brakes on '78 bronco

when i drive the bronco down the road and push on my brakes (what brakes it do have) my steering wheel shakes really bad. What could cause this? rotors? warped? just about ready for some new rotors but was wanting to get all the use out of these i could.
thanks for the help guys
justin:rebelflag

Yeah, sounds like the rotors are warped.

Does it pull to either side or just vibrate real bad in the steering wheel?

I agree with Mel, sounds like warpped rotors. I would pull them off and have them trued up if possible. What do you use to install the lug nuts and tighten them down with? I have always used a breaker bar and final tightening with a torque wrench, impacts will warp rotors if not used properly.

i just use a strong arm to tighten the lug nuts on it. It doesn't pull to the side any, just vibrates bad
thanks
justin

Hey Justin,

This just happened to me a couple of weeks ago, the bearings that hold the rotor centered were shot. A easy way to find out if this is the case is to jack up the front end and try to move the wheel side to side.

If you can move the wheel, DO NOT DRIVE IT!

I drove mine home (A 3 min. drive going slow) And the caliper overextended and grinded everything to a unrepairable state.
If this is the problem, its not to expencive, but it not the easiest thing to do. You need a bearing puller and a special socket to get the locking plates off and a torque wrench that goes over 150 lbs.

If you have any questions feel free to post them up.

Good Luck

-Travis

This just happened to me a couple of weeks ago, the bearings that hold the rotor centered were shot. A easy way to find out if this is the case is to jack up the front end and try to move the wheel side to side.
Yeah, that's something else to check when you jack it up. Grab the tire at the top and bottom and see if you have any movement when you wiggle it - like push and pull from where you're holding, not side to side like if steering.

i'll check that in the morning, didn't ever think about checking the bearings, i'll post what i find out tomorrow
thanks
justin

Yup yup and Yup, get it in the air before you drive it, a bearing race ( the outer casing of the bearing unit ) fused ( melted ) to the spindle is a real hasssle.

I gotta say for as cheap as rotors are, instead of paying to have them trued up or turned just replace them. Nothing a couple of hours and 50 bucks won't fix.

i jacked up the front end today, and the passenger side front tire has alot of movement in it, so looks like i need a new bearing. lol wheres the best place to get bearings for the front? and could i replace this easy? i think i could do it just might take some time:
thanks for the tips guys
justin

i jacked up the front end today, and the passenger side front tire has alot of movement in it, so looks like i need a new bearing. lol wheres the best place to get bearings for the front? and could i replace this easy? i think i could do it just might take some time:
thanks for the tips guys
justin


Bearings are available from any local part store and most likely just sitting there in stock. You absolutely could replace those yourself. V. easy stuff. While in there you'll want to do the inner and outer bearings and the seal. If you haven't done breakpads in awhile and want to you'll be right there. If you think you want to do the rotors, same thing you'll be right there once you get everything apart.

A lot of parts stores have tool loaner programs. Loan out the spindle nut kit for your axle size, and grab a wheel seal tapping kit. They may make you pay a deposit but will refund you entirely when you return the tools. You'll need bearing grease when you buy the bearings and if you don't want to hand pack the bearings they make a tool to pack them for you. I'm an old-fashioned girl I hand pack my bearings. I use the blue high temprature bearing grease. Might want to grab some extra cotter keys while there, it should be like 2 bucks and inevitably they are broken. Really beyond that nothing you cant accomplish with an allen wrench set, a four way to take your tire off, a punch or good sized screwdriver, hammer. First time you do it always seems to take a few hours, but that second side which you should do at the same time usually goes much faster. If you need/want any pics I have several from my trucks and then I took a bunch a few weekends back when I did Rob's bronco. :beer

I gotta say for as cheap as rotors are, instead of paying to have them trued up or turned just replace them. Nothing a couple of hours and 50 bucks won't fix.Good call like she said on the new ones.What could old (78 ford) rotors from autozone possibly cost 20 bucks, 25 each? I have to mention though , ( ask ) did you take the tire off and make sure the movement is not in the upper or lower ball joints also ?, yaeh its probably a rotor but pull off the rim and tire ( in the air) on axle stands, and while useing a large pry bar to move the rotor (spindle together) watch the play in the ball joints , you could have a combo problem, spin the rotor with the tire off and listen to it as it passes throught he calipper,any warpage will be noticable and move the whole assembally up and down with a large pry bar to check for ball joint play, ball joints should only be about 15 - 25 bucks for the bronco.

Might want to grab some extra cotter keys while there

Won't need those unless he is going to replace a tie rod end or ball joints.

That's right :doh0715:

Won't need those because this is four wheel drive. On two wheel drive the front spindle nut has a cotter key.

That's alright, you knew what you were talkin about

You need a bearing puller and a special socket to get the locking plates off and a torque wrench that goes over 150 lbs.
-Travis

What on earth are you torquing to 150 ft lbs in the front hub?????????

Well i took the wheel off and moved the rotor and its the bottom ball joint that is moving. Are these very hard to replace? local auto shop said that you need a special tool to take these off, is he right? (used to work at ford dealership long time ago) Was wondering if i could do this myself, also i was going to replace both upper and lower joints on both sides
thanks
justin

What on earth are you torquing to 150 ft lbs in the front hub?????????

exactly what Im wondering. Therer is another post right now where the whole torqueing debate is going on. That is way over tight. In my opinion going to **** your bearings up and warp your rotors going that tight from heat damage etc, but just imo.

http://fullsizebronco.com/forum/showthread.php?t=72287

Proper torque for the lock ring on the front end is 150 ft-lbs. :shrug

You tighten the bearing retainer to 35-50 ft-lbs, spin the rotor, back off 90*, spin the rotor, tighten to something like 16 inch-pounds, put the lock washer on with one of the holes over the pin, and tighten the lock ring down to 150 ft-lbs. I can scan the haynes for you if you want. It was the same on the Dana 35 on my Ranger.

That only applies if you have bearing retainers and lock rings like this:
http://broncograveyard.com/bronco/i-32092_d44_dana_nuts_and_washer___one_side_.htm

funny, only truck Ive done that had those was rob's few weekends back. Good thing I let Alan do the torqueing. Looked up in my haynes, yep and the chiltons too. Each setup and each axle had a different torque. 87 and up being different than prior to 87. "torque" for the last truck I did of mine by the manual was 22 ft lbs. just a little different :histerica

2WD?

yep ;)