2004 Explorer Rotor Removal

[CCMPower]

Hi guys! I'm new to this forum as I've spent most of my time on the Mustang forums. Im going to replace the rotors on my '04 Explorer but was wondering...........does that large spindle nut in the center need to be removed to get the rotors off or will they come off after removing the calipers,caliper mounts and the little metal washers without having to remove that spindle nut? Thanks for any assistance you can offer!

 

[fyrfyter612]

You don't need to remove the spindle nut. If you gotta do the reas take your time....alot of time the parking brake shoes (inside the hub of the rotors) bind up pretty good.

 

[CCMPower]

Thanks for the response. It almost looks like that spindle nut holds on the rotor so I wasnt 100% sure. How hard is it to get the rear rotors off with that whole emergency brake situation?

 

[BWilliams]

How hard is it to get the rear rotors off with that whole emergency brake situation?

With mine (northern winters = lots of rust), it took about a half-hour per side of pounding with a rubber mallet and a hammer to get the rotor off. We were replacing my rotors anyways, so we just whacked at it until it came loose... it was stuck on pretty good.

 

[The8thst]

I took the front rotors off of mine with a 3-jaw puller and it worked really well.

 

[CCMPower]

I actually didnt have any problems taking off the front rotors. I just tapped them with a rubber mallet and they came loose pretty quick. The rears were a different story. I actually went under the driver's side, wrapped a small shop towel around the e-brake cable, pulled it to relieve the tension on it then clamped over the towel with a vice grip to keep it from re-tensioning. It was still hard to get them off because of them hanging up on the e-brake shoes but it did make it a little easier in the end. I just had to keep moving around the rotor and tapping with a hammer. Only problem with that is the stupid splash guard gets in the way but after a while it will come loose. What a pain! Job completed though!

 

[gsmaclean]

I actually didnt have any problems taking off the front rotors. I just tapped them with a rubber mallet and they came loose pretty quick. The rears were a different story. I actually went under the driver's side, wrapped a small shop towel around the e-brake cable, pulled it to relieve the tension on it then clamped over the towel with a vice grip to keep it from re-tensioning. It was still hard to get them off because of them hanging up on the e-brake shoes but it did make it a little easier in the end. I just had to keep moving around the rotor and tapping with a hammer. Only problem with that is the stupid splash guard gets in the way but after a while it will come loose. What a pain! Job completed though!

There's a much easier way to take the tension off the e-brake cable, and works on all Explorers of all years.

Open the driver's door, reach under the truck and pull the e-brake cable down to stretch the spring at the pedal. While holding the cable down, take a screwdriver and push it into the hole in the side of the pedal mechanism (look, you'll see it there). Release the cable - hey presto, you now have a couple inches of slack and no spring pressure on the e-brake.

 

[jrford]

Open the driver's door, reach under the truck and pull the e-brake cable down to stretch the spring at the pedal. While holding the cable down, take a screwdriver and push it into the hole in the side of the pedal mechanism (look, you'll see it there). Release the cable - hey presto, you now have a couple inches of slack and no spring pressure on the e-brake.

This worked for me. I used a drill bit. Even after it it was still PIA. I actually used the BFH and wound up taking a parking shoe with it. There is a star wheel in there that will allow you to retract the parking pads, is a knock about a quarter size on the bottom of the splash shield.

 

[CCMPower]

There's a much easier way to take the tension off the e-brake cable, and works on all Explorers of all years.

Open the driver's door, reach under the truck and pull the e-brake cable down to stretch the spring at the pedal. While holding the cable down, take a screwdriver and push it into the hole in the side of the pedal mechanism (look, you'll see it there). Release the cable - hey presto, you now have a couple inches of slack and no spring pressure on the e-brake.

I did see something on that in a Haynes manual but couldnt quite understand what they were saying. So I came up with the way I did it. Still not too bad though. Thanks for the tip. I'll try and remember that and for future use I'll give it a shot.