Trainmaster
Old School Member
Replaced front brakes on my 2008. I did this five years ago and the old Motorcraft pads had 55,000 miles on them. There was still lots of pad material on them but they were starting to wear unevenly.
After the five years, I also replaced the rubber caliper pin boots and the pins. I found one caliper pin boot had its cover missing, which allowed the pin to rust and bind. OEM pins use a 9mm hex bit to remove; most after market ones use a 7mm. The rotors came off easily as I had used anti-seize when I installed them five years ago.
The rubber boots are a bear to install. The old ones had hardened and had to be gouged out of the calipers. The new ones had to be greased and shoved into the holes in the calipers short end first. Those mounting holes were cleared of rust with a round file. I ruined a set of boots installing them without filing the rust out of the holes first. The boots with the hard plastic insert go in the leading (bottom) holes on the caliper and they won't fit if the holes have New York rust on them.
The plastic covers on the boots went on with a little silicone gasket maker to better retain them.
These are very big brake pads and a complex arrangement. It took about an hour and a half to get the job done, and the rubber boots weren't easy to find. I always use Motorcraft parts where I can because I find that I'm doing a bit less work using them and having fewer annoying surprises. I also have less money left over to get myself in trouble.
After the five years, I also replaced the rubber caliper pin boots and the pins. I found one caliper pin boot had its cover missing, which allowed the pin to rust and bind. OEM pins use a 9mm hex bit to remove; most after market ones use a 7mm. The rotors came off easily as I had used anti-seize when I installed them five years ago.
The rubber boots are a bear to install. The old ones had hardened and had to be gouged out of the calipers. The new ones had to be greased and shoved into the holes in the calipers short end first. Those mounting holes were cleared of rust with a round file. I ruined a set of boots installing them without filing the rust out of the holes first. The boots with the hard plastic insert go in the leading (bottom) holes on the caliper and they won't fit if the holes have New York rust on them.
The plastic covers on the boots went on with a little silicone gasket maker to better retain them.
These are very big brake pads and a complex arrangement. It took about an hour and a half to get the job done, and the rubber boots weren't easy to find. I always use Motorcraft parts where I can because I find that I'm doing a bit less work using them and having fewer annoying surprises. I also have less money left over to get myself in trouble.
