I have a 1989 F-150 4x4 with manual locking hubs. One time when I was on my way home, I noticed that the truck would suddenly jerk to the right when I would apply the brakes. When I got home, the front left wheel area had smoke coming from it and was hot, so I figured a caliper locked up.

I had a buddy of mine pick up the truck a couple of days later and take it to his muffler and brake shop, he said that on the way there, everything felt fine. They checked the front brakes and found nothing unusal about them, but I still had him replace both front calipers and brake hoses anyway.

The truck seemed fine again for a while, and then recently at times when I put the truck in gear, let my foot off the brake and while going at a slow speed, I can hear a squeel noise similiar to the sound of the brakes still being applied. After a short distance the noise stops. If I push down on the brake pedal to stop at this low speed while this noise is happening, the brakes will lock right up and just about put me through the windshield.

Is there something else that could cause this type of issue like the 4x4 hubs having a problem, or something else in the brake system other than the calipers?

I do not drive this truck that often (it is my winter/back-up vehicle) and it does sit a lot.

I would appreciate any suggestions or ideas.

Thanks.

 

I would start with the wheel bearings. Do inner and outer with the seals. Might as well do spindle bearings too. Inspect the hubs while they are out. You can do this job with minimal tools and a Haynes manual.

 

Wouldn't hurt to check the hubs as GT suggested.

I blew one of my hubs out about a month ago four wheeling and didn't really know it other then the fact that it wouldn't engage. (manual locking hubs)
Then a couple days or so maybe after that I went to make a turn and my steering wheel locked up for a second as if my power steering went out. Eventually I started hearing what kinda sounded like a growl coming from my front left. Thought it was my bearing for sure. Had a buddy look at it and noticed that it stopped making the sound once I locked that hub. Took the hub apart and cleaned it out, put it back together and the noise stopped, but the hub still wouldn't engage because something got busted inside of it. Threw a set of Warn hubs on, and good as new.

 

If the "lock up" only occurs on the first couple of stops after the truck sits over night, it's prolly just surface rust on the rotors. It cleans itself off after braking a few times.

 

Thanks for the replies.

I just recently had someone else tell me the same thing, that it is probably just rust due to the truck sitting too long, (sometimes it will sit for weeks or even a couple of months before I use it).

I think I may still have to double check the bearings and hubs just to make sure.

Thanks again!