2011 F150 XLT. I hear a clicking noise only when braking. It sounds like it slows with the rotation of the tires. I read somewhere that it could be a parking brake issue. I pulled both sides down, and didn't see anything broken. I did find however that the parking brake actuating lever on the right, had a "L" stamped on it, and the one on the left had a "R" stamped on it. I am assuming that the actuation levers are on the wrong sides of the vehicle. Has anyone run into anything like this. Or,...does Ford consider the passenger side of the vehicle to be the left side? I have replaced all 3 universal joints. I didn't see anything wrong with the ones that were in there, but someone told me that may be my culprit. I also pulled the front brakes down just to have a look, and I don't see anything there either.



I bought this 2011 F150 XLT Supercab from a dealer in Mississippi. He got it from an auction in Texas. The original owner was General Electric. The truck had 73,000 miles on it when I bought it in January of 2013.

 

did you remove the calipers when you "pulled down" each end? I ask because I wonder if one of the pads has loose rivets where the media might rattle. Also (although I'm not familiar with the brakes in your truck exactly) are there any retaining clips that might contact the rotor when you apply the brakes?

Your e-brake shouldn't move at all when you use the normal brakes, I have had a spring fail and one of the shoes fell onto the "drum" that made a terrible grinding noise

 

I did remove the calipers. On the front, there are no retaining clips for the pads, only the slider clip that the pad rides in. On the back, (which it sounds like where the sound is coming from) the rotor is a tophat style rotor. The service brakes are discs, but the emergency brake is a drum style. I am beginning to wonder if there is something going on inside the differential.

 

maybe a bad u-joint at the axle? Or something contacting driveshaft back there. It's easier to eliminate the external factors before you open up the diff (often less expensive too)

 

A buddy of mine recommended the same thing. I changed all 3 u joints, figuring they were due anyway. It didn't help. I replaced the u joints with ones that have an external zerk, so I can grease them. The u joints that I replaced weren't dry or anything. Still searching. I definitely don't want to go into the differential. Although, I could just drop the cover and make sure that nothing is broken or come loose in there.

 

Pulling the cover will at least require replacing the lube, make sure to use the correct oil and to add friction modifier if it's required.
When I changed mine (2003 9.75" 3.55 w/ limited slip) I used 75w 140 Valvoline synth about 2 qt's and 2 bottles of FoMoCo friction modifier (per the Ford parts counter guy) There's a bunch of debate on the topic of the FM, some will say if it's not required if the oil has it in it. Others will say you need to add it. I went ahead and put in Fords FM because it's cheap insurance.

 

sprocket08, did you ever find out what the issue was with the clicking when braking? Mine just started doing this and it is exactly as you describe as it slows with the rotation of the tires. Mine is coming from the front driver side. I pulled the wheel off and inspected as good as I can without pulling the calipers off. Nothing that I could see had any rub or scrape marks on it. This also only happens when the brake is pressed normally and not on hard or soft braking.

 

I wound up replacing the front pads and rotors. I swore the noise was coming from the rear of the truck, and I don't know exactly what the issue was. I had the rotors turned at AutoZone (don't do it.) I finally went and bought new front rotors and pads, and that took care of it. Hope this helps.

 

Thanks Sprocket! Yea, I can totally hear the noise from the front. I've had my rotors turned before but they are too worn to turn now plus they weren't clicking then. I was going to swap left and right rotors to see if that stopped the clicking (as I think only the left front rotor is warped and also where the clicking is coming from) but I don't think I will now that you've confirmed new rotors and pads did the trick for you. Now I know what my next order is from Amazon. I tow a boat so thinking to go with drilled and slotted rotors
Thanks again

 

If the rotors are warps, when they are spinning, they slightly touch the pad, making the brake media move in the caliper making the infamous click, click, click. Doesn't do any harm, but if you have the windows down, it is annoying.