My truck has 47,000 miles on it and the brake rotors have been in need of a good machine job for almost a year now. I know this b/c many times when the brakes are applied, the entire truck shakes like it's about to throw a tire off. It is very irritating, as you can imagine, and I have found out that 2 people I know have already had their rotors replaced before 30,000 miles!! I am no mechanic, but this doesn't seem right to me. I am tempted to have them replaced instead of machined to get longer life out of the pads, but it is expensive I'm sure. It is especially bad when my dad has a suburban that has nearly 100,000 miles on it and has had the rotors machined maybe twice, but NEVER replaced, and it never shook like mine does. Any info you guys have will be greatly appreciated!!

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TRUCK: 1998 F-150 S/c, ORP, Lariat, 4.6L V8, auto, Dark toredor red/silver, 60/40 bench, Grey leather
MODS: diamond plated UWS tool box with rails, bedliner, bedmat, custom "true dual" exhaust, heavy duty tow package, tinted front glass, bug shield, husky floor liners for front and rear

 

ORPlariat, I had the same problem at 50,000km. The dealer replaced the front rotors & pads under warranty. The service guy claims that too many people over torque the lug nuts causing the rotors to warp, this may be so,however I believe rotor quality has droped in the few years reducing durabilty and overall life of the rotor.

 

I agree with you about the poor durability and overall life of the rotors. I am now wishing I had gotten the extended warranty on my truck!! When yours were replaced at 50,000 miles, I assume you have the extended warranty, or was it such a documented brake problem that the dealer worked with you on the repairs?

 

Good question about front rotors! I had to pull mine off at less than 30K to turn them (yeah, out of warranty). Pulsing when coming to a stop. Turning rotors is only about $8 each. One had to be turned down to just above the minimum - can't do that again! Double piston caliper is a bit of a pain to push back (one C-clamp, two pistons). That overlapping piece of metal is a bit of a pain also - big bolts, facing the other way, deeper in wheel well. But caliper is light weight for tying up. I may have been overtorquing my lug nuts bit, using torque wrench always now. But my gut feel from a cazillion miles of vehicles, is that the warping is still out there. Okay, so who wants 4 wheel discs? Uh, I like drums in back. Never turned a drum since the 60's!

 

This subject was posted several months ago...it seems that the rotors are warping from heavy braking...then being left to sit and cool. Another member who was quite knowledgable on this recommended that heavy braking be avoided for a short period of time before the truck is parked.

I would post the discussion thread...but it was a while back.

There is a huge difference in braking with rear disks vs drums. My 98 had drums and it did not stop anywhere near as fast as my new truck. The first time I tried the brakes in the 2000...I about broke my kneck.

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2000 F-150 XLT, 4x2, 5.4L Supercab, Styleside, Black with silver two-tone, 3.55, class III towing package with heavy duty cooling package, 4 wheel disk ABS, overhead console, sliding rear window, keyless entry, dark graphite interior, in dash CD, Pendaliner bedliner, K&N air filter, rubberized undercoating, cabin filtration system, Bugflector II, 5W-30 Mobil 1, engine build 10/4/99


[This message has been edited by Dustoff (edited 02-01-2000).]

 

OPRlariat, Sorry, but that was 50,000 kilometres, so my rotors were replaced under the original warranty. Whats the conversion to miles. !#*%!
I need a conversion chart

 

Sorry about that, I read the post quickly and just assumed in was miles, not KM!! Consider yourself lucky that you got the work done under warranty!!

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TRUCK: 1998 F-150 S/c, ORP, Lariat, 4.6L V8, auto, Dark toredor red/silver, 60/40 bench, Grey leather
MODS: diamond plated UWS tool box with rails, bedliner, bedmat, custom "true dual" exhaust, heavy duty tow package, tinted front glass, bug shield, husky floor liners for front and rear

 

The problem is NOT the Ford rotors!
Its the way the technicians put the tires bakc on the vehicles, PERIOD!

You are supposed to TORQUE the wheels tight! NOT USE AN IMPACT WRENCH!!!!!!!!!!!

 

RAND,
You think that it is NOT the rotors? I can see how the impact wrench might have some affect on them, but did a mechanic tell you this? Have you had to replace or turn your rotors? It just seems like I see alot of mechanics and truck/tire shops using those impact wrenches, but surely they can't be totally to blame for all of us new ford truck owners driving around with bad rotors and shaking trucks. let me know what y'all think

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TRUCK: 1998 F-150 S/c, ORP, Lariat, 4.6L V8, auto, Dark toredor red/silver, 60/40 bench, Grey leather
MODS: diamond plated UWS tool box with rails, bedliner, bedmat, custom "true dual" exhaust, heavy duty tow package, tinted front glass, bug shield, husky floor liners for front and rear

 

RAND is right!

The independents are not the only ones to blame- some dealer techs do the same thing.

Do not fall for the "torque stick" either. I have watched them warp weels and rotors. Insist on a torque wrench, and do NOT run the lugs up with an impact. An impact should only be used to remove the lugs.


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'98 4.6 5-sp F-150
We've come for your Tundra.

Where we started.
http://www.mcmullenargus.com/gallery...ge=1165&pub=12
After a facelift.
http://www.zing.com/picture/ff/e9/b5...d.jpg.orig.jpg
trixters-playground@excite.com
www.truckinweb.com




[This message has been edited by crash1 (edited 02-04-2000).]

 

Seems like brake rotors have been problems on Ford products for a while. The last 3 vehicles I owned (2 Escorts and a Taurus) all had periodic problems with the rotors warping. My dealership admitted on the Taurus if you had to nail the brakes hard that it would warp the rotors. My truck has 26,000 and so far so good with it. I'm sure they will warp sooner or later. Just my 2 cents.

 

Nitro, The conversion from Kilometers to miles is to multiply by .6214.

As for the rotors, being a CNC machinist and making rotors for Bosch Braking Systems, I would suggest that if you did get new rotors make sure they have "BUDD" casted on them, more than likely they are already I haven't taken mine off to look yet.

All the castings we turn are from the Waupaca foundry and are very consistent with the pearlitic content and hardness.

I must add this too........Every Ford rotor or hub we run has tighter tolerances than Chrylser or GM!

Disk pad run out on Ford's can be no greater than 980 millionths of an inch.
Where as the others let it get to just over .001.
but being the most sophisticated shop in our state we never let anything get over a half a thou. either way.


[This message has been edited by sugarman (edited 02-08-2000).]

 

Sugarman, was your company making the rotors for the early 97s?
The 97 I owned rotors warped at 11,000 miles,hope it wasn't from you guys....Haha
I think the lug nut recall for 97s had to do alot for warped rotors, and letting a mechanic get his hands on a air impact gun and you'll have a 200# torqued wheel in no time.
Get them and get them out.....Ford Quality Care.

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fordyfour

2000 4X2 Oxford White/Harvest Gold Flareside Lariat S/C
5.4L,3.55 Ls
Tow Package
True duals(Dynomax Turbos), K&N Filter, with a 71¢,3" PVC fresh air tube
Super White Headlamps
10'WO JL sub (enclosed)
ALL amps and speakers Kenwood

 

Fordyfour,
No we have never made any F-150 hubs or rotors. We have done 250's and 450's though. If we did I gaurantee they were right. I take alot of pride in my work as does the other guys there.

We are also doing aluminum cylinder heads for ealry AMC's.


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99 F-150 XLT Sport, Black 4x4 4.6L , 3.55 LS,Manual Tranny, K&N air filter, No Muff Exaust system,.999 tuned TPS,Pioneer CD Player,Pioneer GM-X332 Amp,8" Rockford Fosgate Punches, Custom(self done)pinstriping,Wrap around bugdeflecter

 

this Saturday I will inspect the breaks. I think I will have to have the front rotors turned due to over tightned lugs, I got the truck used so anything is posilbe. This is my first 4X4, any special precausions I should take in removing the roters.


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97 F150 4X4, ORP, Tow Package, CD-Changer, K&N, B&M shift improver, PIAA fog lights, Weld Rims 17", 265 70LT.
f1504x4.hompeage.com