rubber brake hoses -- especially on a 2002 if they are factory.

 

I'll try the lift-listen method to see if I can tell. Also, I need to check the brake lines, Some of them were replaced, but maybe not all.

Thanks

 

emergancy brake shoes on rear axle

 

^^^

 

Let me clarify. After relooking at the receipt for the work done, the emergency brake was not rebuilt, it was cleaned and adjusted, ie no parts were replaced. Kinda assumed the emergency brake was out of the picture. Maybe not? Before they worked on it I told the repair shop that periodically when I would here the sound I would try resetting the ebrake a couple of times (pushing it in hard and releasing) and sometime the sound would go away at least for a while.

Any way to know if the ebrake is still an issue?

Thanks

 

YES - the shoes are probably dragging.

 

I had the same issues. that's why I commented. replaced myself. inexpensive.