I had problems with my rotors warping every 3 months (normal usage, no towing or stoplight drags), and swapped the OEM rotors for cross drilled from JC whitney (only cost $20 more per side than OEM), and have had no problems since. Even towing they hold up just fine. Best $200 I spent on the truck.

 

I am now even more frustrated then ever. So far, I have replaced my brake pads twice and my rotors twice. The first set have just been thrashed from the extreme heat on the passenger side of my truck. My rotor turned blue from the heat. We rebuilt the calipers (finding out that nothing was wrong with them in the first place), and this did not stop the noise. SO NOW we have purchased new hub bearings but when the dealer took a look at my old hub bearings, he said there is absolutely nothing wrong with them, so needless to say, we are returning the new ones.

Ford just sold me a retro fit kit for the calipers. In this kit, there are bolts, slider pins and metal clips. We changed the bolts and the slider pins, but we have no clue where these clips belong on the caliper. I see nowhere for them to go. Ford tells me they ride on the caliper.

I sure hope I can find an answer to this rubber-grinding-on-metal noise before I go broke in the process. My truck just does not handle right and it is very heavy-going. It feels like I am driving with my emergency brake on.

 

1998 F150, 4X4, 63k

My truck may be fixed!!!!

When we rebuilt my calipers, we only rebuilt the pistons. We re-greased the old slider pins, used the old bolts and old rubber boots.

This last weekend, we decided to replace the slider pins (and grease them), change the little rubber boots that go over the slider pins, and put in new bolts. When I examined one of the old rubber boots that fits over the slider pin, there was a rip in the middle of it. I don't know if it was already ripped or if it got ripped taking it off to replace it. But, ever since this change my truck is not making the noise! Plus, the shuddering I've been encountering is also not there! Amazing if this is all it was! (hoping and praying this was the fix it needed).

 

It is real common for people to overlook the sliders on the calipers. Have seen pro's do brakes and not address this issue. I remove the slides at every brake job, wipe them clean, check them for wear and relube them with high temp grease. it is a quick and simple thing to do and solves a lot of noise problems. The shims were originally used by the imports to fight excess heat and noise from vibration. I use the shims and anti-squeek compound. If the rotor turns relatively free after new pads are installed then I doubt that the pads are too " fat " even if they are after market. I have heard nothing but bad things about ceramic pads in the past. They seem way too hard and not very good with heat. They are always trying to come up with some new compound for pads. They even made some from kevlar once that were guaranteed not to make noise. Had several pairs come back as when they got hot they would act like coaster brakes and not stop the car they were on. anyway, Hope my two cents helps