🔥Fixing Sticking Ford Falcon Brakes - Replace Your Brake Calipers to Avoid Warping Your Rotors!

[@MotoringBoxTV]

Thanks for watching! Like, comment or sub to support the channel. 👕Or grab a shirt from www.motoringbox.com/shop

[@jasond9452]

reach around, shaft, hole. Gold!!

[@eddie6436]

"Ya sort of have to do the reach around and try go in blind until you feel the shaft line up with the hole" 🤣🤣🤣

[@shanewright4528]

Ok folks, Here's my journey thus far.. BA Falcon xr, Bought the car no brake problems, in situations where you are on and of the brakes a lot seemed to create a situation where once out on the highway I would get brake shudder...so I searched KZbin and found the fix of winding back the rod between the booster and master cylinder. I did this and ..yep.. problem solved ..until it started happening again, so, did the above fix and problem solved..for a while. Replaced the rotors and pads and no problem for a while. Got the shirts when it started happening again so bought another set of rotors and a brand new set of callipers .. problem solved for about 15 thousand ks,.now it's happening again. Short of replacing the booster and the flex hoses down to the callipers ..also the master cylinder everything is new and everything works fine unless I get stuck in traffic where I'm on and off the brakes. WTF! I love this car it's fantastic but I can't seem to get a proper fix for this brake shudder caused but the callipers not releasing adequately. Can someone please advise me what to do? Fitter and Turner by trade ...not an idiot but nothing seems to be permanent regarding this issue.😮

[@paulbuchanan7781]

Hey mate, pretty delayed response but I've recently had to fix this problem on my falcon. What I discovered was that the OEM brake pistons aren't steel; they're phenolic. Basically a resin. This makes them way more prone to warping which causes them to stick in the caliper. Then you get the classic falcon brake drag because they aren't retracting fully. This leads to overheating, warped discs, and the good old falcon brake judder. If you're just swapping pads and rotors all you're doing is replacing the parts getting warped, not the parts causing the warp. Pull a piston out and chuck a dial on it, you'll probably find the total run out is a bit cooked.

[@666bruv]

I very elevated wear on the inside pads, but no obvious grabbing, this is after an overhaul

[@SGTschultz1986]

Well done

[@markaz2kk]

Nice intro! 👍

[@paulbuchanan7781]

A big overlooked factor with these falcon brakes is that the pistons are phenolic, not steel. Good for not transferring as much heat into the fluid, but they tend to warp over time - causing them to stick in the piston cylinder. Replace the pistons with appropriate steel ones and you probably won't have this problem ever again.

[@robert43g]

Hi I know this video is old but well done If your by yourself and dont have the bleed kit what you can do is get a piece of wood and measure from brake pedal pushed down and to say bottom of drivers seat near where you adjust the length cut a fraction longer say 10mm then pump brakes put the timber on pedal / seat crack the blead nipple and when you get some air out do up blead nipple and pump pedal again and start all over again untill no more air etc.

[@barbraabsalom4531]

Au2 & 3 came with phenolic ( composite ) pistons from factory , great for heat dissipation but not so good for longevity as they swell & can stay stuck in & it can be sudden , just happened to my second au2 wagon , drove 35klm to work with the front brakes basically stuck on , man the wheels were hot ! . Bought fully reconditioned calipers from Cols brake bits on eBay , with steel pistons , all greased pins , ready to go . This is my second set from him , can’t recommend highly enough . Territory owners also beware , ford used phenolic pistons in some models of them as well , great video by the way .

[@geoffdrewer1978]

You need the caliper to be upright to get all the air out.

[@geoffdrewer1978]

Just noticed the vertical correction at the end. 😀

[@nickbricks57]

Interesting fact, my workplace for a while used the same sound library. This was actually a big store here in aus and they refused to use copyrighted music, well until recently.

[@gnarlythetoyotacoasterbusa4089]

Hey mate just wondering how much were the two calipers

[@MotoringBoxTV]

Got a link to them in the video description

[@gnarlythetoyotacoasterbusa4089]

@@MotoringBoxTV thanks brother just ordered them got them for 357 yew

[@geoffreybanditt4355]

Warped brakes aren't just a ford falcon problem. My VE commodore is now showing signs of a front warped brake with the vibration in the breaking pedal when braking. It feels more like the front driver side one to me that is on it's way out.

[@JohnWood302]

While I am here!!! Last week started car and headed off to the first job when the radio just stopped working! Next time I started it worked then the next time it stopped for good! Cecked fuses etc and no joy there! Have you heard of this problem before??

Good job.. Nice au

[@jacksonkalisch2943]

11:20 where is the brake booster adjustment video

[@edgeGabe]

My right front has started making scraping sounds breaking and after releasing the break. I had a quote and $260 labour cost to rebuild the caliper not including the damaged rotor. That's to rebuild the caliper. I'll price new ones and could maybe do it at home. Thanks for that. FG should be similar just has 2 sizes of rotor need to get the right one there.

[@MotoringBoxTV]

If you've got some experience doing smaller jobs on your car, it isn't that difficult to tackle this one in my opinion. Just double check everything is torqued up and test the brake pedal properly before taking the car out for the first test drive.

[@ChristopherHallett]

Protip from a mechanic - if you're changing calipers, it's a safe bet the master cylinder is in just as bad a condition. Thankfully a reman master cylinder from Repco is cheap and will outlast the rest of the car, as they machine them out and fit a stainless sleeve. And while you're down there in the wheel wells you may as well fit some nice braided brake lines to replace the old rubber ones...

[@ChristopherHallett]

Also, I know they can be pricey, but if you can find a "buy 4 pay for 3" deal on some Michelin Pilot Sport 3s for your Fairmont, you won't regret fitting them.

[@stevanzaharic]

Definitly is easy and cheaper to buy rebuild kit for calipers is good option and install new seals.It is little bit tricky to install piston boot ,but pencil is good for this job and ofcourse red ruber grease with foot pump for checking is boot sitting properly in grove.Lubrication of guide pins "should be only used silicone grease,but Coper grease is only good for shims and brake pads for prevention of noise".Caliper hose bolts with 2 coper washes recomendation is 30Nm lock by spec.Bleading bottle with magnet should be on bottom "whay on top"?Don't bleed calipers till you put them back in position adevice pistons will come outh and you will have big problem for replacing boot cove back in place with pistons.Brake fluid for Ford is DOT4 not 600'.My brakes on ford falcon ba with my service on registration test showing Peak 105%G Average is 67%G Pedal 322N and my friend with mechanich shop know my ability to do proper job and mate don't play game with bleeding brake on youtube if you never done that before and without proper bleading you can damage brake boster,master clynder and more exspensive ABS module and make you life and somebody else in danger?I'm fitter by profesion and when I see something what you make on this video is upseting me ,because another people should learn proper way to this job.If you bleading all four wheel you starting on rear right and finishing always on front where is ABS module for reason.

[@s.c.o.s4672]

Audio balancing was on point, being able to hear you clearly with the music in the background is really nice.

[@MotoringBoxTV]

Thanks mate, I always spend a bit of time on that.

[@s.c.o.s4672]

@@MotoringBoxTV It really shows, and greatly improves the quality. It makes it all the more impressive that you are able to do so, with all of the researching, reverse engineering, working on the car and on top of that filming it! I am still so surprised you haven't taken off like crazy in the KZbin algorithm. I bought my AU back on the 6th of February, looked on the tube for a guiding hand, and you were there already delivering a quality that is solemn seen on KZbin, and for a few years! Don't get discouraged, because it is only a matter of time before you get the recognition you deserve. J

[@cameronrowe1142]

I Felt, I could do this job myself, I've been scared to do brake calipers, but this made it look clear

[@coley13two]

Always bleed all 4 brakes starting furthest from the master cylinder. Rear left, rear right, front left, front right.

[@paulthompson1654]

AU Falcon experimented with ""plastic phenolic "" metal faced pistons ,they were garbage .Phenolic pistons expanded with when old and exposed to water . Oh yea they also caused brake drag . Brakes were not a strong point of Ford in the 90`s--2000`s.

[@konducta3095]

2:20 is this a torque wrench being used to break a bolt loose?

[@hughh106]

Does star pattern when doing wheels nuts matter?

[@MotoringBoxTV]

Yes definitely, but only when you're tightening them up at the end. I usually put them on loosely with the gun in a slightly different order - because when the car is in the air the wheel doesn't want to sit properly on the hub. Doing up the lower nuts first helps to pull the wheel in against the hub.

[@braidenleeparkes6239]

Did you also bleed the rear brakes or only the front

[@backyard_mechanic]

You should do the territory brake upgrade. Easy as and just an adaptor bracket needed. Such a good upgrade to do to these cars.

[@milesinfront]

Literally the first mod I did to my FG ute... ;)

[@MotoringBoxTV]

Always heard about it but haven't looked into it!

[@doug-core8850]

But still uses the standard caliper. Really not the best option, brembo's all the way lol.

[@smithy2]

You made it look so simple, feeling alittle more confident to attempt the brakes on mine

[@MotoringBoxTV]

Pretty easy - not really any specialised tools required either apart from the bleeder kit ✌

[@juststuffwithwolfe4482]

Yeah I did brake pads on my au I’m surprised there wasn’t any issues

[@brendanmatthys3788]

I heard a really good tip for B series falcons, and I reckon it applies to AUs as well, because the rotors all warp over time. Apparently the most looked over part of a brake job on falcons is turning the master cylinder rod in 2-3 turns. It's dead simple. You take the master cylinder off, and there's a rod that goes from it into the brake booster with a 10mm nut on it. Turn that nut in 2-3 turns and put it all back together. Means you have to press a little bit harder on your brake pedal (not enough to notice), but it also means your calipers won't stick, as the pedal won't be pushing on them in its most off position

[@MotoringBoxTV]

Yup I have a video of that which will be out in a few days ✌

[@out_on_bail]

That is a problem but also people dont change their ball joints when they are old causing the discs to warp as well.

[@edgeGabe]

I watched a video on that last night. I'll look for this video.

[@tio123ist]

Another awesome vid😎

[@braidenleeparkes6239]

Hey man what is the torque setting for the cailper and did you grease the cailper bolts and grease the pistons

[@darlingdownstransportservi3529]

Memories of old XD brakes...the calipers used to slide on connecting pins and a good mechanic washed the slides so they wouldnt jam up

[@jamestorrens645]

I can tell the effort you put into making your videos is a lot higher than I would've expected a smaller channel to make. Keep going strong, Sean.

[@ThePowerbloke]

Yep, used to have the same problem with my BA Falcon. My main issue though was with my front rotors warping all the time. Every service meant another disc grind. I was going to replace them with beefier vented rotors but circumstances intervened and I sold the car before I got around to it.

[@smithy2]

On my BA xls i went to dba cross drilled disk, tbh brand new and for a short time they were good, but the problem came back on mine

[@MotoringBoxTV]

I always used to think the Falcon rotor warp issue was due to the rotors being under-sized and not being able to handle the heat cycles they were subjected to, but the more I read into it... the more it sounds like its an incorrectly adjusted brake booster or sticking calipers causing drag on the rotors.

[@Beer_Dad1975]

It's also often the result of not properly cleaning and smoothing the hubs before mounting the new rotors - a tiny bit of rust or dirt on the hub can cause the new rotor to be ever so slightly out of true (run-out) and this will eventually lead to warping. Always be extremely fussy about cleaning & descaling the hubs before mounting a new rotor - use your fingers to feel for a smooth surface.

[@MattBlack6]

@@smithy2 bear in mind cross drilling on brake rotors serves 1 purpose, and that's to look good.

[@smithy2]

@@MattBlack6 yeh true, but the price at the time wasnt much different, the factory brakes on all my BA's have been pretty average

[@forddriver8827]

Best thing I did to mine was fit PBR C5 325mm front caliper/rotor set to the front, the rear set is a 303mm rotor and I fitted braided lines allround. These are Ford B series GT/Turbo/FPV (C5/C6 Corvette brakes) options that bolt straight up but you will need 18'' wheels. Flush and use a high quality appropriate DOT rated fluid for your purpose. I use Penrite for every single application on my car and have never had an issue with diff, gearbox, engine or brake fluids, or any of their products for that matter. With the new suspension, bushes and a tune, my 21yo AU XR8 is an exceptional handling car that stops on a dime. I had all my calipers powdercoated Ford Blue and bought PBR stickers for them. 7 spoke Speedline Alloys & Tickford centres, 245-40-18 Falken FK510's finish it off. Another informative and concise upload MB, really enjoy your work and the effort that goes into it. Oo===oO

[@doug-core8850]

Still a really under performing caliper. Ford really needed to make 4 piston brembos standard on the v8's . The difference is night and day.

[@braidenleeparkes6239]

Hello mate does the car have to be running to bleed the system or off

[@MotoringBoxTV]

I don't believe so

[@HazeyAuto]

Great video, and I bet the difference is night and day. There’s almost a temptation to blow a coat of high temp clear on those shiny new calipers before fitting them up.

[@MotoringBoxTV]

I was tempted to use the caliper paint kit I have sitting here, but that's for the BA...

[@grantreid8583]

Took my ba xr6 turbo out for a run a few months back got home parked in steep drive put in park pulled the handbrake on opened roller door jumped back in stomped on brake pedal, it went to the floor jumped out brake fluid all over driveway. Result split front hose in my opinion as a fitter and machinist that did my apprenticeship in a repco workshop i would say that the front hose was actually to short which was stressing it when the wheels were turned. If anyone owns a ba they should check their hoses and possibly replace them i bought some braided ones supposedly made in Australia which was a good kit with all the bits and new brackets etc. On the subject of pedal hitting the floor and the resevoir empying itself all over the drive i always thought the front and rear brakes were kept seperate so if one fails the other still works, if this were the case my pedal should not of hit the floor as it did. I know some cars have a 2 compartment resevoir for front and rear but the falcon only appears to have a single one.

[@barryh1388]

The caliper needs to be mounted to the bracket when bleeding air out, the bleed fitting you need is a narrow right angle adaptor to ensure the air is completely expelled hence the position of the nipple to the top radius of the piston housing.

[@MotoringBoxTV]

None of the adapters fitted with the calipers mounted to the bracket. The nipple on these are in a slightly different position compared to the stock PBR's.

[@barryh1388]

@@MotoringBoxTV ah I wonder if they are similar to the ba/f ones, they're the reason why I had to get the special blue adaptor. Otherwise you can cut off some of the end in a pinch. A pain in the ass design I don't know why they just didn't have it off to the side like all the others. Lol

[@anthonypllu3864]

agreed, nice big mess if one of the pistons decide to pop out when your bleeding it, ask me how i know haha

[@johnconroy9555]

Liked the vid..replacement of the flexible lines to the calipers saves a lot of heartache too.they can deteriorate quite fast..again great video Shawn.....john...Willaura😎😎

[@MRFORD21]

Common for falcons to have seized pistons in the callipers. Happen to my au

[@mrdoiii]

Great video. Added to my car maintenance playlist. This is why it's great to keep these fords , lots of maintenance can be DIY, or at least inspection.

[@MattBlack6]

Sean, keep your eyes out for a Knipex Pliers Wrench. So so handy, and way better grip and easier to use than the old portable lathe (shifting spanner).

[@ChristopherHallett]

There's nothing better than just using the correct size spanner.

[@vincekara9446]

That's awesome Shaun! Another maintenance vid to help us Ford fanatics! Cheers

[@justinjoyit13]

I always paint the disc hubs and edges before I install them- even just zinc grey paint is well worth it as it stops them rusting for quite a spell. The pads quickly sweep the paint over spray off the disc so no worries there.

[@MotoringBoxTV]

It's a great idea for sure

[@jamesfrench7299]

Well that should keep the Falcon's notorious brake warping at bay. Pity the BTR Engineering four speed transmission in these didn't get the down change feature (4th to 3rd only) when you hit the brake pedal, providing brake assist from engine braking in certain conditions, like the BF did. That was a good move. I just hope they perform properly for a good amount of time. Lovely video.

[@MotoringBoxTV]

I downshift to third and second pretty much every time I slow down. Works well ✌

[@jamesfrench7299]

Sean, you've done extremely well with your purchases and improvements. Even if I achieve half what you have, I'd feel accomplished. Time for a bacon and cheese Zinger 😀.

[@out_on_bail]

Dude you are supposed to tigheten the wheel nuts in a star pattern not a circle patten. 9:38

[@biged3175]

Noticed that right away... I bet he just did that to stir us up a little. I hope.

[@MotoringBoxTV]

I do that on the final torque up. The wheel was still in the air at that point and I was doing them up loosely.

[@JohnWood302]

Well done mate! Just looking for bearings for my BA since I have had the rrrrrrr or RRRRR sound coming from the front right or is it left!! Might just do both!!

[@MotoringBoxTV]

I think it's a good idea to do both - the logic being that if one needs replacement, the other won't be far off it.

[@heavymetal9622]

I noticed the side you changed first the disc looked very shiny and well worn in where as the other side the disc still looked like new. So one disc is probably worn more than the other side due to dragging. Not sure if that is an issue or not?

[@panners125]

It may have been a good thing to swap out the flexible hoses at the same time. If they are original.

[@coreylong2353]

Highly recommend doing the BA/BF break conversion. Had loads of issues with the fronts on my s3 au xr6 and the ba/bf conversion has fixed all of them. Au falcons, even after the break upgrades series 2 and 3 got, are notoriously under breaked which was an issue that was helped, not entirely resolved, but helped in the b series. Aus having slightly less power then a N/A barra and significantly less power then an xr6T the more modern breaks are a good match for street driving on an au You can also get the BF/FG turbo 320mm discs and calliper adapters once you’ve done the B series conversion if you ever track the car or decide to modify it to make more power

[@paulthompson1654]

ALWAYS ALWAYS , Lube slides and lube under caliper boot with brake silicon lube . Always ALWAYS flush thru about 300-500ml new fluid at front or rear circuit ,,NEVER just air bleed .

[@MotoringBoxTV]

I forgot to mention, I also sucked all of the old brake fluid out of the reservoir and replaced it with 'Penrite Brake Fluid 600'. I then monitored the level whilst I was bleeding the system and topped it up as required. So not a full fluid flush, but something that should be good enough for now ✌

[@MattBlack6]

I think a lot of people don't realise that brake fluid is hygroscopic, meaning that it absorbs water. I replace mine fully every few years. Same goes for clutch fluid.

[@milesinfront]

That Penrite 600 is amazing stuff! I used it on my race car and went from bleeding before every meeting to bleeding only once a season 'just to be sure'....

[@Beer_Dad1975]

Slide pins are the usual culprit for pad dragging - I used to have the same problem with my old Soarer left rear caliper, for some reason the slide pins would always get gummed up with crap after 20-30,000km even after I replaced the dust boots - the pins and bores themselves were smooth and once cleaned and lubricated would work perfectly for a long time, until they would again eventually gum up. I would just remove them and clean them every 3rd or 4th oil change to avoid. Oddly the right rear never had the issue at all.

[@SteveMack]

Best mod I've done & made a video about dragging brakes, was the booster pushrod; doing that earlier could have saved my new rotors and a skim!😟👌

[@SteveMack]

@@MattBlack6 Ditto 👍

[@wicksgarage32]

hey mate, although they are brand new callipers i would still recommend using anti-seize on the sliding pins, bolts, edges of the pads & studs, cheers

[@gnarlythetoyotacoasterbusa4089]

Hey mate how much were the two calipers I got my rears and passager side caliper sticking haha bloody au

[@HuqBhai2246]

I never like brake jobs, especially when the caliper slide pin bolts are rusted on :S

[@alexliberty100]

I had the same problem on my AU just last year. They started to drag immensely all of a sudden while driving and I needed a tow truck! My local garage overhauled the front callipers for a few hundred as i had no idea how to do that. But still easier to replace the whole thing

[@jamesfrench7299]

I think I'd rather consider these disposable and take Sean's route every time.

[@MartinJones123]

Great in depth DIY video and I am looking forward to more content like this! Your AU is in very good condition but are those chrome stripes on the fender factory? (Because they look very tacky IMO)... A mod you could do to your car is putting some period correct XR or Tickford rims and maybe lowering it ever so slightly... Great video nonetheless and I am also looking forward to the new car on this channel...

[@MotoringBoxTV]

The fenders have scrapes from the previous owner, and the chrome covers hide it completely ✌ I hated them at first but once you get used to them I think they suit the car well - especially a Fairmont Ghia like this one. On XR it'd look rubbish.

[@MartinJones123]

@@MotoringBoxTV I'd probably respray the fenders if you payed more but each to their own I guess... BTW, my old username was 'Martin Jones' but I decided to change my username because why not...

[@breakwind5537]

You are lucky the pistons didn't pop out, pumping the breaks with the caliper off the disc. Not a recommended thing to do, otherwise good job

[@AlexMartin-lz8kw]

Hey Sean - I’ve been looking at an AU Fairmont recently (and, as such, binging all your Fairmont content). As far as equipment levels go - do you know what the Fairmont Ghia gets that the normal Fairmont doesn’t (aside from the engine)?

[@MotoringBoxTV]

Independent rear suspension, and the rest are mainly interior differences - seats and door trims etc. My AU Falcon "Ford's unloved child" video went through all the differences in more detail

[@AlexMartin-lz8kw]

@@MotoringBoxTV I need to rewatch that again then! Cheers

[@s.c.o.s4672]

Good morning mate. I have been wondering, the AU when it came out was using dot 3. I have read that you shouldn't mix dot 3 and 4. Would brake bleeding be the way, full flush or replacing all the lines?

[@MotoringBoxTV]

Ideally yes. I read conflicting information - other sources said mixing them didn't cause any issues.

[@s.c.o.s4672]

@@MotoringBoxTV cheers, rather funny we haven't came up with a definitive answer by now. My best idea was to run my compressor through the lines, then flush with alcohol, air again, then fill with dot 4. But I think that sounds a little extreme, especially if some people claim it doesn't cause issues.

[@MotoringBoxTV]

Here's a copy/paste of the info I found: "Dot 3 and Dot 4 brake fluid can be mixed. It’s because both these are glycol-based brake fluids, which means that they are compatible with each other. If your car has Dot 4 from the factory, it’s not recommended to fill it with Dot 3, though; but the other way is fine."

[@s.c.o.s4672]

@@MotoringBoxTV Cheers Sean, you absolute Aussie legend. That is going to save me a massive head ache.

[@phillipm1039]

Oh yes had this issue and the same wheel, had the calipers rebuilt with stainless steel pistons and problem solved I did think of new replacements but wanted to keep it original. Watching you bleed the brakes was brilliant and like you its the one job I have never done but you made it look easy. You still produce one of the best channels... consistent quality.

[@MotoringBoxTV]

I was blown away how easy it was to be honest. With a bit of patience and time it's incredibly simple to do!

[@paulthompson1654]

hi Cheap engineered parts hardware and seal kits cause these problems . Ford is one of the larger companies that has this issue. I had an early EB Falcon then a AU then an early Ranger . They were ALLl rekited with new seals at first pad change . Rubbish seals give garbage reliability . Cheaper aisan cars are the same .

[@TheRealMrCods]

Fords man 🤣 New calipers look good 👍

[@KodynSmith]

Not helpful