Advice on new rotors, pads, and shocks?

[BrianDye]

So for some reason, I decided to start busting ass on my 92 again, trying to conquer some of the rust, even thinking about heading to the yard to find some nice rocker panels.

I finally fixed my BRAND new catbacks that I never got around to fixing (muffler slid off from the pipe off the cat's, the same day we put it all on, and never got around to trying to fix it.

I fixed my cracked taillight, the exhaust, and ever since about 6 or 7 months ago, my brakes are horribly "shuddering" if thats the right word, when I goto stop its like a STRONG pulse, you can even feel the explorer jerk, so obv. I need new rotors, I figure ill take my pads in....duralasts lifetime warranty haha, get new pads, and I need front shocks horribly, it bounces so bad its embarrasing.



I have about 100$ to spend, which I know isnt much....well really not even enough, but I at least want to get rotors and pads, and im going to Autozone to get them



Any advice rotor wise? Ive done plenty of pads, never rotors before.
Also, how hard is it to replace the shocks? Can your basic tool set do it?
AND, I was reading a thread that said you should replace the wheel bearings at the same time, and I know my front ones roar like a cow and its louder than the exhaust now, so what kind of job is that?

Thanks for any advice!

(1992 Eddie Bauer 4x4)

 

[Blacksheep Josh]

Any advice rotor wise? Ive done plenty of pads, never rotors before.

You get what you pay for. Cheap rotors warp in months if not weeks. It's worth it to put some money into it... I use OEM rotors with a high quality pad and they stop flawlessly. I'd say shop around some places for prices and DON'T go with the cheapest rotor.

Also, how hard is it to replace the shocks? Can your basic tool set do it?

I believe so. There's a thread on here somewhere about replacing them. Even gives you bit sizes.

AND, I was reading a thread that said you should replace the wheel bearings at the same time, and I know my front ones roar like a cow and its louder than the exhaust now, so what kind of job is that?

It's all on the greasing... just got to grease up the bearings pretty good. I probably use to much grease, I've heard these bearings called "self-lubricating" and only doing the races and outside of the bearings are enough... but I push the grease through every hole, nook, and cranny I can in teh bearing (guy who worked on Fords for 30 years told me to do it, so I did). Also make sure the torque on the spindle nut is correct as well, this was the hardest part for me cause I did it by feel..

Make sure to get new cotter pins and seals as well. Seals are like 2-3 bucks each, and you can get a 1000 piece cotter pin set from Harbor Freight for cheap. Always worth to have around lol.

It's not a hard project to replace rotors, just time consuming cause you have to do it right. If you get stuck post up on here and someone can help you out.

 

[BrianDye]

Okay man thanks for the info, im kinda scared on the wheel bearings, but when I do the rotors im deff. gonna get those too, ill have my buddy come over.

Yea, I decided to just wait on it all for now, last night was one of those "I want it now" kinda moments so I wouldda settled with anything not thinking haha.

Ill post back here if I have anymore questions

 

[Blacksheep Josh]

The bearings aren't to difficult. The first time I did it I had a Ford Master Tech drinking beer about 10 feet away just saying "You'll figure it out...".

Once you get them done the first time they're "easy" to do. Just time consuming.

 

[BrianDye]

So would it be comparable to teaching yourself how to replace brake pads with no directions, pictures, or friends to help?

Haha

 

[Blacksheep Josh]

I find it quite easy to do now that I've done it a few times.
It's a little more difficult, not in what you have to do but just the amount of things you have to do... It's just a lot of parts, but as long as you keep the bearings clean and greased during installation it's really just time consuming. You can't really install them wrong unless you're a complete dumbass. Just take your time taking them apart to see where everything will go again when you reassemble.

It's worth getting a Haynes manual and familiarizing yourself with them. I got my manual for 5 bucks off Ebay.

 

[BrianDye]

I was reading somewhere about needing a grease gun or something?

What parts do I need to replace my bearings up front?
(Not toolwise, unless its something besides a tool a normal set would have)

 

[Blacksheep Josh]

Forget the grease gun. Seriously. I just use my hands to do it... I feel that using a grease gun won't adequately get grease on the bearings. I've seen a million different ways to do it and I like how I do it best. Just putting grease in the palm of your hand and then using the other hand to kinda "scoop" the grease onto and into the bearing. If you do it right you'll have no grease left on your hand when you get done with each bearing.

I've seen the bearings our trucks use described as "self lubricating" and some just put grease on the outside and twirl them and that'll get the grease on the inside but I like to know there's plenty of grease for it and everything is coated and not leave things to chance.

The only special tool I've heard you'd need is a torque wrench because you tighten the bearing down to a set point, then loosen and tighten to like 16 inch pounds? I just tighten the bearings down with a wrench hand tight, then loosen them up and then use the nut (no wrench) and tighten it down finger tight.

Just need to make sure you get new cotter pins, seals, and some possibly castle lock but you can reuse yours if it's not to bent up. I've reused mine a few times. When you tighten the spindle nut, you'll notice you tighten the nut up, then put the castle lock over it and cotter pin through it to keep the nut from backing off. If they don't line up perfectly, I've always tightened, rather than loosen, to get them to line up enough to install the cotter pin.

 

[BrianDye]

Went to autozone, spent 50$ on:
2 new bearings
2 new seals
and the tub o' grease haha

For some reason I had it in my head all day like a hour or two job, but then I thought more into it, its gonna be longer than that, and since I gotta take the rotors and all that off, im gonna wait a week or two until I have the money to get new rotors and pads while im at it.

 

[Anime]

You'll need the special socket to loosen the spindle nut if you have the auto 4x4 hubs.

A torque wrench is good too if you want to do the bearings once and not mess them up by having them too loose or tight.

For greasing bearings, you can do it by hand, but you can't beat a real bearing packer. They're about $20, but you just throw in the grease, stick the bearing in, press down, and all the old grease gets pressed out while all new grease gets packed in.

As for brakes and rotors, spend the money. Get rotors that have at least a year warranty on them. Usually if they don't go bad within weeks or months they will last. The lifetime rotors isn't usually worth it since you'll have to replace them more than once for the usual cost difference, which is only for the warranty, you're usually getting the exact same part, just at double the cost or more to cover the replacement.


If you want inexpensive shocks, check out Sears when they're having a special on Monroe Yellows for 50% off, which should be happening at least one of these upcoming weekends with the holiday shopping season. Either that or ebay. Lots of brand new front shock pairs for 91-94's at a very cheap price.

 

[BrianDye]

Thanks for the info man

 

[92exp4x4]

A Lincoln man, good to see another one. The brakes are easy on the explorers. You can torque the berings, but i just do it to feel. I tighten them by hand, using a ratchet, turning the rotor until it cannot be easily turned then back it off. This seats the berings in thier races. You want just a slight resistence when you spin the rotor.

Be careful with the seal. Use a socket about the same diameter to drive the seal into its bore, if you have one that big. You can use a hammer to slowly work it in but it can be difficult to get the seal started. Work slowly going around and around the seal until it seats. Try not to hit it flat but on its crown, the metal bent part.

The spindle nut socket is readily available at any autozone or advance or whatever auto parts store you have around you and it works on many 4x4s.

 

[TedJ]

Just to clarify you said you got two bearings, but there are two per side... so you really need four.

http://explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=122696
That link should give you a better idea of what to do here.

Basically you want to get as much grease in the bearing (esp in the space beteween the cage and the inner race) as you can. Make sure to strip the anti-corrosion oil they put on them with brake cleaner (brakleen, et al) so that the grease sticks to the surface really well.