How to Change the Brake Rotors on a Ford F-150 4X4
by Cecil Fontaine
Normal truck wear and tear eventually takes its toll; many times this affects your brake rotors. Save time and money by replacing your own F-150 4X4 brake rotors at home. This is a task that anyone with minimal experience in car repair can perform using basic car maintenance tools.
Step 1
Open the hood of your truck, locate the master cylinder and take off the cap. Remove half of the brake fluid and replace the cap.
Step 2
Use the car jack to raise the side of the car on which you will be working. Remove the lug nuts on the wheel using a lug wrench. Use a ratchet to remove the brake caliper and a socket wrench to remove the bolts that are found behind the caliper.
Step 3
Locate and remove the grease cap. You will find this on the wheel hub. Then use a pair of pliers to remove the cotter pin.
Step 4
Remove the spindle nut using a socket wrench. Once you have done this you will be able to remove the bearing retainer with a screwdriver.
Step 5
Remove the wheel bearing and then the wheel rotor. Both of these can be pulled off using just your hands.
Step 6
Attach the new rotor and replace the components that you removed in the previous steps. After putting on the new rotor, replace the wheel bearing and then the bearing retainer. Put the spindle nut back on and then do the same with the cotter pin.
Step 7
Apply new grease to the grease cap and replace it onto the wheel. Put the wheel back on and tighten the lug nuts to secure it in place. Repeat this process for the rest of the wheels.
Tips
- A turkey baster works well for removing the brake fluid in Step 1.
- After removing the brake caliper, tie it to the strut so that it does not hang in the air while you are working on the rotor.
Things You'll Need
- Car jack
- Lug wrench
- Socket wrench
- Pliers
- Screwdriver
Warnings
- Make sure your truck is securely held in place when performing any work on it.
Writer Bio
Based in Colorado, Cecil Fontaine has been writing and editing since 2009, specializing in Brazilian travel guides. He received his Bachelor of Arts in political economy from the University of California, Berkeley in 2008.
