I have a friend that is having the same problem with a 2003. The Ford dealer finally admitted that the claliper on one side is sticking and heating the rotor. This is causing the warping. I would make the dealer fix this it is a safety issue and they need to get it right. Braking is not an option.
If you are going to fix it yourself, the slides on the bolt need to be greased regularly to help with the caliper sticking.

 

Thanx to Fosters and blue, before I left this morning I placed a wide bladed flat screwdriver against the rear axle housing and the return lever on the back of the emergency brake drum. It moved back and made the grinding noise of no lube on parts required inside the drum. I repeated the setting and releasing of the brake and again, the lever was not retracted. All day the pulsing was gone. Before I pull the wheel, caliper and drum, and properly, with high temp grease, lube it, I will call my dealer and see if he Ford can take responsibility for the missing lube.

I'm pretty sure what I will find when I pull the rotor, and that is a rusty condition inside.

Again, I love this truck, just surprised at a condition of such a simple thing as the emergency brake.

I've got a micro-wave upstairs that gets abused by everyone in the house, it's over ten years old, as an example, I fully expect that thing to not work.

Funny how the longer you own something the intimately you become aquainted with it.

BTW, I just ordered the new Haynes repair manual for half-ton Ford 150's. I believe the stock number is 36061. I am looking forward to doing the work since my warranty is expired.

04 F-150, 4.6L, 3.70 limited slip, 30K

 

Well, it's been a month and a half and today I finally got the problem fixed. The last two times the thudding pulsing braking thing happened it was after I accidently again applied the parking brake, and then forgot to manually push the cam levers to release.

I went to the dealer, explained what I observed, he pulled the rear disks and found the right rear to have a rusted lever, which was causing the grabbing after getting heated up.

Short story, new lever 25 bucks, turned the front rotors on the vehicle, pads front and back, and parking shoes were all well within spect at 31,200 miles. Labor, 195 bucks. I'm happy, and it runs like new.

Just a note, I had always set the parking brake each time I parked the truck. I always thought not using the parking made it rust! Guess I'll take a look at the levers every year from now on as a part of regular maintenance. It pays to really observe a problem, if you can, before going to the dealer for service. The last thing I wanted was to replace rotors, pads, calipers, etc. chasing a problem blindly.

'04 F-150, 4.6L, 3.73 LS, 4X2,

 

The brakes pulsated again this morning. The brakes have been fine for 1 month. started the truck, drove one block, then the brake pedal started pulsating. ABS kicked in. If this would happen all the time, then i would take it in. But the problem is very intermittant. Other than that, the brakes work fine.

 

Bageera, I would take it in to the dealer. I ran the ABS thing by my dealer yesterday and he said they would check it out but the pulsing I reported was definitely a lower frequency than the ABS exhibits. And it was not ABS but a non retracting E-brake on the right rear. Apparently checking a fault with ABS is easy to diagnose. It may cost 20 to 30 bucks however.

Returning the front rotors was well worth the cost as there is no tick to my brake pedal. Things just get a little worn with time and miles. I was glad to only pay a couple hundred bucks. I love this truck, the long wheelbase, it's by far much quieter than my last chevy. It's paid for and I'm driving it into the ground. I'll tell you in a few years if I make it 200 K.

 

My 05 F150 STX developed a similar problem after 25,000 of mostly highway miles. I am former Ford tech and Dealership Service Mgr. and the pulsation can caused by warped rotors or thickness variation or runout. Warped rotors tend to cause the steering wheel to nibble side to side braking at moderate to slow speeds while thickness variation or runout causes a mild jumpy brake pulse when brakes are lightly applied more common at lower speeds. This is not exclusive to F150's. I experienced it on two Ford company cars of mine. One was some bad at 20K it would nearly spill your coffee when the brakes were applied.

In both cases the rotors must be turned. If you have low mileage 20K or less pad replacement should not be necc. Over 20K the pads should be replaced or a least deglazed (sanded flat) when the rotors are turned. Rotors generally due not warp by themselves but there is usually another cause. I agree with others suggestions that the caliper slides must be lubricated properly. Without it it can cause the caliper to stick and heat up the rotor and warp.

For those of you under warranty you may find that your dealer OK's them under warranty while other refuse because it's maint. item. IMHO warped rotors while under warranty is NOT maint. Stand your ground and request District Manager review if they refuse.