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Am I missing a part on my brakes?

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Pete Whitstone

Am I missing a part on my brakes?

Hey all, I just got done buttoning up the 95 4wd suspension on the 81. Here's what the brakes look like.

It looks to me like there is something that is supposed to ride in that groove on the caliper. I have seen some youtube videos of brake jobs on F150's where they knocked out some kind of slider/wedge/pin. Is there supposed to be something like that in there?

The 95 manual doesn't seem to show anything there.

But it also shows 6 lugs on the brake rotor, so I don't know what to think about that.

Not really sure what those grooves are machined into the caliper for, if I have all the parts that belong already installed.

Thanks!

81 F150 Flareside, Edelbrock Pro Flow4 FI, hydraulic roller 351W, E4OD, 4x4, BW1356
92 F150 RCLB 351W E40D BW1356 mostly stock

Pete Whitstone

Re: Am I missing a part on my brakes?

To be clear, here are the grooves I'm talking about.

81 F150 Flareside, Edelbrock Pro Flow4 FI, hydraulic roller 351W, E4OD, 4x4, BW1356
92 F150 RCLB 351W E40D BW1356 mostly stock

Gary Lewis

Re: Am I missing a part on my brakes?

Administrator

Here's a snip from Page 06-03-6, and it looks like exactly what you have. I don't think anything is missing.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Dad's: '81 F150 Ranger XLT 4x4: Down for restomod: Full-roller "stroked 351M" w/Trick Flow heads & intake, EEC-V SEFI/E4OD/3.50 gears w/Kevlar clutches
Blue: 2015 F150 Platinum 4x4 SuperCrew wearing Blue Jeans & sporting a 3.5L EB & Max Tow
Big Blue: 1985 F250HD 4x4: 460/ZF5/3.55's, D60 w/Ox locker & 10.25 Sterling/Trutrac, Blue Top & Borgeson, & EEC-V MAF/SEFI

Pete Whitstone

Re: Am I missing a part on my brakes?

Thanks Gary. I also found this blurb in the manual.

Sure makes it sound like "hey don't worry that there are only two spindly bolts holding the caliper on, they don't see much force anyway".

Makes sense that the friction encountered when the pad clamps on the rotor would act mostly on the pad itself, driving it upward against those big horns on the knuckle.

81 F150 Flareside, Edelbrock Pro Flow4 FI, hydraulic roller 351W, E4OD, 4x4, BW1356
92 F150 RCLB 351W E40D BW1356 mostly stock

Gary Lewis

Re: Am I missing a part on my brakes?

Administrator

Yes, I saw that as well. And you are right, it does feel like they are saying "don't worry about it." So I think you'll be fine.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

reamer

Re: Am I missing a part on my brakes?

Part "18" the sliding wedges?

1986 F-150 Flareside 4x4, 351, 4-v, ZF5 speed. AC, Cruise, Tilt, Slider, Digital clock, Radio, Lariat seat, Pwr doors/locks

Gary Lewis

Re: Am I missing a part on my brakes?

Administrator

Ron - He has a '95 front end, and #18 is the shiny springs you see in his pic. They are very different than the Bullnose assemblies with the wedges.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

mat in tn

Re: Am I missing a part on my brakes?

those 95 brakes should work great. yes the two 8mm bolts seem small but they really dont feel the stress. however there is a weak point to be certain of. the two bolts mount through two steel sliders with corrugated bellows type rubber dust covers. not all rubber covers are alike..be sure to use grease compatible with the rubber or they will bind. if they bind they will usually leave the outer pad dragging. just be certain that the caliper will slide smoothly so when it releases it will ''center'' and not heat up

myrl883

Re: Am I missing a part on my brakes?

You have early calipers with late pads and brackets. 1995 & 1996 use calipers unique to those two model years.

There are 3 types of calipers used on this body style truck. 1980-1985 used a steel wedge and leaf spring under the caliper, 1986-1994 used the "rubber" slide pins, and 1995-1996 used a completely redesigned caliper that mounts on two tubular slides. You need late model calipers.

Ford Parts Monkey since 1985
1981 F100 Flareside - Black, 302-4V Roller/AOD
1986 F150 Flareside - Medium Fire Red 302/AOD
1989 F150 Standard Cab 4x4 - Dk Shadow Blue 302/AOD
1993 F350 4x4 Crew Cab - 7.3 IDI/ZF-5
I think it's a sickness...

Pete Whitstone

Re: Am I missing a part on my brakes?

myrl883 wrote

You have early calipers with late pads and brackets. 1995 & 1996 use calipers unique to those two model years.

There are 3 types of calipers used on this body style truck. 1980-1985 used a steel wedge and leaf spring under the caliper, 1986-1994 used the "rubber" slide pins, and 1995-1996 used a completely redesigned caliper that mounts on two tubular slides. You need late model calipers.

Good info, thanks. So are you saying these are NOT late model calipers? I specified I needed 1995 calipers when I got them from the parts store.

81 F150 Flareside, Edelbrock Pro Flow4 FI, hydraulic roller 351W, E4OD, 4x4, BW1356
92 F150 RCLB 351W E40D BW1356 mostly stock

myrl883

Re: Am I missing a part on my brakes?

Those are definitely NOT 95-96 calipers. I can't see the bottom in your pic, but from the view of the top, they look like 80-85.

myrl883

Re: Am I missing a part on my brakes?

Stolen from the CSK website - THIS is a 95-96 caliper.orly_18-4390_202_ang_primary.jpg

Pete Whitstone

Re: Am I missing a part on my brakes?

That image looks exactly like the calipers I have on the truck now. Two M8 screws through rubber bellows to mount it. The calipers that I took off (the original 81 equipment) have no such mounting screws and are held on by the "horns" on the steering knuckle.

What exactly are you seeing in my photos that make you think they are unlike the one in the photo you posted?

81 F150 Flareside, Edelbrock Pro Flow4 FI, hydraulic roller 351W, E4OD, 4x4, BW1356
92 F150 RCLB 351W E40D BW1356 mostly stock