F53 Brakes

[thmitch79]

Anyone do their own brakes? I have a 2003 Southwind, F53 chassis with 19.5" tires. I do the brakes on my cars and trucks but have never attempted to do a motorhome. Besides being bigger, what else should I look for? I am going to make the attempt soon.

[Fleetwood99]

thmitch79 wrote:
Anyone do their own brakes? I have a 2003 Southwind, F53 chassis with 19.5" tires. I do the brakes on my cars and trucks but have never attempted to do a motorhome. Besides being bigger, what else should I look for? I am going to make the attempt soon.

I think you have the same Rear Axle as mine.
http://www2.dana.com/pdf/AXSM-8941.pdf

Currently waiting for a 3 1/4" Spindle Socket to be arrive, before disassembling hub.

DJ

[Fleetwood99]

Update on my 1999 F53 20.5k Brake job. After removing rear driver's side wheels to begin the dirty work. Discover a LARGE crack in the Disc Rotor. Funny part is never felted any problems while braking. MH has 125k miles and the rotor looks like OEM Ford.


Click For Full-Size Image.

[John_Wayne]

It's grease and when you pull the hub off you repack the bearings and put in a seal. While it's all apart use synthetic grease on the brake calipers where they ride on the cradle, after cleaning them off. Pull the brake pins also and lube them with the same synthetic grease.

[C-Leigh_Racing]

John Wayne wrote:
Fleetwood 99 your right I stand corrected it's not 79 lb/ft it's 85 lb/ft. The following is from the Ford Motor co. 2001 workshop manual. #3.While rotating the wheel , tighten the adjusting nut to specifications as illustrated (114Nm (85 lb/ft) ) to seat the bearings. #4 Back off the adjusting nut until loose. #5. Finger- tighten the adjusting nut. Final bearing adjustment end play must be within the specifications as illustrated (0.000-0.125 NM / 0.000-0,005in.) The final adjustment must not result in a preloaded bearing. #6 If cotter pin hole lines up with slot in nut, insert and secure the new cotter pin. If it does not, advance the adjusting nut to align a slot with the first available cotter pin hole. Insert and secure a new cotter pin. #7 Install the gasket and hub cap.

Ok, now got all that, so now how do we check the oil or grease in the hub, which ever it is.
Neil

[Fleetwood99]

Thanks KLGB

[John_Wayne]

Fleetwood 99 your right I stand corrected it's not 79 lb/ft it's 85 lb/ft. The following is from the Ford Motor co. 2001 workshop manual. #3.While rotating the wheel , tighten the adjusting nut to specifications as illustrated (114Nm (85 lb/ft) ) to seat the bearings. #4 Back off the adjusting nut until loose. #5. Finger- tighten the adjusting nut. Final bearing adjustment end play must be within the specifications as illustrated (0.000-0.125 NM / 0.000-0,005in.) The final adjustment must not result in a preloaded bearing. #6 If cotter pin hole lines up with slot in nut, insert and secure the new cotter pin. If it does not, advance the adjusting nut to align a slot with the first available cotter pin hole. Insert and secure a new cotter pin. #7 Install the gasket and hub cap.

[Fleetwood99]

John Wayne wrote:
Buy new seals for the front and repack the bearings while your at it. I think the preload on the bearings is like 79 foot lbs. if I remember right. Wheel lug nuts are 150 ft.lbs.

I was just doing some research on this topic of F53 Brakes for a replacement job and after reading the 79FT/lbs on bearings preload sounds like alot.

What is the correct torque for front wheel bearings on F53 Chassis?

[billyboy]

I just did my 22 1/2 wheels . I bought a air hydraulic jack and a 650# air wrench from h.f. and it went easy. brake slides are way easier then the cars just bigger.

[John_Wayne]

Buy new seals for the front and repack the bearings while your at it. I think the preload on the bearings is like 79 foot lbs. if I remember right. Wheel lug nuts are 150 ft.lbs.

[j-d]

I think this chassis has the driveshaft-mounted parking brake, so do one end at a time and block the wheels on the end you leave on the ground so it can't roll. You'll need a block, or just use an old brake pad, to push both pistons in the dual-piston caliper back at once. Change any flex hoses. Our E450 has one to all four wheels. Shouldn't be a bad job is you can handle the wheel removal and the torque on the lug nuts. Rear disk brakes are a whole lot easier than rear drums integrated with the hubs. Drive axles had to come out and wheel bearings dismantled.

[C-Leigh_Racing]

The 99 F53, still had the slide things to remove like Fcooper mentioned, just take a small bolt out that is locating it & with a punch & hammer drive the slide thing out.
You'll need a big type C clamp to compress the pistons back in on the calipers.
NAPA has the pads, runs around 80 bucks per axle.
You'll spend more labor time removing the tires & rims than changing out the pads.
While your at the parts store, go ahead & get some hand cleaner as well, cause you will get dirty.

Hey, this might be a good tip for Mike on "Dirty Jobs" tv show, he was asking for things he could use for the show.
Neil

[fcooper]

I replaced front hoses and calipers on a 1996 F53 and it was no worse than a car....just heavier. The old version had slides for the calipers that was different than any auto, but not complex. If you can do car brakes, you can do the F53. Just plan ahead on how to support parts if you're not going to disconnect the brake line.

Fred

[352]

Prices and heavier!!!!!!!!!