I have a 04 Ford F-150 4.6 liter. I changed the break pads without a problem but the front disks, I cannot seem to remove. There seems to be a nut in the middle and I dont know if it requires a special tool. Can anyone please help me!

 

I'm a little confused. Are trying to remove the rotor?

 

Just trying to make sure we are talking about the same item. The brakes consist of the pads, which fit inside the calipers. The calipers sit on the edge of the rotor. When brake pressure ia applied, the pads squeeze the surface of the rotor. So, are you asking about the rotor?

 

I bet he has a 4 x 2 and he is talking about the nut on the hub. Disc = rotor ??

 

That is the way I was interrpreting, just wanted to verify before I went into a long explanation.

 

What made me wonder, was him saying he had changed the pads, now wanted to remove the disks. Maybe he meant he had changed the pads some other time.

 

I actually bought the pads and rotors (disks) but was not able to remove the old ones. So I just replaced the pads for now. But there is a big freaking nut in the middle of the hub. It has a pin going thru it.. I removed the pin, but it looks like i need a tool to take off the freaking nut.

 

Ok, yes, you remove the pin. It takes a deep socket that is metric, for the big nut. It is close to 1 1/4 in, maybe a 36 mm? I can't remember. Once you have it off, the rotor slides off. Now, Ford says that the big nut should be replaced each time it's removed. It costs about $15 each. I did not know that when i did mine and I reused it. Since it has the pin through it, I don't see how it can back off.

 

all of the above applies if you have a 2-wheel drive truck.

If you have a 4-wheel drive, your rotors are seized on; this is pretty common. Just beat the hell out of them with a hammer, make sure you wear safety glasses. They'll break free and come right off.

 

Correct, it's not a 4x4 so it should work, thanks Nate. Thanks BlueJay, I will give it a try this weekend.

 

If your going to reuse the nut make a mark where it is and then retorque it to 295lbs

 

I just did mine on my 2wd and it is a 36 mm socket. You pull the pin then the 12 point looking piece in there slides out to reveal the hex head of the actual torqued nut. A good impact wrench can get it loose, otherwise you need a long breaker bar. The nut cost 25 at the ford dealer by me. May be different prices in different places. I just went with a new one because i dont expect to be doing this again anytime soon so 50 to do it right isnt that big of a deal.

 

Yeah, 36 mm sounds correct.

 

i think its actually like a 35mm or something odd, but the 36mm will work fine. if you don't have access to an impact, a breaker bar and cheater pipe will get them off just fine.

 

you can rent the socket from auto zone, and you should buy the nuts. they are soft metal and have been torqued to 295lb ft. . it is important to torque them back to that amount, to prelode the bearing.