Off the topic truck question?

  • Outkastconnor
    Royalton, MN
    Posts: 98
    #1216124

    I own a 2003 Ford F150 with 27,000 miles on it and I have had the rotors replaced on this vehicle 4 seperate times! I also have had the back drums replaced twice, and the pads 3 times!!

    Has anyone had similar problems with their trucks? Anybody have any ideas of what I can do so I don’t get stuck with this problem after my warranty runs out?

    robstenger
    Northern Twin Cities, MN
    Posts: 11374
    #450689

    I havea 1999 F-150 with 196,000 miles on it. I have never replaced the rotors and I will be replacing the brake pads for the 2nd time ever sometime soon. Although I’m sure the rotors will be required also. This truck has been rock solid. I will also be buying my 2nd set of tires soon. 100,000 miles on a set of tires and brake pads. 200,000 miles on the rotors, I would say I’m a satisfied customer.

    So no I can not relate. Sounds like something is going on to cause this pre mature wear on the brakes. What does your dealer say? This is not common.

    jeremy-crawford
    Cedar Rapids Area
    Posts: 1530
    #450694

    Do you have trailer brakes on your boat? Also, Are you doing the work or having it done? If you are having it done just buy the parts and swing by my plane and we can do them in the shop. My guess is that you are being taken to the cleaners…. Or drive like my wife.
    jc

    john23
    St. Paul, MN
    Posts: 2578
    #450697

    I’ve got an ’02 F-150 and have had no problems, knock on wood.

    It sounds like eyou’ve got some kind of problem going on, that’s for sure. I’d think you’d have to be towing something really heavy on a trailer with no brakes on a daily basis to do that kind of damage. Even if you stomped the brake every chance you had I can’t see 4 sets of rotors in 27,000 miles.

    I have disc brakes both front and back on my truck. Why wouldn’t an ’03? Is it an XL model?

    Lip Ripper, some time you’ll have to teach me the secret of getting 100,000 miles out of a set of tires!

    John

    david_scott
    Twin Cities
    Posts: 2946
    #450701

    One of 2 things is happening.. you drive with 2 feet and keep the brake pedal covered(too much heat build up).. Or, for some reason your calipers arent backing off and holding slight tension on your brake pads.

    That is the only possible scenerio I can think of.

    Are you one of those 2 footed drivers? If you are, you better change your habits before warranty runs out.

    gary_wellman
    South Metro
    Posts: 6057
    #450705

    FisherDave nailed it on the head!

    timdomaille
    Rochester Mn
    Posts: 1908
    #450709

    Are you doing the work or is someone else? Are the using factory pads or aftermarket? Cheap aftermarket pads will wear out fast.

    gary_wellman
    South Metro
    Posts: 6057
    #450710

    no,
    aftermarket pads/rotors will not wear out that fast.

    As Dave stated, one of two things are happening.
    It is the method of which you drive, by pounding the breaks and riding them, generating heat.

    Or, the calipers are sticking either due to the individual calipers or the system is binding by not releasing the pads which is generating heat.

    Either way, it is the heat generating that is causing the problems.

    biggill
    East Bethel, MN
    Posts: 11321
    #450721

    I believe Gary is probably right. I would also make sure that you buy some high quality rotors. I have actually have bought rotors that have been warped. That just goes to show that not all brake manufacturers are equal.

    I have a ’99 f-150 with 120,000 miles and had to replace the brakes at 80,000 and again at 115,000. Both front and rear pads had to be replaced. Other than that I have been very happy with it.

    Outkastconnor
    Royalton, MN
    Posts: 98
    #450735

    Well, I am not a two footed driver I had a 00′ Chevy Silverado and drove 90,000 on the same rotors and replaced the pads once. I ahve not changed what I am towing nor my drving style. I think that fisher dave has the right idea on the calipers. I am going through the dealoer I bought the truck from on everything for warranty and I think I am going to have to find a new service writer to eplain my problem to. I dont think they do anything but change out parts when they work on that truck. I really dont think they care to find out the core of the problem atleast until my warranty runs out

    Thanks for all the advice guys i appreciate it

    waterfowler99
    Midwest
    Posts: 1514
    #450737

    take it to a ford dealer and have the rotors turned on the truck, not on a machine off the truck. any big ford dealer should have an on the vehicle lathe. most common problem is when the new rotors are hung on the rust and build up on the hub, assuming it is a sealed hub truck, does not get cleaned properly, hence the rotor is not sitting on the hub square

    fireman731
    Miles, Iowa
    Posts: 574
    #450741

    I’d replace the FORD with a CHEVROLET …eliminate both problems at once !!

    birddog
    Mn.
    Posts: 1957
    #450761

    I HAD a 02 F150 SC with brake problems, not every 5000 miles but did have to replace the rotors more often than should have been needed. My understanding was it’s a very common problem with those trucks, especially if it was used as a tow vehicle. The extra heat generated by braking with a trailer in tow would warp the cheap, undersized rotors. I have a family member who’s a Ford mechanic, they’ve seen a TON of these trucks with rotor/brake problems!! Vented/sloted racing rotors along with ceramic pads should take care of your problem, they are twice as expensive but will vent and disperse heat better than the factory parts. You are not the only Ford owner with this complaint, VERY common.

    BIRDDOG

    corey_waller
    hastings mn
    Posts: 1525
    #450793

    been selling and working with Fords for a lot of years they do NOT have a reoccuring problem with rotors being warped under normal driving conditions. sounds like a calper hanging up causing excessive heat, thus warping the rotor. bring it in to a dealer, tell the writer the issue and he will get it figured out for ya. if not give me a call and I would be glad to help out the best I can

    timdomaille
    Rochester Mn
    Posts: 1908
    #450822

    Gary. Aftermarket “Cheap” pads will wear out fast. I know for a fact that there are some places that buy the cheapest pads and rotors they can and mark them way up. I will not mention names, but you would be suprized to know who they are. All I am saying is if they are the cheap pads, they will not last long.

    gary_wellman
    South Metro
    Posts: 6057
    #450826

    Don’t get me wrong.
    I hear fully what you are saying. But they won’t wear out that fast, unless you have a brutally agresive driver. And it is the rotors here that is the primary culprit, not the pads.

    birddog
    Mn.
    Posts: 1957
    #450841

    Of course they don’t have problems…you sell them.

    Whether it’s a caliper hanging up or the fact that the rotors are weak, IT IS happenening, and IT IS happening to many! Outkast is having the problem, I’ve had the problem, 1 of the 2 (02)ford truck owners on my ball team are having the problem and the family member of mine who is a certified Ford mechanic has seen this many times. This exact problem has been discussed on the “other” site, it may have even been here?? Can’t remember? I owned that truck from new till last fall, I dealt with this problem…a lot! I researched it, talked with many different people about it, from dealers to private shop owners to Ford mechanics…it IS happenening! If this isn’t happening, why would my Ford dealer have recommended the vented rotors if it wasn’t a problem??

    BIRDDOG

    corey_waller
    hastings mn
    Posts: 1525
    #450847

    I have no problem discussing the advantages or weaknesses of any Ford product out there PERIOD! There are “bugs” in every manufacturer’s line out there. Ford is no exception. the major problems with the 03 6.0 L super dutys electronics or how about the ball joint problem in the focus Im ok to discuss them all. But I would NEVER say there isnt a problem if there is. And there AINT one!!! weather I sell Fords or not has nothing to do with it. I cant comment on what is said on another “site” as I dont go there, I dont know why a “certified” ford mechanic would recomend racing rotors to fix a “normal” driving concern, as I wasnt part of the conversation, and makes NO sence to me. All I know is if you are toasting rotors every 5000 miles HECK if you are haveing any problems with a ford product let me know and Ill do my best to help you out. but what I can tell you is if you sell more trucks than anybody else for 27 years straight you must be doing something right
    call me 651-214-8875
    thanks, Corey

    corey_waller
    hastings mn
    Posts: 1525
    #450849

    ps

    birddog who is your Ford dealer?

    birddog
    Mn.
    Posts: 1957
    #450910

    I’m not knocking the Ford, heck, I liked it and may even go back to Ford after I’m through with this Chevy?? Yes, they all have bugs. No biggie, our opinions just differ as do the opinions from dealer to dealer and mechanic. to mech. it seems. I’m not attacking Ford, so you can set your (best selling truck 27 years) Ford pride aside. I’m not going to name names, no reason as I haven’t owned that truck in almost a year and the conversation about the vented rotors was at least 2 years ago, so… I can tell you they recommended a aftermarket, I believe it was power slot or power vent??, not sure it was a racing rotor? But the slotted style. I’ve always thought of them as “racing”. Also, it wasn’t a mech. that recommended the rotors, it was the guy behind the parts counter. I heard everything (from Ford dealers) from calipers sticking to the design of that alum cast wheel not allowing proper air flow to cool the rotor. I’m sure if I would have dealt with more dealers they have said it was something different. When I was dealing with this I researched it thoroughly, made lots of calls to different dealers and sent lots of emails, yes, one or two of the dealers had heard of rotors on 02-03 F150’s prematurely warping but couldn’t give me a definite answer as to what was causing it. My truck was into the dealer MANY times for this, they said the calipers weren’t sticking, lugs were properly torqued, every thing check out good. Except for the fact my new rotors were warping prematurely. Again, I’m not knocking ford. I just know what I dealt with, what I researched and what continued to happen with my rotors till I sold it. They warped on my truck every 12,000 or so until I switched to ceramic pads, then I would get 18-20,000 out of the rotors. It is what it is and I think Ford makes a fine truck. The original poster asked if anyone has dealt with this subject, I let him know I had and what I found out in the 3 years I dealt with it.

    BIRDDOG

    Outkastconnor
    Royalton, MN
    Posts: 98
    #450995

    Well I have thew truck in at the dealership right now and I guess we will see what these guys can come up with. I swear some of these guys that work in the dealerships service department don’t care what is wrong with your vehicle unless your there to spend money on something besides warranty

    2Fishy4U
    Posts: 973
    #451137

    I’d replace the FORD with a CHEVROLET …eliminate both problems at once !!

    Doing the above would just double your problems. Perhaps it is time for a Nissan or Toyota Truck.

    Seriously, I have a Ford Truck and without getting into a lengthy explanation I would highly recommend using Motorcraft parts. Plain and simple, although my dealer supported the after market stuff the only thing that worked was finally replacing the after market stuff with Motorcraft rotors, pads, etc. More expensive, but well worth it and because the after market parts never worked there was no charge for them..

    2Fishy4U
    Posts: 973
    #451346

    Locken Ford, Newburg, WI. These guys are honest to a fault.

    Check out my post under the General Discussion forum regarding pick-up trucks. Would appreciate your comments.

    Outkastconnor
    Royalton, MN
    Posts: 98
    #451716

    A little update on the truck. I had the rear rotors replaced as well as brake pads. I also had the front brakes looked at and the told me I still had 10 mil of pad left.

    Well, now my front brakes are grinding and squeeling, WHAT A SUPRISE Whoever designed the brakes for this model truck is an idiot! How can you expect to stop a full size truck with brake pads off a TEN SPEED

    2Fishy4U
    Posts: 973
    #451815

    One last comment, my Ford dealer who is extremely good, I managed to talk into aftermarket brake parts. They simply did not work and once the Motorcraft was installed the brakes have been perfect for at least 40,000. Clearly, they are more expe4nsive but well worth it.

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