OT Brake caliper sticking on F250SD

AndyF · May 4, 2013

I have a 2001 Ford F250SD that doesn't get used much. I bought it in 2012 with 43,000 miles on it and drive it ~400 miles/month. These trucks have a reputation for brake calipers sticking, especially when they aren't used much. My left rear caliper is sticking occasionally. I'll be doing brakes on it soon and would like to replace with ones that are less likely to stick.

Any suggestions for aftermarket brands which may be less likely to stick?

kb0thn · May 4, 2013

AndyF said:
I have a 2001 Ford F250SD that doesn't get used much. I bought it in 2012 with 43,000 miles on it and drive it ~400 miles/month. These trucks have a reputation for brake calipers sticking, especially when they aren't used much. My left rear caliper is sticking occasionally. I'll be doing brakes on it soon and would like to replace with ones that are less likely to stick.

Any suggestions for aftermarket brands which may be less likely to stick?

I also have the same truck ... bought used two years ago with 80k miles ... and now with around 100k. I used to only drive it when I needed a truck. So it would go two or three weeks at a time without being driven. Then might get 100, 500, or 1k mile trip. I've had three stuck calipers. Never convenient. Been stranded three times and had to pull brake calipers off of the vehicle along side the road so I could get home.

After consultation with my mechanic, I just accepted that this was the nature of this truck. I now make it a point to drive it at least once a week. So I'll take it to the convenience store < 1 mile away for lunch ... when I might have otherwise walked, biked, or driven my 45 MPG car. Since I have started driving it at least once a week, I haven't had a problem. A figure an extra $5 or $100 of gas per week is a lot less aggravation then being stranded with a stuck caliper.

-Jim

jkruger · May 4, 2013

I would have a reputable brake shop rebuild them with the emphasis on making sure they are well lubricated and sealed with the best stuff you can get. I used to use a high temp silicon grease that worked very well.

Bill D · May 4, 2013

do not know those calipers but if they use rods to guide those can be replaced with stainless steel. I think stainless boat trailer brakes are copies of GM brakes.
Bill D.

on edit; they use slide pins. maybe you can make them in stainless. they are known for the piston hanging up. some have a problem with hydroboost, whatever that is.

brassmagnet · May 4, 2013

If it's any consolation, my Chevy Silverado suffers the same issues with rear calipers - I just replaced my left rear about 2 weeks ago. Apparently it's not manufacturer sensitive problem.

Forestgnome · May 4, 2013

Don't know if this has anything to do with the sticking, but my F250 uses phenolic pistons. Couldn't believe my eyes when I first saw that. Never heard of phenolic pistons. Mine had heated up and expanded. Maybe someone here can explain why phenolic is a better piston material than metal. Otherwise you might look for a change there.

9100 · May 4, 2013

A lady friend had a 1995 F150 with the problem. The local dealer "rebuilt" it twice with no improvement. Finally a Midas shop quoted her $760 to replace everything. I retrieved the truck and took the caliper apart. The pistons are a plastic that looks like a filled Bakelite ( I have no more knowledge than that as to the actual material). I polished the offending pistons down and replaced the seals, total cost 2 hours and $6. It is probably from moisture absorption and using the brakes bakes the pistons, driving it out. Don't waste your time asking dealers or most mechanics. A local auto parts dealer told me that there were stainless steel aftermarket pistons available, but he went out of business with the crash, so I can't get more from him. A little searching on "stainless steel brake pistons for Ford" turned up a number of promising sources, or you can make your own.

This one shows promise Brake Caliper Piston: Research Calibex - Seller Reviews, Ratings

Bill

JHOLLAND1 · May 4, 2013

F 250 brake problems

yep---lots of web comments regarding F 250 brakes.
mostly rust belt trucks---including mine

caliper pistons are inorganic but distort in axial misalignment
then they bind from personal experience if a caliper system
heats to the point of smoking internal oxidation and subsequent binding
are likely consequences---see pic

but here is the take away i learned after 6 months replacing parts--
Ford to my knowledge does not address this in service bulletin --
the horizontal shaft which supports brake pedal is prone to binding
and when it binds a frustrating somewhat unpredictable pattern of
brake lock-up and failure occurs

so, after replacing caliper sets i looked at the shaft and bushing assembly
supporting brake pedal and on my truck the clutch pedal also

drilled several holes thru bushing and used lots of wd40---no problems for
the past two years

pics

red arrow clutch pedal

yellow---brake pedal

blue---drill hole for lube

pink---compression slots Ford designed to eliminate play in brake --clutch pedal
assembly--acts as belleville spring---and this is the trigger of problems--when the
rust which is in evidence expands and the assembly seizes -- brake pedal fails to
return to full retract

jh

Joe Rogers · May 4, 2013

You don't really mean to say that lubing the brake pedal pivot allowed the caliper shown in the last photo to operate as the engineers designed?
Early in my professional vehicle repair career Chrysler tried using the "plastic" caliper pistons. They would grow in service due to the porosity of the material. Couldn't hardly pump them out of the caliper using the brake system for pressure. Chromed metal pistons installed during an overhaul fixed em.
Joe

SBLatheman · May 4, 2013

I also have a 2001 F250 SD 4x4 and just put a remanufactured caliper on the left front this morning. One of the pistons was stuck :mad5:

The caliper was $65 plus exchange.
Ted

Axle · May 4, 2013

Forestgnome said:
Don't know if this has anything to do with the sticking, but my F250 uses phenolic pistons. Couldn't believe my eyes when I first saw that. Never heard of phenolic pistons. Mine had heated up and expanded. Maybe someone here can explain why phenolic is a better piston material than metal. Otherwise you might look for a change there.

Ford has been sing phenolic pistons since at least the 80's. There used to be an SAE paper available on the web (need to pay now to view SAE papers) that explained the benefits of using phenolic pistons. A couple of which, where significantly less heat transfer to the brake fluid and no piston corrosion. Overall, the paper gave the nod to phenolic over metal pistons.

Alex.

JHOLLAND1 · May 4, 2013

"You don't really mean to say that lubing the brake pedal pivot allowed the caliper shown in the last photo to operate as the engineers designed?"

NO---the binding pedal linkage was instrumental in caliper overheating and eventual failure
the left front caliper typically fails first in my reading of other owners adverse events

few failures out of warm dry climate states--usually northern locales with freeze/thaw cycles
and trucks parked out of doors rather than garaged

jh

Racebrewer · May 4, 2013

Hi,

I've seen this problem with lots of rear disk brake calipers (they don't move as much). Re-build or take new/re-man calipers apart and use lots of "brake grease" (Permatex product?) on all the moving parts, including the pistons. When you are driving with no one around you, I'd recommend exercising the brakes exuberantly (albeit carefully) so they move around and don't seize up.

The brake grease prevents corrosion and keeps dirt from working its way into the moving parts by trapping it outside.

YMMV,
John

Garwood · May 5, 2013

I put late model F450 brakes on my much older Ford truck. They work great when you keep them in use. They don't like to sit.

JH- I have seen the same + other issues from the pedal pivot bushings. The clutch hydraulic systems are especially prone. ZF 5 speed transmissions got an undeserved reputation for weak reverse synchro dog teeth due entirely to incomplete clutch disengagement from worn pivot bushings. On the bright side Ford sells the entire underdash pedal assembly for their trucks for very reasonable prices and keeps plenty in stock on dealer shelves.

AndyF · May 5, 2013

Thanks for all of the suggestions.

It sounds like there is no easy, reliable off the shelf fix, so I'll probably be going the replace, lubricate heavily, drive it a few times a week whether I need to or not route, and since the truck is a pig on gas, I'd rather not drive it most of the time. I'll also take a look at the linkages as JHolland suggested.

JoeE. · May 5, 2013

Can't recall which truck I was working on (Ford or Dodge) but I didn't have any luck disassembling the caliper to get the piston out, which was stuck, to rebuild the thing. Ended up buying a complete assembly instead.

Actually, trying to get that seal out was too difficult. Maybe I didn't try hard enough. I was afraid if it was that hard to remove it would be just as hard to replace and I'd have a mess on my hands.

Maybe I'll go look on youtube and see if there is a video of someone rebuilding a caliper.

Solo Inventor · May 5, 2013

I don't know anything about the F250 but I've had problems with sticking calipers in three different cars and each time it turned out to be a brake hose. I'm not sure of the exact failure mechanism, but the inside diameter of the hose would slowly shrink and eventually become completely restricted at the location where they had crimped one of those sheet metal brackets around it that help hold the hose in place. Since the hose has some give to it, it would allow the high pressure brake fluid through to the caliber, but when you would release the brake, the hose would pinch shut and hold a certain amount of pressure inside the caliber. This of course would lead to a lot of overheating and eventual damage.

Since the problem starts out so minor (calibers releasing just a little bit slow) and grows worst at such a slow rate, it's easy to blame the calibers and end up replacing them before finding the real problem (don't ask how I know). If you have a brake hose with this problem, loosening the bracket's grip on the hose a little should allow the brakes to function a lot better for a time. Of course, in this case, it would be wise to replace them ASAP.

I don't often hear of this sort of failure mode so I thought I should mention it. I'm not even sure if the F250 has that sort of brake hose. Maybe I just have bad luck with brake hoses.

cg285 · May 6, 2013

AndyF said:
Thanks for all of the suggestions.

It sounds like there is no easy, reliable off the shelf fix, so I'll probably be going the replace, lubricate heavily, drive it a few times a week whether I need to or not route, and since the truck is a pig on gas, I'd rather not drive it most of the time. I'll also take a look at the linkages as JHolland suggested.

start with flushing the brake fluid every 2 years

dian · May 6, 2013

why? i had a porsche sitting for 15 years or more. recently took the calippers appart, because they were stuck. behind the seals they were perfect as was the master cylinder.

Heavey Metal · May 6, 2013

If the caliper isnt leaking it is the brake hose

Most common cause is jakeleg mechanics hanging caliper from hose while changing brakes.

When the hose starts to fail no fluid passes under light brakeing and the caliper starts to stick from not being used.

Than a hard application of the brakes and presto caliper is stuck.

Solo Inventor said:
I don't know anything about the F250 but I've had problems with sticking calipers in three different cars and each time it turned out to be a brake hose. I'm not sure of the exact failure mechanism, but the inside diameter of the hose would slowly shrink and eventually become completely restricted at the location where they had crimped one of those sheet metal brackets around it that help hold the hose in place. Since the hose has some give to it, it would allow the high pressure brake fluid through to the caliber, but when you would release the brake, the hose would pinch shut and hold a certain amount of pressure inside the caliber. This of course would lead to a lot of overheating and eventual damage.

Since the problem starts out so minor (calibers releasing just a little bit slow) and grows worst at such a slow rate, it's easy to blame the calibers and end up replacing them before finding the real problem (don't ask how I know). If you have a brake hose with this problem, loosening the bracket's grip on the hose a little should allow the brakes to function a lot better for a time. Of course, in this case, it would be wise to replace them ASAP.

I don't often hear of this sort of failure mode so I thought I should mention it. I'm not even sure if the F250 has that sort of brake hose. Maybe I just have bad luck with brake hoses.

OT Brake caliper sticking on F250SD

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