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How To Replace Front Brakes 2004-08 Ford F150

Created on: 2014-11-10

Watch this video to learn how to fix squeaky or fading front brakes. The experts at 1A Auto show you how to replace the brake pads and rotors on your 04 -08 Ford F150.

  1. step 1 :Removing the Wheel
    • Pry off the center cap with a flat blade screwdriver
    • Loosen the lug nuts with the vehicle on the ground
    • Raise the vehicle with a floor jack
    • Secure the vehicle on jack stands
    • Remove the lug nuts
    • Pull off the wheel
  2. step 2 :Inspecting the Brakes
    • Turn the rotor by hand or turn the steering wheel to turn the rotor
    • Check for gouges on both sides of the rotor
    • Check the thickness of the brake pads
    • Check the brake pad wear indicator
  3. step 3 :Removing the Brake Pads
    • Pry the brake pads into the caliper with a flat blade screwdriver to push in the pistons
    • Remove the two 13mm bolts from the brake caliper
    • Pull the caliper aside
    • Pry the brake pads off with a flat blade screwdriver
  4. step 4 :Removing the Brake Rotor
    • Remove two 18mm bolts from the brake caliper bracket
    • Pull off the brake caliper bracket
    • Pull the rotor off
    • If the rotor will not come off, thread one lug nut and tap the rotor loose with a hammer
  5. step 5 :Installing the Brake Rotor
    • Slide the rotor on
    • Thread on one lug nut to hold the rotor in place
    • Put an old pad in the caliper
    • Use a large C-clamp and the old pad to push the pistons back
    • Apply grease to the caliper slides
    • Remove the brake pad slides
    • Clean the slide mounting area with a wire brush
    • Put the bracket back into place
    • Start the two 18mm bolts by hand
    • Tighten the 18mm bolts to 95 foot-pounds of torque
  6. step 6 :Installing the Brake Pads
    • Put the brake pad slides into place
    • Push the brake pad slide tabs into place with a hammer and flat blade screwdriver
    • Apply grease to the brake pad tabs
    • Install the new brake pads into the bracket
    • Push in the brake pad clips
    • Put the caliper on
    • Thread the two 13mm bolts by hand
    • Tighten bolts to 25 foot-pounds
  7. step 7 :Reattaching the Wheel
    • Remove the placeholder lug nut
    • Slide the wheel into place
    • Start the lug nuts by hand
    • Tighten the lug nuts preliminarily
    • Lower the vehicle to the ground
    • Tighten the hub nut to X foot-pounds
    • Tighten the lug nuts to 110 foot-pounds in a crossing or star pattern
    • Reattach the center cap
  8. step 8 :Testing the Brakes
    • Pump your brakes repeatedly until they feel firm
    • Test your brakes at 5 miles per hour and then 10 miles per hour
    • Road test the vehicle

Tools needed

  • 13mm Socket

    Large C-Clamp

    Socket Extensions

    Torque Wrench

    Hammer

    Jack Stands

    18mm Socket

    21mm Socket

    Flat Blade Screwdriver

    White Grease

    Ratchet

    Wire Brush

    Floor Jack

Brought to you by 1AAuto.com, your source for quality replacement parts and the best service on the Internet.

Hi, I'm Mike from 1A Auto. I hope this how-to video helps you out, and next time you need parts for your vehicle, think of 1AAuto.com. Thanks.

In this video, we're going to show you how to replace the front brakes on this 2005 Ford F150. We show you on the passenger's side but the driver's side is the same procedure. The items that you'll need for this are new brake pad and rotor kit from 1AAuto.com; a 13, 18 and 21mm socket and ratchet with a piece of pipe for extra leverage; flat blade screwdriver; pliers; jack and jack stands; large C-clamp; wire brush; brake grease; and a torque wrench.

Pry off the hub cap. Then, using your 21mm socket and ratchet loosen up each of the lug nuts. Now, raise the vehicle and remove the lug nuts the rest of the way and remove your wheel.

Turn the wheel so you can access the brakes better. Inspect your brakes. These brakes really actually look good. Take the back of your fingernail and run it up and down. You're feeling for any large grooves. Even though it looks like there's a groove there, there's really not anything there. There's going to be light grooves but you don't want anything large. Do the same thing on the back side. Then you can see the pads. See the pad right there. There's plenty of life left on this outer pad. The inner pad you can see through here and there's actually a little slot there. That's actually a wear mark, so there's actually good life left on these brakes but we're going to take them apart and put them back together just to show you.

To make it easier to get the caliper off, just take a large screwdriver and put it into the brake disc and pry out. You don't have to move it far, just enough to help you get things apart. Then, we're going to remove the two 13mm bolts: here and one up here. Push in the slides on the bracket and then pull the caliper up and off. Now, pry out your brake pads.

Now, remove these two 18mm bolts on the back of your caliper bracket. We'll just fast forward as Mike removes those. If your vehicle has a little rust and the rotor isn't coming off, put a lug nut on and use a hammer to hit the back of it and then remove the lug nut and remove the rotor.

On the left, are the old brake pads and rotor. On the right, are the new ones from 1A Auto. You can see they're identical and they'll fit exactly the same.

Put the rotor into place and then, replace a lug nut to just hold in place while you put the caliper bracket back on. Take an old brake pad and put into your caliper. Then, take a large C-clamp and you just want to twist the C-clamp and it'll push those pistons on your caliper back in. These should be nice and smooth. They are a little bit catchy so I'm going to take them out, clean them off and regrease them. Apply the brake grease. Push the slides back into your caliper bracket. Now, pull off your brake pad slides and, using a wire brush, just clean the area where the slides were. Now put the brake caliper bracket back into place and replace the two 18mm bolts that hold it there. We'll fast forward as he tightens those up. Then you want to torque both of those to 95 foot-pounds.

Push your new brake pad slides into place. All right I always find it's easier to adjust these a little bit. These ears here push and keep tension on the pads that way, but usually they just need to be bent in that way a little bit. Then it's always good to just take a screwdriver and bend these ears down some and then these ones up. Put some grease on the ends where they contact the slides. Now there's a small tab that comes down on these slides. Just bend that back up. Reinstall the inner pad, then you can use these clips and these are optional but these clips hold the pads out from the rotor while you're driving. You need to set the tabs in the slides to hold the brake pads in place while these clips are on.

Put your caliper back into place. Then, replace those two 13mm bolts and tighten them up. Now torque both of these to 25 foot-pounds.

Remove the lug nut and then put your wheel back into place. Then replace each of the lug nuts and tighten them up preliminarily and then lower the vehicle and tighten them the rest of the way. Torque each of the lug nuts to 110 foot-pounds in a crossing pattern. Replace your hub cap.

After doing any work on the brakes, you just want to pump the brake pedal until it firms up and then do a stopping test from 5 miles per hour and then 10 miles per hour.

We hope this video helps you out. Brought to you by www.1AAuto.com, your source for quality replacement parts and the best service on the Internet. Please feel free to call us toll-free, 888-844-3393. We're the company that's here for you on the Internet and in person.

2004 - 2004  Ford  F150 Truck
2006 - 2008  Lincoln  Mark LT
2005 - 2008  Ford  F150 Truck
2005 - 2005  Ford  F150 Truck
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