School me on 2wd Front Brakes

BrianX128

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I've somehow never had to do front brakes / rotors / bearings on a 2wd F-series anything, just wasn't sure if there was anything crazy I'm going to run into here. I found some youtube videos of people going through this, but never on on an 87-91, and never on a single rear wheel vehicle. I've done this 4-5 times on 4x4 bull and brick noses with the hubs, I'm assuming this is easier there is just going to be a lock nut and outer bearing I remove after caliper is off, and the rotor and inner bearing will slide right off. I'm guessing new rotors have inner bearings installed already and I'll just need to get new outer bearings, pack those with grease, and shove it all back together? Any recommendations on brakes / rotors / bearings before I order anything? I downshift a lot but the truck is heavy, I don't want to skimp out on total "parts store" garbage but maybe there isn't much difference anymore.
 

Nero

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You've pretty much got it down. It's like a 4x4 hub, in the sense it's got a lock nut, inner and outer race, and all that, but smaller and minus the drive shaft.
Don't always assume rotors come with bearings, I'd make sure before tearing down.

As for what to use... That's a matter of opinion. I've always used Napa ultra premium, and have had good luck, but some guys here detest them.
 

Reggie f250

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The rotors won't come with bearings or seals. They will only have races pressed in. If you want new bearings you will need to buy them and get new inner seals too. Make sure you buy high quality rotors some are not made very good.
 

Kizer

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Any recommendations on brakes / rotors / bearings before I order anything?
I’d recommend getting was many Motorcraft parts as you can.

I was able to find all but the rubber line for my rear brakes (through about 7 different vendors).

I haven’t started down the “rabbit hole” for the front brake parts yet.
 

BrianX128

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Tonight might finally be the night I have an absolute mental collapse, and it's been a long time coming.

Brake job went great, bearings were easy, actually enjoyed working on something again for a bit. Now the lug nuts on my truck aren't the same thread as the rotor / hub I got on rock auto. I got these:


I have no idea what the thread is, no way to put my wheel back on, I already threaded one lug nut on a good 1/2 before I realized what was going on with the impact. Is the 9/16-18 the thread? It's listed as bolt hole diameter which makes no sense. What do our trucks normally have?

I'm off to throw things at the wall for a good 15 minutes.

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IDIBRONCO

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Can you take an old stud out of your old rotor and hold it against a new stud to see if the threads match? If you've damaged the new stud (threads) they may not let you return it. As much as I hate to suggest it, can you install your old studs into the new rotors?
 

Nero

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Also, you should be able to move the studs over...
 

BrianX128

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Can you take an old stud out of your old rotor and hold it against a new stud to see if the threads match? If you've damaged the new stud (threads) they may not let you return it. As much as I hate to suggest it, can you install your old studs into the new rotors?
They didn't match, I'm not sure what thread were in my old rotors for sure, I think M14 would be closest metric. I went to the parts store and brought a new stud and a 9/16-18 threaded right on perfectly, I just got 16 of those pounded out the stud I ruined and put one old stud and one old lug nut on that stud. Pretty easy to tell which one is which at least, lol.
 

IDIBRONCO

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I hate to see you have to do all that extra work, but at least now you can use the new rotors. My guess was that the new studs were metric and it seems like you proved me right.
 

BrianX128

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I didn't, the weird threads were on the studs that were in my old rotors, I may have worded that poorly. I only pounded one old stud out to take the place of the one new one I ruined. I bought 16 new 9/16-18 lug nuts, their 7/8 head not 1-1/16 but same diameter at the concave part holding the rim. I'm not sure why the old threads were "metric", they're so close too. I stuck the new stud I "ruined" in the vice and ran a nut down it at 150psi to see what happened, it's like the same thread but slightly thicker than it should be? The nut "cut" the threads shiny, but they're the same thread it didn't ruin either part and moves freely now. Still, I didn't want to do that for 15 more. The nut and stud got pretty hot.
 

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