The power brakes on your Ford F-250 pickup truck multiplies the force you apply to the brake pedal to help you slow or stop the vehicle. The system accomplishes this through the vacuum booster on gasoline engines, or hydro boost, if your F-250 is equipped with a diesel engine. Both components connect directly to the brake pedal through a push rod and to the brake master cylinder inside the engine compartment. Whether you have a gasoline or diesel engine model, you can replace the power brakes at home with a few common tools.
The vacuum booster on your Ford F250 mounts between the firewall, on the driver side of the engine compartment, and the brake master cylinder. To remove the booster without the possibility of damaging the brake lines on the master cylinder, disconnect the brake lines from the master cylinder using a line wrench to avoid damaging the retaining nuts. Then plug the brake lines to prevent contamination of the system and unbolt the master cylinder from the brake booster.
The push rod, on the other side of the brake booster, connects to the brake pedal. Working from inside the cabin and under the steering wheel, locate the end of the booster push rod connected to the pin on the brake pedal. To disconnect the push rod, you will need to unplug and remove the brake switch as well, which straddles on the push rod and seats on the brake pedal pin.
After detaching the push rod from the pin, you can unscrew the four booster mounting nuts in front of the brake pedal. Then you will be able to remove the booster from the engine compartment. Installing the new booster is the reverse of the removal procedure. However, you will need to bleed brake system and test drive your F250 to make sure the brakes are working properly.
To remove the hydro boost on your Ford F250 diesel engine, first relieve the pressure inside the accumulator of the hydro boost by depressing the brake pedal several times with the engine off. Then you can remove the left battery and the air cleaner housing to gain complete access to the brake booster.
When disconnecting the brake lines from the master cylinder and the steering hose form the booster, use a line wrench to avoid damaging the retaining nuts. Then plug the brake lines and steering hose to prevent contamination of the system.
The maser cylinder mounts to the power booster with two nuts which you can remove now to move the cylinder aside. On some models, a steering hose bracket also attaches to the master cylinder. If necessary, remove this bracket form the master cylinder.
Working from inside the cabin of your F250, remove the opening cover from the instrument panel and steering column. This will give you access to the brake pedal arm. The brake switch and booster push rod connect to the pin on the upper side of the brake pedal arm. Once you remove the switch and push rod, you can unscrew the booster mounting nuts in front of the brake pedal and remove the booster from the engine compartment.
After installing the new hydro booster, check the power steering fluid level and add fluid if necessary. Then bleed the brake system and test the brakes of your pickup truck to make sure they are working properly.
