1994 Ford F-250 Front Brakes Grab Cold

FORD F-250
Avatar
SILVERWOLF
  • MEMBER
  • 4 POSTS
Hi I am having a strange brake problem with my 1994 Ford F250 Turbo Diesel IDI. It has 284000.0 KM, and the E4OD Auto Transmission. Everything seems fine once warmed up, but when cold at low speeds, only forward, the front brakes seem to grab hard making the whole front end shudder badly. When I stop completely, the brakes hold when released, and release after I start forcing the truck forward. It does not do it in reverse, and it grabs evenly not causeing a pull to one side or the other. It has dual piston calipers so I figured it may be the front piston grabing first causing a lock up, but it is confusing why it is happening evenly and not just one side? After warm up , it doesn't shudder, but still clunks when it grabs, and still holds at stop lights. But not in reverse? Why is it doing this, and why only in forward? Thanks in advance for any help you can provide.
Jan 5, 2007 at 3:03 AM
Advertisement
Avatar
INDYUKE
  • ✓Experienced Mechanic
  • 416 POSTS
Have you checked the front brake rotors for out of round? One or both might be heavily warped causing the shudder/clunking while braking. As far as the brakes not releasing, the only thing I can think of is that the pistons on both sides are sticking. I've had vehicles do what you mention. The only thing I've found to repair the problem is a complete overhaul of the brake system, and a thorough inspection of such things as the master cylinder, brake booster, anti-lock system, brake lines. I hope this helps.
Jan 5, 2007 at 12:11 PM
Avatar
SILVERWOLF
  • MEMBER
  • 4 POSTS
Thanks for the advice, but the rotors are mint. Thats what made it so strange, it drives fine, no wobble or shudder when moving fast, only really slow. I figured it out, its the new pads. For some reason the new pads are actually about an eighth of an inch wider than the contact area on the rotor, so after some wear, the pads contact the non smooth surface of the rotor, grabing hard and shuddering. But at high speeds it isn't noticable. So I ground off some of the pads on the inside edge, and bango! All fixed up. I'm putting new calipers on anyway since there so cheap. But thanks all for the tips. Hope I can return the favour some day.
Jan 5, 2007 at 12:58 PM
Avatar
INDYUKE
  • ✓Experienced Mechanic
  • 416 POSTS
Great! Easy fixes are the best!
Jan 5, 2007 at 2:38 PM

Suggested Repair

The confirmed fix was that the new front pads were about 1/8 inch wider than the rotor contact area and were grabbing the rough outer rotor surface. Trim the pad edges so they match the rotor face. Also inspect the rotors for warping and the caliper pistons for sticking; replace the calipers if needed and check the master cylinder, booster, ABS, and brake lines if the brakes still hold after release.

Conversation Summary

A 1994 Ford F-250 diesel with an E4OD transmission had front brakes that grabbed hard, shuddered, and held after release when cold and moving slowly forward, but not in reverse. An expert suggested warped rotors, sticking caliper pistons, and a full brake-system inspection. The owner found the rotors were fine and that new pads were wider than the rotor contact area, so they contacted the rough rotor edge. Grinding the inner pad edges fixed the grabbing and shudder; new calipers were still planned.

Related Repair Questions

Add a reply
Join 2CarPros for free, one of the most advanced car repair communities on the internet. From first-time drivers to seasoned mechanics, everyone is welcome to reply, share details, and get better answers. You can add a temporary image or video first; uploads are limited to 20 MB.

Ask a new question

Frequently Asked Problems for This Vehicle