Ford F-150 Brake Lines
The brake lines carry fluid from the master cylinder to all four brake cylinders on a Ford F-150 pickup. As you press down on the brake pedal, you increase the hydraulic pressure in the line. The increase in pressure forces the calipers in the braking system to press the brake pads against the rotor so you can stop your F-150 truck.
How do know if you have faulty F-150 brake lines?The first thing you should do when inspecting the brake lines is to walk around the Ford F-150 and check for leaks. You want to make sure that there aren’t any translucent and brownish puddles anywhere that are very slick to the touch. Light brown is the color of brake fluid after it ages with usage. Next, you should get under the F-150 and follow each line from the master cylinder to each brake caliber to look for rust. If you find rust, take sandpaper and sand the spot down to see how far the rust has penetrated the metal of your Ford pickup.
What type of Ford F-150 brake lines are available?There are two different types of brake lines commonly used on an F-150 truck.
- Steel: Standard brake lines are made out of steel. Steel is rigid and won’t expand when pressure is increased in the line when stopping. If the lines were to expand, it would take longer to slow down. Standard brake lines are used mostly in vehicles that won’t be used in off-roading adventures or climbing rugged dirt roads.
- Braided steel: If you’re going to take your Ford F-150 off-roading, you’ll want to consider upgrading your brake lines. Braided steel is used because it has more give-and-take than the steel lines. This allows you to drive on uneven surfaces without worrying about over-stressing the brake lines and connections.
Before you change your brake lines on your Ford truck, you’ll need a jack and jack stands so you can safely crawl under the pickup. You’ll also need a brake line wrench set to disconnect the fittings on the line. Make sure you also get a bottle of super heavy-duty DOT 3 brake fluid so you can refill the brake fluid reservoir and the lines once you finish replacing the brake lines on your pickup truck.
The easiest way to replace the lines is to use replacement ones that are already shaped to fit under your F-150. The lines are held up under the F-150 with clips. Disconnect the old brake lines from the cylinders and each other and remove the clips so you can take out the line. Put the replacement line in and clip it in place. Then, reconnect the connection points on the line using the line wrench. Fill up the reservoir with brake fluid and bleed the brakes. If you need any help with this, there should be a set of instructions in the packaging for the replacement lines that will guide you through the process step-by-step.