New Brake Calipers: Bleeding

[sfbayjay]

I am planning to install new brake calipers on my '02 XLT. I will be doing them in pairs. I will likely do the rears first, along with installing new rear struts. The following weekend I will tackle the fronts.

Since I'm not doing all four at the same time, I have questions about bleeding the brakes after each pair is installed:

1. After installing the new rear calipers, I plan to bleed them starting with passenger rear, then driver rear. BUT: Do you have to bleed the fronts also if you only change the rears?

2. Same question for the fronts: When I change just the front calipers, do I have to bleed the rears also or just the new ones (passenger side then driver's side)?

Thanks for any advice/input!

 

[muhl5443]

i would.

 

[sfbayjay]

i would.

You would...???

...bleed all four calipers in both cases?

 

[techieman33]

yes I would bleed all 4 in both cases, it should just take a couple of pumps of the pedal on each of the calipers your not touching.

 

[bllk665]

My local Ford shop recently replaced my rotors and brakes, and the brake fluid was replaced, maybe for the first time in this car's life.

My brake pedal feels somewhat mushy, soft with what to me feels like a fair amount of brake pedal travel.

Is this common in 2002 Explorers?

 

[JoshMcMadMac]

My local Ford shop recently replaced my rotors and brakes, and the brake fluid was replaced, maybe for the first time in this car's life.

My brake pedal feels somewhat mushy, soft with what to me feels like a fair amount of brake pedal travel.

Is this common in 2002 Explorers?

No, there may still be air in the system.

 

[tgreene92]

Any time i do anything with my brakes i always just bleed all 4, It takes an extra 5 mins and a tad bit of brake fluid, the time is well worth knowing that your all the air is out of your lines.

 

[sfbayjay]

Thanks for the replies, everyone. I will go ahead and bleed all four.

An added wrinkle -- I just found during inspection of the left rear brake that brake line is about shot -- somehow the flexible part of the line has been rubbing against part of the suspension and is almost rubbed through. Looks like a new brakeline along with replacement caliper for the left rear... :thumbdwn: