Is it necessary to use High Temp Lock tite when installing the brackets and caliber bolts when doing your disc brakes.

 

I use lock-tite on the brackets since they only need to come off if rotors get damaged.

I don't use it on calipers since they need to come off to change brake pads

If Ford specs it then do it, but in Rangers, or other cars, I have never had an issue with either backing off

 

Ron, Thank you for your reply. I have read on here that you can use wheel bearing grease to grease the slide pins and moving parts of the brakes. Has this worked for you or do I need a silicone grease like Sil Glyde. Also just put on new ball joints and wanted to know what the best kind of chassis lube.

 

No, even the "high temp" wheel bearing grease would run out at higher brake temperatures, silicone or synthetic base would be better to use.

Most newer ball joints, pivot joints and tie-rod ends don't have zerk fittings, they are "lifetime lube"
Some recommend adding a zerk fitting but never done that myself.

These joints use the grease to keep water out, it is really not used as a "lube" because parts are not spinning or moving very fast.
But they can "dry out" and then you get more single point wear as they rub internally, so "re-lubing" was needed.

If you want to add a zerk fitting then I would use your wheel bearing grease or similar

 

It is very good to have you online Ron to help guide those in need. I was compressing my pistons today on my brake caliber because I turned the rotors and putting on new pads and noticed a zerk fitting on my brake caliber. Did not know it even had one. So what kind of lube do I use for lubing that piston on the brake caliber. Also on the bracket that bolts on to the rotor there is 2 small rubber like boots that the caliber bolts screw into. Does one do any lubing or maintenance to those.

 

Ron, You seem to be very knowledgeable about these Rangers. I just installed a upper control arm with new ball joints and now I am waiting for a set of new camber bolts that are round and suppose to make the alignment very easy. However, I was watching Chris Fix video on ranger camber bolt install and he recommended to put some copper anti seize on the bolts that hold the upper control arm on. Not sure if that needs to be done but seems like a good idea. The one thing I could not figure out is he also said to put medium strength blue loktite on the 2 camber bolts and then torque them down. If I need to go to the alignment shop right after putting the new camber bolts in, won't the alignment shop loosen them to turn the camber washers to align rendering the Loctite useless. I bought Moog upper control arm and also Moog camber kit.

 

Caliper has a Bleeder valve, it is not a zerk fitting, but they do look similar.

You do not lube caliper pistons, brake fluid does that.

Between piston top and brake pad you should use CRC Disc Brake Quiet
Also use it on the back of the opposite brake pad where it rests against the caliper.

The rubber boots should be in good condition, if not replace them, they allow the caliper to move as pads wear down.
Movement is very slight over the life of the brake pads so not really a "moving part", but if bolts sliding surface have a bit of surface rust you can put a dab of high temp grease on each

 

If you will be taking vehicle to alignment shop don't put anything on the bolts, shop will do it after alignment.
But yes Camber adjustment bolt should get anti-seize, and camber "hold" bolts lock-tite

 

Thanks again Ron you have been a great help. So for the most part the 2 sliding pins that have the rubber boots on the brake bracket that receive the caliber bolts, I do not need to take apart and clean and re lube right. They move back and forth now with no problem. Taking them apart would just be overkill or not.

 

Right, no need to fix what ain't broken

 

I guess I will have to just trust the alignment shop that they will put the anti seize and the Loctite on the camber bolts right.

 

They will

But one heads up when getting any vehicle aligned
Shop needs to Center the steering wheel and then TIE it off

Some shops will center the steering wheel THEN turn key off and let wheel LOCK at closest point, so NOT CENTERED at all when driving down the road

 

WOW So I have to make sure they actually do their job by mentioning this about centering the steering wheel. Do you use a local place or a chain. Just checking if I have the same chain shop in Missouri.

 

If you mention it then they will make sure to do it the right way, they may take offense, but that would tell you they had that problem with one of their shop guys in the past.

Any alignment shop is OK.

 

Ron, I took my front shocks off today mainly because it is up on jacks and front steering knuckle off and waiting on my new camber kit. I thought since the truck has 105K on it with the original shocks it was time. They seemed very tight as I pressed them against the ground with them in my hand. Do you think with 105k on them that they are pretty much done.

 

Truck will get "bouncy" when shocks start to wear out

 

Ron,

You have been so helpful to me and I need to ask you a Question. I just installed new upper control arms with ball joints and the new camber kit. I wanted to know how tight to tighten i.e. torque setting the camber bolts before putting the tire on the ground and putting a load on it for the final torque of 100ft. lbs. Could not find a good video on doing this. Also wanted to know if there is a accurate way to do this with the tire off the truck. I know I can put a jack up under the lower control arm but how do I know how much to lift to equal the preload when tires are all the way on ground.

 

The pre-load is the weight of that corner of the vehicle, so if frame is on a stand then jack up suspension(lower arm) until it lifts off the stand a little, thats the same as if it was sitting with full weight on a tire.

70ft/lb would be fine to hold them in place before jacking up suspension, they are eccentric bolts so shouldn't move.

You should have it realigned

 

That is certainly a 3rd idea on the preload. My thoughts were 2 fold. Put tires on the ground and measure from the bottom of control arm to the ground and then jack it up on the center of the frame and remove tire and then place jack under lower control arm to the same height.

2nd thought was to put tires on the ground and measure from wheel arch to the center of wheel or hub and then do the same thing jack it up on center of frame and remove tire and place jack under lower control arm and jack up to the same height. Chris Fix has a fairly good video on upper control arm preload but no specifics.

On the 70 ft. lbs. to hold them in place is that going to be loose enough for the bushings to rotate. I was thinking more like 40 or 50 ft. lbs. I appreciate your help thank you

 

Ron, You mentioned the pre-load is the weight of that corner of the vehicle, so if frame is on a stand then jack up suspension (lower arm) until it lifts off the stand a little. Right now I have both tires off truck and I have stands under the middle part of the frame so lower arms are just hanging. So to do your method I should put both tires back on lower both tires to ground and then jack up one side until tire is off ground and then place stand under frame and then place jack under lower arm and jack it up until it barely lifts off of stand and then I am ready to torque the camber bolts. This is a very important step don't want to screw up those rubber bushings.