Emergency Brake Pads

Can anyone give me instructions on how to replace emergency brake pads on a 2003 F250 2-wheel drive Ford truck?

That would be very difficult to do, especially not knowing your mechanical skill level. If you are mechanically skilled and can do a brake job on your own, then you need to ask a specific question. Otherwise, I’d suggest that you go to your parts store and see if they have a Chiltons or Haynes manual for your truck.

I second keith’s suggestion. You will need the manual later with this vehicle or another sooner or later.

In this truck the parking prake is not the pads you see on the outside but SHOES on the inside.
A much bigger job that just changing pads.

Gat thee a manual.

One other note, the parking brake system on these trucks was marginal when new, and I’ve found aftermarket brake shoes just don’t fit and work as well as Ford parts.

Go to the dealer for the shoes, they’ll work better.

I should have stated brake SHOES. I do all my mechanical work and I replaced the rotors & pads, but it started raining & I didn’t get a chance to look closer at the brake shoes. Also, this is my work truck & I had to drive it to work today & didn’t want to risk getting stuck in the middle of a job & not having my truck to drive. I’ve never changed the emergency brake shoes & I’m not sure if I should try it. I was hoping to get some advice as to whether I should attempt to replace them or not because I don’t know how difficult it is. Hope this clears things up.

These are not a typical wear item. Unless you hit the parking brake to stop or lock the wheels up to drift, I wouldn’t worry about it. If you put the parking brake on only once your stopped, the shoes don’t wear.

I have a 2000 Ford Explorer with a similar system, and have checked, but never changed the parking brake shoes. 210,000 miles on the original set.

I also have a similar set-up on my 1988 Toyota Supra. 23 years, 267,000 miles, and never had to change the parking brake shoes. And these Supra shoes are very thin when new.

Thanks for the reply. Do you know if there’s a way to adjust the parking brake? Mine don’t hold. I need to use them a lot on the job sites I drive to. (I fuel up equipment at job sites & need to leave my truck running for the power.) Right now, I put blocks of wood around the tires so the truck doesn’t move, but I’d like to know if there’s a way to fix my parking brake so I can use it.

Look to see if there is any adjuster somewhere along the cable to the parking brakes.

Remove the rear calipers and rotors, you’ll see the brake shoes behind the axle hub, there’s an adjustment star wheel in there like old drum brakes have.

Thanks, I was able to make some adjustments & my parking brake works fine now. thanks for the help.

The first time you do a brake job on drum brakes, you should have someone with you who knows what he or she is doing. It’s not something I would want to tackle by myself for the first time without a little help.