walkthrough of my working on my brakes/vacuum system

[sgallaty]

replaced rotors, calipers, pads, bearings, seals, rubber boots and races.

cleaned and regreased spindles, caps and caliper slides.

touched up the lug bolts with a film of hightemp grease for release.

painted dustcap green =)

bleeding brakes to make sure everything is bolted together, and next is replacing the leaking vacuum boost.

 

[sgallaty]

My assessment of the driver side brake is that it was recently replaced and whoever did so did not entirely remove the cosmoline that is used to preserve the rotor. The rotor is badly and deeply gouged, the pads are deeply scored and there is obvious heat damage to the caliper. The grease that was in the rotor has broken down and has a bitter smell and the brake fluid in the caliper looked like mud.

I checked and did not see any scoring of the spindle.

What remained on the rotor was a burned, plastic-like substance. I believe that the vehicle has been laboring ever since I got it, since it runs and drives much more smoothly now with less racing in second and less deceleration when gliding to a stop.

I suspect that driving it to and from the storage facility was more long distance driving than has been done in a while (considering that it had a broken injector line when I got it), and the condition worsened as the materials on the rotor went through chemical changes due to extreme heat.

I'm going to snap some photos of the bad rotor and caliper now that it's daylight - it's instructive I think.

 

[sgallaty]

Update and Quick question - there's no vacuum accumulator on this vehicle right? 1993 IDI 7.3 E350.

I don't see an accumulator ball anywhere. and I've traced all the vacuum hoses. None of the other sources for info have cleared this up for me.

Update is :

Bled all lines, brakes are crisp now. Now I am going to replace the misbehaving vacuum boster.

 

[79jasper]

Some do, some don't.
On these trucks, it's usually the vegetable juice can.

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[DaveBen]

My '93 F-350 had an electrical vacuum pump, mounted on the passenger's fender.

 

[79jasper]

I don't think that was stock.
Ford didn't start using the electric vacuum pumps on diesels til about 99.
I think I remember the E-series having the vacuum ball attached to the underside of the hood.

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[sgallaty]

There are two deleted lines on my vacuum tree. One I would assume was cruise control because it's an option - the other though is big, and looks like a vacuum can connection. I remember what you're talking about with the ball stuck on the hood.

I'm in the middle of replacing my failed vacuum booster. I found that if I removed the driver side battery and tray (which I have to wirewheel and primer anyhow to get the rust abated) I could push the MC to one side and the Booster slips right in.

I should have but didn't bleed my MC before I bled the wheels - I always do but I forgot. I hope that doesn't bite me in the ass. I'm debating.

bleh bleh

Can these MC's be reverse bled by pushing fluid into the calipers?

 

[79jasper]

You could still "bench bleed" it with it on the truck.

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[sgallaty]

You could still "bench bleed" it with it on the truck.

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Yeah it's clearly got air in it now. I'll deal with it tomorrow.

 

[79jasper]

Many people believe in "gravity bleeding." Never tried it myself.
I either do I myself with speed bleeders, or with a helper the pump pump hold method.

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[DaveBen]

I don't think that was stock.
Ford didn't start using the electric vacuum pumps on diesels til about 99.
I think I remember the E-series having the vacuum ball attached to the underside of the hood.

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You are correct 79Jasper. I have had a few diesel trucks and I get confused as to what goes where. My '93 was a belt driven vacuum pump. I have a 2004 F-350 that has the electric vacuum pump.

 

[sgallaty]

well gravity bleeding can work but you need to fill the hose with fluid first. it's possible for air to get in while fluid comes out, just like pouring milk out of a jug.

I bled the RABS - had forgotten all about that.

I've got a little bit of MC slip now, but the brakes are good and solid. Not crisp, but not spongy by any means

While I was in there, I pulled the driver side battery tray and hit it and the body underneath with a wire wheel to scrub out rust and then painted it with white rustoleum antirust dual primer/paint. that'll hold it for now.


Total parts -

front Pads , Two Calipers, two rotors, new vacuum booster, inner and outer bearings both sides, new inner seals

Total labor time approx 10 hrs. minus the driving time back and forth for missing parts plus 1 hour of someone helping me to bleed brakes.