2004 F350 Brakes

[highland512]

Last week I had a front right caliper lock up on me on the way home. Wasn't a huge deal, parts man had the parts in stock and I had all the caliper and both axle brakes changes out in a couple hours. But now instead of almost going into the right hand ditch anytime the brakes where used with the bad caliper it now has a light pull to the left when you use the brakes. Would this be related to having a new caliper on one side?   

[goodfellow]

Assuming that everything else was out OK before the caliper failed, I would check the rotor first, but then I would definitely suspect the other caliper's efficiency.

[stokester]

Last week I had a front right caliper lock up on me on the way home. Wasn't a huge deal, parts man had the parts in stock and I had all the caliper and both axle brakes changes out in a couple hours. But now instead of almost going into the right hand ditch anytime the brakes where used with the bad caliper it now has a light pull to the left when you use the brakes. Would this be related to having a new caliper on one side?

I had nearly the same thing happen to me on my 110K mile 2005 F150.  While it did not lock up it did drag on the way home causing me to stop after much smoke from the RF fenderwell.  I then drove the rest of the way home at about 25mph without incident.

The next morning I removed the wheel (the lug nut cover had melted mounting clips) and looked at the cooked caliper and discolored rotor.  I decided to rebuild my front brakes with a reman caliper, new pads, top-of-the-line rotors and a new flex line from NAPA.

No issues since.

[lostmind]

Replace the front flexible brake hoses.
They collapse inside , you can force fluid into the caliper , but the piston won't force it out when they collapse.
I've had several Ford trucks with this problem.

[slip knot]

I'll second the lines need replacement.

[lostmind]

Replace the front flexible brake hoses.
They collapse inside , you can force fluid into the caliper , but the piston won't force it out when they collapse.
I've had several Ford trucks with this problem.

I posted this , then reread your post. You replaced flex line.

[stokester]

If you haven't done so, it is now a good time to do a full brake fluid flush.

[highland512]

The problem seems to be going away/getting better, I think I will be doing the brake lines though. They are not very high and they are 15 years old. How do you flush the brake system, the fluid did have a green tint to it and from what I have been reading that means its time. 

[stokester]

Fresh fluid looks like apple juice, contaminated fluid looks like tea or coffee depending on the age and contamination.  There are test strips available but with the expense of brake components, especially ABS pumps, it is generally best just to flush every two years.

In a nutshell...
- buy a couple pints of DOT 3 or 4 brake fluid (check your owner's manual)
- evacuate or remove the fluid from the master cylinder and then fill it with fresh fluid
- bleed the brake furthest from the MC, usually the RR
- bleed the next, usually the LR
- bleed the next, usually the RF
- finally bleed the LF

By bleed I mean either use a vacuum bleeder or a helper to bleed the brake until the fluid changes color and refilling the MC after each wheel.

Because brake fluid is hygroscopic, in that it absorbs moisture; the possibility of brake caliper pistons, brake cylinders or ABS pumps failing because of corrosion is possible with contaminated fluid.