Okay... the buddy that I was counting on to help me out with this brake job over the weekend had to bail on me because of a death in his family. Sounded like a lame excuse but it was legit...hehehe...

Anyway... I'm leaving for vacation tomorrow and I need some sound brake advice...

My brakes are making skreetching sound during very slow stopping. Over the past couple of weeks I could tell that there was a substantial amount of brake dust on the wheels (more so than usual) on the passenger side and, ironically, that's where the skreetch is coming from now. Also, I've noticed that the skreetch still happens occasionally even when I'm not depressing the pedal... it's very light but, it is audible.... so....

What do you all think? I want to take the truck on vacation tomorrow but, I'm thinking that it's going to take just about any shop out there more time than I have to give tomorrow morning.

How long does it take for a shop to do a brake job?

Any suggestions on what may be the problem?

Could my pad just be glazed on that side causing the skreetch and odd feel on my pedal over the past few weeks (along with the dust)?

How much should I expect to pay for a full brake job?

Any chance that the rotor on that side might be zapped (I ask this because of the noise that it makes even when I'm not depressing the pedal)?

Anything else that I should consider???


Thanks guys... I really appreciate it!!

-RockPick

 

All that power brake'n finally caught up with yea. I'd take it to a shop early in the morning and I bet that could take care of it quickly. I wore down the brake pads on my old truck and it made the same sqweaking noise. It would sqweak till you hit about 10 miles an hour and it would stop sqweaking. Took us like an hour to change it. A guy at work did it and it only cost me a case of beer and brake pads. I'd take it in. Better safe than sorry.

 

Oh yea have a safe trip....

 

Based on what you describe I would bet on the caliper on that side is bad, causing the pads to fail early.
Recomendation is to replace both calipers and new set of pads. Also check rotor for warpage and thickness.

Stan

PS I had this problem on mine at 59,000 after towing.
Also had this problem with my 99 Ranger at about 30,000 after towing.

 

I'm not towing at all though... plus, I should note that the majority of my previous 25K miles were city and very much 'stop and go'.

Would the calipers be a warranty issue?


Thank you guys... I sincerely appreciate it.

RP

 

I would think at that mileage it could posible be warrantied but probably not without a fight. And it would take a while for a dealership to do the work most likely.

Stan

Good luck

 

Thanks Stan...

No offense but, I hope and pray you're wrong and that it's something as simple as pads but, if you are right, I hope it's not an uphill battle. The way my luck has been here lately, it wouldn't suprise me if they come back and say bearings or something... LOL...

Any other suggestions? Thoughts? Dirty jokes? LOL!

I need all the encouragement/laughter that I can get.... I'm stressed out to the max about this... we've had this vacation planned for months and now this happens the DAY BEFORE we are to go...

We could take the wifeymobile but, I really want some room... (hence, she drives an Accord).

Thanks again guys... I appreciate it PB!

RP

 

Rockpick:

Good luck on your brake troubles. You are not alone. I must admit I am pretty tough on brakes myself and have allways had issues with Ford light duty trucks.

I can't tell you exactly what your problem but I can predict what will occur. First of all let me say I did not believe I was tough on brakes but simple logic says look at the wear on the rubber pad on your brake pedal.

If you suspect the caliper than take it to the dealer if it is still under warranty. This will cover you for the calliper but not the pads or resurfacing of the rotor. If it took the rotor out with it it would also cover the rotor. The problem with all of this is that most dealers under warranty will only replace the one side, not the other. This will cause you problems later. Do everything you can to have them replace both sides.

If you are out of warranty then a brake shop with a warranty on their work. For just pads, resurfacing and repacking expect a $100-200. Based on your mileage they are probably going to recommend letting them rebuild the callipers or replace. They will give you the story of Fords single plastic piston.... Do not expect for their warranty to get you much further than another set of pads next time. This game makes you agree to additional work to "continue" the warranty since you are not taking thier reccomendations.

There is always do it yourself, it is pretty basic if you have the time.

I am at 42k and on set #3.

 

Thanks Xole... I really really really appreciate you taking the time to respond.

I am, indeed, still under warranty at this point in the game thus, I think I'll go to the stealership to see what they can do for me and if they think they can pull it off in a timely manner since that is the main driving force behind this situation stressing me out.

Maybe, just maybe, they can do it quickly and it's just as simple as the brake pads. God... I hope so.


THANKS AGAIN!!!!!!!!

RP

 

If its pads, they are quite easy to change in your living room or driveway. I had no idea untill tonight. After watching unbolt one bolt, swing the outside down, pull the pads inspect. If the old pads are good, just pop back in. If you need new pads you will need a C-clamp or something to push the pistons in the callipers back in (forces the brake fluid up into the res.) then slip in the new pads, push outside back up, and rebolt that one bolt.

Very simple now that I've seen it done.

 

Phillipsvt,

A good job is a little more complicated than that. There is a thread with some points on how to do a little better job. ( from myself and a couple of others) But you are right, it is a pretty simple job and can be done pretty quickly and easily. The right sides normally wear just a little faster because of road crown. Beleve it or not. After looking at hundreds of front brakes you can almost always count on the right side to have a fraction less pad left than the drivers side.

I would bet the noise is just the brake sensor. Your rotor is prob. fine. A decent shop should only take 2-3 hours and $100 to $200 to do the job ( depending on the type and quality of pad, turning or not turning the rotors, ETC)

 

RP= Just pull one of the wheels off and look at the rotor is it smooth on both sides?, then look at the pads can you see any thickness to them?. If in doubt take it to like midas or cloe and they will do a free brake inspection. Also is the truck pulling to one side or the other/ and is there any grinding noise. I wish i was there i would do it for you myself in no more than an hour.
Good luck. let us know what you find out. have a great vacation and RELAX my man RELAX>>>>.

 

RP I must agree with all the above posts, it sounds like a stuck caliper giving you the trouble and the cost should be around $100 for just new pads and resurface rotors but a caliper could cost I don't know what?? I would think the dealer would cover the caliper and the new pads if a faulty caliper caused premature wearout of the pads.

 

change your pad r.p...........

 

Looks like the word on the street (or at least the word at the stealership) is that the front caliper on the pass side was sticking. They are replacing BOTH sides on warranty and not giving me ANY grief about it. We were slated to leave today at noon or a little after and, it's looking like we'll be able to do that with NO problem. They expect the truck to be done in about 2 hours (it's 9:30).

Thanks a million to everyone has helped out with this major PITA. Things like this always happen the day before you are to leave to go on vacation or do something that you actually want to do (long story short, I couldn't use this as an excuse to not go to work one day... LOL!).....

Again, thanks guys. I need a couple of you all to move here to LaGrange (right outside of Louisville) as I'm definately mechanically challenged on some of the systems on the truck....

RP