It has come to that time where I need to replace the brake pads on my 08 F550 4X4 CC Dually. So I am looking at my different options. With the TC on the truck being virtually permanent, taking it to a shop is going to be like a Motorhome being serviced. So I am looking at Las Vegas being my first major town I will be crossing through. Is there any shops/dealerships that anyone recommends? Or, being a fairly mechanical person/20+ yrs racing cars, is this something one can perform themselves with parts from NAPA/Dealership type Parts Counter and reviewing a YouTube video?Appreciates any thoughts and suggestions as I always find RV.net a great resource of knowledgeable individuals.b

I replaced the brake pads on all four corners of our MH with the E450 Chassis a couple of years back. Your F550 is likely similar to our E450.The front pads were easy, just like replacing pads on a car, only larger. The rear duals were more difficult and I posted my experiences on the forum so anyone who wanted to do this would have some help.E450 Rear Brake pad Replacement

Anymore there seems to be special tools needed and sometimes there is other things that need attention so I would probably let a professional do it. There are some good youtube video's that may help you decide to do on your own. Don't know the particulars of your truck but I installed an pacbrake on my RAM 3500 and found it to be a super brake pad saver. It was a manual tranny so engine brake is more effective than automatic. traded it in to get a RAM 5500 that has both engine brake and tow haul mode with is even better, however the RAM 5500 is an automatic and I find the engine brake alone is not as effective as it was in my manual tranny.

No personal experience but some very good reviews on googleMr. Brake3305 S Jones Blvd, Las Vegas, NV

All wonderful, wonderful info. A big thanks for the referral to Mr. Brake, too. CloudDriver your link was a great read and helped me a lot in doing what I need to do. Like you, I was wondering about the rear brakes, the most. I have heard of the Hub frozen and using the brakes to break it free. But it was so long ago I didn't recall it until you mentioned. Something that was done to break loose wheels on tractors and farm equipment.Thanks.b

I found also that Mr. Brake has an A+ rating on BBB since 10/25/1994

F550 Brake Pad Replacement | Good Sam Community

All_I_could_aff
Explorer
Mar 09, 2016
As far as an actual pad swap it is amazingly easy on an F550. Hardest part is usually jacking it up but I cheat on my work truck by driving onto a 2 x 4 piece of wood and then jacking up the axle from there a couple of pumps.
Front rotors are very easy to change but rears can be PITA
45Ricochet
Explorer
Mar 09, 2016
Bedlam wrote:
The fluid is eight years old. Even if there is no contamination or water absorption, it does break down. This is the time to do it so you do not need to touch the brakes again for another eight years.

I agree with a fluid change but I'd have a shop to do it correctly. IIRC they put some kind of tool, machine on it for the ABS system fluid to be changed also.
bka0721
Explorer II
Mar 08, 2016
kellertx5er wrote:
No need to bleed the system for a simple pad replacement.

Bedlam wrote:
The fluid is eight years old. Even if there is no contamination or water absorption, it does break down. This is the time to do it so you do not need to touch the brakes again for another eight years.
Both Sage advice. Especially when one learns we would bleed our brakes after each practice and qualifying session, when we raced. There are many reasons for bleeding the brakes, paramount would be that it has only been done once since new and I am carrying and pulling gross wt of 22+k down the road. My motorcycles get bled frequently, as well. It takes a lot of work to lift up this truck, in this case on the desert floor, and remove just the wheels. I will rotate the tires too. As this is something I do on the road and carry the equipment to do it.

All good suggestions. I appreciate all of them.

b
Bedlam
Moderator
Mar 08, 2016
The fluid is eight years old. Even if there is no contamination or water absorption, it does break down. This is the time to do it so you do not need to touch the brakes again for another eight years.
kellertx5er
Explorer
Mar 08, 2016
No need to bleed the system for a simple pad replacement.
bka0721
Explorer II
Mar 08, 2016
Bedlam wrote:
I typically flush the brake fluid when changing pads. It's easy if you have shop or garage, but it's not something I would want to try to do alone out in the middle of BLM or DNR property. Just changing out the front pads is easy although the the 10-lug wheels will give you a work out if you don't have an impact wrench to quicken the job.
Even though people often think I carry everything with me, I still lack many things I had in my race trailer. Like a bleeder bottle and tubing. If I had some tubing, here in the desert, I would fashion one out of a water bottle. (No one around here to ask to bleed with) As you know, and commented, I have no driveway or garage to start and finish this work at/in. So that part, bleeding the brakes, may need to wait for now.

Again, thanks for this useful and encouraging information.

b
lc0338
Explorer
Mar 08, 2016
forgot to include but this is the phone number for Mr. Brake: Phone: (702) 873-7018
Bedlam
Moderator
Mar 08, 2016
I typically flush the brake fluid when changing pads. It's easy if you have shop or garage, but it's not something I would want to try to do alone out in the middle of BLM or DNR property. Just changing out the front pads is easy although the the 10-lug wheels will give you a work out if you don't have an impact wrench to quicken the job.
lc0338
Explorer
Mar 08, 2016
I found also that Mr. Brake has an A+ rating on BBB since 10/25/1994
bka0721
Explorer II
Mar 08, 2016
All wonderful, wonderful info. A big thanks for the referral to Mr. Brake, too.

CloudDriver your link was a great read and helped me a lot in doing what I need to do. Like you, I was wondering about the rear brakes, the most. I have heard of the Hub frozen and using the brakes to break it free. But it was so long ago I didn't recall it until you mentioned. Something that was done to break loose wheels on tractors and farm equipment.

Thanks.

b

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