# 2003 Ford Econoline Cargo Van - Brake job gone wrong

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/2003-ford-econoline-cargo-van-brake-job-gone-wrong/169208>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** brakes, ford\
**Created:** [August 26, 2020, 4:23pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2003-ford-econoline-cargo-van-brake-job-gone-wrong/169208 "2020-08-26T16:23:11Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![madungozi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@madungozi](https://community.cartalk.com/u/madungozi)\
**Post date:** [August 26, 2020, 4:23pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2003-ford-econoline-cargo-van-brake-job-gone-wrong/169208/1 "2020-08-26T16:23:11Z")

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after we changed the break pad and bleed it the front wheels locked it could no longer turn

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**Author:** ![COROLLAGUY1](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/corollaguy1/32/7575_2.png) [@COROLLAGUY1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/COROLLAGUY1)\
**Post date:** [August 26, 2020, 7:41pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2003-ford-econoline-cargo-van-brake-job-gone-wrong/169208/2 "2020-08-26T19:41:48Z")

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Are the new brake pads the same tickness as the old?

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**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\
**Post date:** [August 26, 2020, 8:05pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2003-ford-econoline-cargo-van-brake-job-gone-wrong/169208/3 "2020-08-26T20:05:04Z")

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Open the bleeder screws on the calipers.

If brake fluid squirts out and the rotors now turn, the brake hoses to the calipers are probably deteriorated internally and acting as check valves.

![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/0/4/0461552478e7d9a2db43ae1ffb4242ae0b831b8a.png)

Tester

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**Author:** ![Rod-Knox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a183cd/32.png) [@Rod-Knox](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Rod-Knox)\
**Post date:** [August 26, 2020, 8:32pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2003-ford-econoline-cargo-van-brake-job-gone-wrong/169208/4 "2020-08-26T20:32:44Z")

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How did you spread the caliper to get the new pads installed?

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**Author:** ![Cavell](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cavell/32/43396_2.png) [@Cavell](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cavell)\
**Post date:** [August 26, 2020, 11:56pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2003-ford-econoline-cargo-van-brake-job-gone-wrong/169208/5 "2020-08-26T23:56:28Z")

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Or another way, how did you push piston(s) back into caliper? Did you open bleeder screw so the dirty fluid was pushed out bleeder? And not back up into the flex hose?