Brakes on my F250

[Donald]

I needed to drive to MD from DE today for a work meeting. About 150 miles each way. On the way there I heard a metal to metal grinding sound when I applied the brakes. Not totally surprised, the front brakes are on my list to do in the next month or so. I have all the parts to do the front brakes.

I went easy on the brakes driving today.

On the way back I pulled into a ROFO for a rest stop.

When I tried to back out of the parking spot it was like the parking brake was still on...I had not used the parking brake. I gave it a little gas and the truck moved but then it was like I had almost no brakes. Yikes. I thought I would drive slowly into the back area and call my wife, and AAA to have it towed. Much to my surprise when I shifted into D and then stepped on the brakes they were back to normal (still a metal grinding sound). I drove home without incident but truck is now parked until I work on the brakes.

I am pretty sure it's 4 wheel disc brakes.

I am not sure what I will find where the brakes don't work almost at all in reverse but pretty well in drive.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

So one thing I learned when I borrowed my dad's truck (now mine) is when the pads get low on a superduty, they'll simply fall out of the caliper bracket either falling out entirely or get stuck between the bracket and rotor and either randomly lock up / grind. I had it lock up in a parking lot and at a stop light when the brakes were low.

I bet when you go to do the brakes you'll find you're missing a brake pad or two.

 

[MalibuRam65]

So one thing I learned when I borrowed my dad's truck (now mine) is when the pads get low on a superduty, they'll simply fall out of the caliper bracket either falling out entirely or get stuck between the bracket and rotor and either randomly lock up / grind. I had it lock up in a parking lot and at a stop light when the brakes were low.

I bet when you go to do the brakes you'll find you're missing a brake pad or two.

Oh heck no that’s dangerous why would Ford do that . This should be another Ford recall.

 

[clinebarger]

So one thing I learned when I borrowed my dad's truck (now mine) is when the pads get low on a superduty, they'll simply fall out of the caliper bracket either falling out entirely or get stuck between the bracket and rotor and either randomly lock up / grind. I had it lock up in a parking lot and at a stop light when the brakes were low.

I bet when you go to do the brakes you'll find you're missing a brake pad or two.

Rotors under spec?, All bets are off when one is metal to metal.....

 

[Donald]

So one thing I learned when I borrowed my dad's truck (now mine) is when the pads get low on a superduty, they'll simply fall out of the caliper bracket either falling out entirely or get stuck between the bracket and rotor and either randomly lock up / grind. I had it lock up in a parking lot and at a stop light when the brakes were low.

I bet when you go to do the brakes you'll find you're missing a brake pad or two.

I was half thinking the past backing plate shifted in reverse and then shifted back in drive.

 

[Donald]

I was half thinking the past backing plate shifted in reverse and then shifted back in drive.

That's pad backing plate.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

Rotors under spec?, All bets are off when one is metal to metal.....

The solution is to just not run the brakes down until there's no friction material left.

Even when I put new rotors on this truck, there's more than enough room for a padless backing plate to slip between the rotor and caliper bracket.

 

[Jetronic]

Oh heck no that’s dangerous why would Ford do that . This should be another Ford recall.

that's why there are wear limits on discs, which people happily ignore.... the wear limit +gap between bracket and disc = nearly brake pad backing plate thickness.

 

[Donald]

that's why there are wear limits on discs, which people happily ignore.... the wear limit +gap between bracket and disc = nearly brake pad backing plate thickness.

I heard no scraping sound of the brake wear indicator before metal grinding sound.

 

[Jetronic]

I heard no scraping sound of the brake wear indicator before metal grinding sound.

the brake wear indicator sometimes breaks off at first contact

 

[crashz]

My F250 has new rotors, calipers and pads. No wear indicators on any of the pads at all. I just have to keep an eye on them.

I'm a pad slapper by nature. I grew up in an age when brake pads were so inexpensive that it made sense simply to change them anytime a wheel was off for brake work or inspection. Last fall was the very first time I ever pulled the pads off, cleaned and re-lubed everything and put them back on. Primarily because the new pads I bought did not fit and the old pads looked nearly new with barely any wear on the pad or rotor.

But - even if you do not intend on brake work, a quick visual inspection when you rotate tires takes less than a few seconds. Folk still rotate tires right?

Being in the salt belt, the OP's truck may not have catastrophically worn pads, but simply stuck pads. The caliper bolts and the stainless shims may be rusted enough (the shims get rust beneath them that can wedge the pad in place) that cause the pads to be simply stuck on. A change in direction may have loosened it. My money is on that.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

My F250 has new rotors, calipers and pads. No wear indicators on any of the pads at all. I just have to keep an eye on them.

I'm a pad slapper by nature. I grew up in an age when brake pads were so inexpensive that it made sense simply to change them anytime a wheel was off for brake work or inspection. Last fall was the very first time I ever pulled the pads off, cleaned and re-lubed everything and put them back on. Primarily because the new pads I bought did not fit and the old pads looked nearly new with barely any wear on the pad or rotor.

But - even if you do not intend on brake work, a quick visual inspection when you rotate tires takes less than a few seconds. Folk still rotate tires right?

Being in the salt belt, the OP's truck may not have catastrophically worn pads, but simply stuck pads. The caliper bolts and the stainless shims may be rusted enough (the shims get rust beneath them that can wedge the pad in place) that cause the pads to be simply stuck on. A change in direction may have loosened it. My money is on that.

I can padslap everything but my F-350. Brake pads outlast the calipers on that.

 

[Donald]

Ya think I waited to long?

What dust shield?

Picture #2 is a chunk of piston.

Outer pad was pretty new looking. Inner pad on DE road somewhere.

 

[crashz]

Wow that's the most extreme wear I've ever seen! Seriously happy that you got home safe. And mildly impressed with the Ford caliper for standing up to that.

 

[Donald]

Do they sell a narrow wire brush to get in-between stud and hub? Clean our any rust?

 

[Donald]

So when one pad is gone and the other pad has little wear is that a symptom of an issue with pistons or caliper pin or pad ears not sliding along SS clips?

 

[John105]

So one thing I learned when I borrowed my dad's truck (now mine) is when the pads get low on a superduty, they'll simply fall out of the caliper bracket either falling out entirely or get stuck between the bracket and rotor and either randomly lock up / grind. I had it lock up in a parking lot and at a stop light when the brakes were low.

I bet when you go to do the brakes you'll find you're missing a brake pad or two.

Oh no...interesting. I can say with the Buick Enclave, the dealer couldn't find this when new, but I did when I did all 4 rotors in 2018. A rock can get kicked up, and fall inside the rotor hat, making a rattling/grinding sound as the rock is going around and around. Nuts. Someone online gave me the idea to look by taking the rotor off, saying it happens on audis and Jeeps. So this sounds like a F250 Super Duty thing...

Also first time ever the squealers rubbed the rotors in rear and very unpleasant sound. Never happened before and was about a year ago.

 

[John105]

So when one pad is gone and the other pad has little wear is that a symptom of an issue with pistons or caliper pin or pad ears not sliding along SS clips?

imho, if it's a floating caliper, the pins....ideally there is not much resistance at all. But as things age and get dirty, there is. I'd try relubing but make sure it's grease designed for the pins, not anti seize as some use....something like this (wonderful amazon says I've purchased it before but where is it??!)

And to your point, at least for me, I often reuse the clips, when new ones came in the box. I think putting in new clips helps and I should make sure I install the new ones each job

https://a.co/d/6FHyeJK

 

[Rob_Roy]

Do they sell a narrow wire brush to get in-between stud and hub? Clean our any rust?

Yes. You can usually find a wire brush the same size as a toothbrush at most auto parts stores. If in a pinch check the welding & plumbing sections at your local hardware store.

You likely had a stuck caliper, or the pads were not moving freely in the caliper bracket. Clean everything really well and assemble with brake grease at all contact points. if the new pads are a really tight fit in the brackets debur them with a file.

 

[John105]

Yes. You can usually find a wire brush the same size as a toothbrush at most auto parts stores. If in a pinch check the welding & plumbing sections at your local hardware store.

You likely had a stuck caliper, or the pads were not moving freely in the caliper bracket. Clean everything really well and assemble with brake grease at all contact points. if the new pads are a really tight fit in the brackets debur them with a file.

I got a really nice set at HFT, way cheaper than amazon. I wanted it when I was going to install the DrawTite in the 10 y.o. Enclave whose underside was severely rusted.