Ford Quick Tips: #14 Ford F150 Brake Pad Install Mistakes...

The best pads that I have found overall are these ones sold Here-
Here is the Hook that works Best for hanging the Caliper Safely-
Here is the Brake Dielectric Grease I use all the time-
This is the best Brake Cleaner to get all the residue off-

In this video I go over a common mistake when doing a brake job on 2010 and newer F150's.
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[jpl]

This tip saved my butt today. I had them installed incorrectly and had them back apart 3 times and couldn't figure out the problem. This video came up in my search and it solved my issue in 5 minutes! Excellent video!

[beardo]

Dude, you are my hero. I noticed after doing the brakes on my truck that the drivers side pad wasn't using the full rotor and looked like the caliper was sitting funny. Now I know why!!

[JohnDoe-uiud]

As always 6 years later great information. You are my go to guy for all my ford repairs.

[robertg]

I had this issue also, put both ears on driver side, drove for a day and couldn't figure out why the brakes were so HOT. I also experienced a soft pedal by doing this. You honestly saved me a ton of money by checking my pads first, I was all set to diagnose my brakes with a seized caliper or collapsed brake line. Keep up the great work, you really are helping alot of people out by putting these tips videos out there!

[jmlind]

Man this video saved me. The truck wouldn’t even move. Watched this video and woke up the next morning and pulled off the passenger tire, sure enough pads were on the wrong side. Really appreciate this video and YouTube.

[rkneeshaw]

Did my brakes today, one side is fine the other was only wearing the edge of the rotor, I even went out and remounted the caliper. For the heck of it I did a google search for "raptor brake caliper crooked" and found your video. You just saved me a set of pads and probably more. Thank you!!

[catfishmark]

Doing my brakes today and figured I would watch your video before getting started.Great advise and thanks so very much for that very important info.Saved me alot of grief and aggravation.

[michaelp]

Great tip, I always check to see if you have a video before I begin any repairs. I replaced the front pads and rotors on my 2012 F-150 today and saw Ford gave me four pads that all looked like the outer pads, with no ears. Gave them a call to make sure I had the right pads before the repair and they verified the vin to the part number, they had a note that all pads look the same now on my year model for new OEM Ford replacement pads. Thanks for all the great videos and the effort you put into making them and saving folks money. Keep it up.

[mduralia]

2013 Expedition...same set up...

I had changed my pads about a year ago and after 15k miles, one of the pads separated due to a manufacturing defect! In my haste one night after work to install new pads, I put two "Garfields" on the driver's side rotor. My truck ran fine the next day...no noise or anything BUT during my quick walk around after arriving at work, I noticed the one rim was VERY HOT! Improper set up was causing that rotor to get about 100F hotter than the other side!

Spent the next two nights after work trying to determine what was wrong thinking the broken pad might have caused some damage to the caliper. Finally found this video and...presto...all is well again.

NOTE: I have 20" wheels on my Expedition so I didn't have any caliper/wheel interference - that noise would have alerted me there was a problem right away!

THANK YOU for posting this bro!

[KingMotorsportPhotog]

Another grateful viewer. Bought a used 2010 F150 with "new brake job." Six months in and I am replacing front rotors and pads because the tech that did the brake job didn't know about the "ears." the were installed outboard on both sides. I would like to think I would have figured out the were in backwards given that the pads with the ears were worn to the backing plate while the other pads were virtually new. Also the rotors were ground down on the outer inch on the outboard side but otherwise were in new condition. Last telltale was the two gouges on the inside of the caliper from the ears. The two cut outs on the caliper where the ears are suppose to good are a dead give away as to how the pads should be installed. Thanks again.

[josephjimenez]

Awesome tip! I bought my F-150 used from the dealer and could not figure out why the brakes were squealing and getting so hot. As soon as I took the caliper off I could see the problem, great video!

[jamess]

Thanks for the video. This helped me fix my brakes after I installed the pads backwards. I didnt even realize they were different when installing them.

[familylifefirst]

I know there's probably many comments about the pads being damaged but just wanted to share. On my 2013 Exp, same deal. Been dealing with it over a year. Noticed the ears on new pads just never put the two together. I went through multiple sets of pads, rotors, even changed both calipers cause I thought they were sticking. RIDICULOUS! Expensive lesson learned. Replaced pads and rotors on F150 over weekend and noticed it didn't stop as like it supposed to. Took everything off again, looked, everything looked like is should, or so I though, and same thing. Without realizing it installed them correctly on one side but wrong on the other. Opposite from the first time. Had uneven wear on outer pad from only hitting less than half the rotor. I knew something was not right. Came to your channel, found this vid, watched less than 2 min and there you go. So, with all that being said, took apart F150, installed correctly, checked Expe and what do ya know. All good now on both trucks. It's silly how something so small can cause such a big problem. (Kinda like those crappy spark plugs Ford used a for a while in the 5.4 back in 07 a couple body styles ago. Thanks for the channel bro! Great Ford "secret" ins and outs.

[stevefazekas]

Never would I have thought that Firestone could install pads incorrectly. I took my 2010 F-150 (75k miles) in for pads and rotors, and I took it home with a drivers side dragging brake issue only pointed out by TUFFY when I went for an alignment 2 days later. I took it back to Firestone, and their 35 year veteran (WALT) said it was likely a caliper or the flexible brake line. After they quoted me $684 for calipers and a flush, I said I'll go do that myself. After installing each side - driver's side first, I still had the dragging brake after each update (documenting everything I was doing with photos). What I didn't do was compare all of the pads - I merely transferred each pad to each caliper as I replaced them (bc I assumed they installed pads correctly). After researching dragging brakes a bit further, I found your video. I reviewed the pictures I had been taking and discovered the issue. I'm wondering if this is an elicit tactic used by mechanics to "upgrade" the work order. I can see how people can get hosed quite easily. Firestone is warrantying the pads and rotors and will replace them again. If I had agreed to have them install new calipers, etc. AND they had noticed they installed the pads incorrectly, I'm pretty sure they would not have told me it was their fault in the first place.

[harveyotoole]

After watching your video I found my pads were installed incorrectly. I switched same and now they're good. Great tip.

[WestieWesterson]

Thank you!! I was enjoying a night in the garage, music blasting, couple of beers, working on the truck. Brake replacement no good, getting ready to buy calipers. You saved me huge money. Both garfield pads on passenger side. Ugh.

[kyletuttle]

Been doing auto repair for 30 plus year and i did a brake job on a 2013 2 months ago and crossed up the pads it didn't hurt the wheel but the out board pad i did it on wore out in 4000 miles.So all i can say is thanks for the video we figured out with out this video but pay attention when doing these brakes guys and gals.

[tjbond]

Bought a pre-owned 2013 FX4 one year ago. Have put 10, 000 mile on it to the day and started getting brake noise (grinding). Watched this video before I put on new rotors and pads last night. Sure enough the dealership I bought it from had put the pads on backwards (new brakes were put on at the dealership before I bought it). It had done nothing to the wheel aside from brake dust but the caliper was kicked out enough that both outside pads were completely gone and the rotors were in rough shape. It is almost as if every one of those 10, 000 miles that I have driven was with the front brakes slightly applied/dragging just by it being out of whack a tiny bit. $200 and an hour and half in my driveway, and it is good to go. Hopeful that I seen and increase in my mpg too without that drag in the front wheels. Thanks for the excellent video! Apparently some ASE techs from dealerships need to check out your youtube page.

[dipak]

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU! I have been using your videos for quite some time, as owner of 2013 F 150 platinum. I just did the front brakes, and was having some issues, and checked out your video. you totally nailed it.


One thing that I will point out here...the problem that you describe of wheel rubbing may not happen on vehicles like mine, with the 20" wheels. The problem that I encountered was that the caliper went on crooked (as you describe), and then the brake rotor had extremely uneven wear. I noticed it just after a couple times around the block. So, not too bad. I have swapped around the rotors so now they are in the correct positions and I have nice even wear again (after driving around the block a few times to even things out). THANKS SO MUCH!

[Alan_Edwards]

I just picked up a 2010 F150 a couple months ago. When I inspected the brakes the rotors looked in good shape. So I was surprised when I started to hear some grinding after about 5k miles of driving. When I checked I saw the outside edge of one rotor was wearing real bad and the inside was clean. So I picked up just the one rotor and some some pads to get me through the winter since I am planning to do a complete brake job next year with high quality parts. Anyway, the job was quick and easy. I checked the new pads to see if they were the same and did not notice the ears. After one day driving I could smell the pads burning and notice then same wear on the outside edge of the rotor. I was about to get a new caliper but it just did not make sense that a caliper would cause that type of wear. Especially since it compressed fine and the slides were moving freely.

You Tube to the rescue....I found this video and figured it was worth a check. Sure enough. I had installed the pads with ears on both sides. Took me like 30 minutes to switch it out and I am good to go. In all my years of doing brakes I have never seen pads like that.

So thanks for the video my friend. I might have spent the money on a new caliper I did not need.