Has anyone changed their own brakes?
I need to replace brakes on my 1997 Damon Hornet 2754b, Ford E-Superduty Chassis. Is this something I can take care of myself? I can change brakes on a car.
Forum Discussion
What I do when I put new rotors on the Ranger, twice now in 300K mi, and I use genuine Ford rotors, is to take a punch and knock out the Chinese races they install and throw them in the scrap metal. Then I go to a real bearing and drive business that sells to industry, and buy new Timken USA bearings and races or at least SKF or Toyo Koyo, something that has a decent brand name on them. Only bearing I have ever had to fail said China on it. Have never had a non-China bearing totally fail, but have replaced a few due to discoloration or I just didn't like the looks of them.
The "split pins" that the brake calipers slide on, are two pieces of stamped metal, formed lengthwise in a V shape, turned vees facing each other and filled in between with elastomer. Each end has tangs protruding from the metal.
Take a hammer and gently drive the pin till the tangs hit the caliper bracket. Then take a punch or drift and hit one of the metal vees to compress the elastomer and make the tang go inside of the caliper/bracket, then do the other one, and then drive the whole pin thru. I reuse them but if the brakes have been over heated, they probably should be replaced.
Wire brush out the Vees in the caliper and bracket, and use scotchbrite to clean the pins themselves. Do not use any lube on them.
Charles
The "split pins" that the brake calipers slide on, are two pieces of stamped metal, formed lengthwise in a V shape, turned vees facing each other and filled in between with elastomer. Each end has tangs protruding from the metal.
Take a hammer and gently drive the pin till the tangs hit the caliper bracket. Then take a punch or drift and hit one of the metal vees to compress the elastomer and make the tang go inside of the caliper/bracket, then do the other one, and then drive the whole pin thru. I reuse them but if the brakes have been over heated, they probably should be replaced.
Wire brush out the Vees in the caliper and bracket, and use scotchbrite to clean the pins themselves. Do not use any lube on them.
Charles
