Beating a dead horse but any one know of a web site that has a step by step ...

[Rupp]

... for replacing the front rotors on a 98 X with Anti-lock brakes? I must have been born in Missouri (Show me ...) because I need to be see it before I do it.

 

[Blee1099]

You can try autozone but I doubt they go in-depth on our trucks. I suggest just getting a Haynes or Chilton manual.. I just picked up a replacement one for about $15 today.

 

[jimbo74]

Directly from my Chilton's:

1 Loosen the wheel lug nuts
2 Jack up the front of the vehicle and support on jackstands
3 Remove the wheel and tire
4 [Skipped as it applies to 91-94 only]
5 On 95-99 models, remove the 2 anchor plate-to-steering knuckle bolts then slide the assembly off the rotor [basically this means remove the caliper]
6 Suspend the caliper assembly by a piece of wire. Do not allow it to hang by the brake hose.
7 Slide rotor off [I modified this one for you as it refers to another section]

 

[Tom M.]

They are pretty easy, just 4 bolts to remove the caliper and the bracket it sits in. Remember to tie off the caliper so it doesn't hang by the brake line. There should be some little metal rings around a couple of the studs, just pull those off. After that the rotor will slide right off. If it is stuck just tap it with a rubber mallet and it will come loose. Thats all there is to it. Hope that helps.

 

[double_take]

Actually those instructions are for a 4wd or AWD explorer. He has another post asking about the rotors as well. He has a 2WD, which means that he has to pull the bearings.

If I remember correctly when I had to do mine I had to:
1. perform all steps mentioned above but when you get to the step of sliding the rotor off go to step 2.

2. There will be a cap, kinda dome shaped, in the middle of the rotor. Carefully remove this as it protects the insite from dirt.

3. There should be a cotter pin. Remove this.

4. Now you will be able to remove the nut lock which was held in place by the cotter pin.

5. remove the nut. ( i would lay everything out in order of removal so you put it all back in the opposite order.)

6. You will now be presented with a large nut. It will have smooth sides and 4 groves in it. You can get a hub removal tool, or use a flat head screwdriver (not reccommended). Remove this.

7. Remove the outter bearing ring. it should be loose now and can be removed by hand.

8. Pull the rotor towards you slowly and carefully. (make sure you clean the grease off your hands if you plan on reinstalling them. Grease and brakes don't mix)

9. On the back of the rotor will be a seal. remove this to remove the inner bearings.

When you go to install /reinstall repack the bearings with grease (make sure you use the right kind). You will most likley need to replace the rear seal.

When tightening the hub nut (big one with 4 grooves) make sure not to over tighten it. A tourqe wrench is best but what I did was tighten it enough so that the rotor did not wobble but would still spin freely. This was over 30K ago and everything is still fine.

This is just a general overview based on memory ( 2 years ago). I will check my chiltons/haynes manuals when I get home and edit this post if I made any mistakes.

Hope this helps
Rich

 

[Rupp]

Thanks a million Double_Take. I do have the 2 wheel drive which comes with the rotors that require the bearings to be removed. It just confused me when I picked up the rotors that I didn't see a "place" for the rear seal. Is the rear seal in another "part" that doesn't need to be replaced. I hope this makes since. I guess I at least need new rear seals. If you do find something different let me know and thanks again for the help.

 

[Hartman]

The rear seal is simply a plastic circular gasket that fits in the hub opening on the back of the rotor. Simple.

 

[jlrohio]

First thanks everyone to responding to this issue.
I have a 99 Ford Explorer 2WD with 60K. Wife drives it. The other day she asks me to check out a sound...and the inner passenger side front brake pad is shot and scraping up the rotor.
Ok, so I'm thinking no problem, I just changed the rotors and brakepads on another car (not ford). Jack up the car, remove the pads, slide off the caliper...and then see that I've got this bracket to remove before I can get at the rotor off. Caliper bracket bolts are 19/32 (try finding one of those sockets in your standard 50 socket set)...and ford was nice enough to put thread lock onto the bolts along with regular rust to ensure that you would never get them off. Thank-god I still have 1/2 can of PB Blaster!
So, here's where I sit...Chilton's manual is no help...it wants to tell me that either I have either manual locking hubs or automatic locking hubs! It's 2WD, not 4WD or AWD...they should just pop off (maybe held on with those cheap washers or clips to hold em' on to the studs from the factory) but these will not. I've only beat on them for a little while, not the 20mins referred to above.

So my question is...do I have to do the same thing as referred to above...take off that cap thing and then pull out cotter pins and nuts? That seems way too extreme for wheels that basically are there just to balance the vehicle (again this is 2WD or Rear wheel drive) and roll.

Thanks in advance for any assistance.

P.S. I'll try to go to the library tomorrow and see if they carry the Haynes manual for this...or even those (I forget the name - but the big book that you usually only find at Library's) really in-depth manuals. If not, I'll try and hit the AutoZone or Advance Auto for the Hanes.

 

[double_take]

Yep that's correct, if yours is a 2nd Gen 2WD then you need to go through the steps of removing the baerings.

You see in the 4WD and AWD models, there is the hub/axle assembly which spins as the tire turns, their rotors just sit on that. On the 2WD models all there is as a spindle which does not turn. SO the bearings are built into the rotor. This way there is one assembly that attaches to the spindle not 2 or more.

 

[jlrohio]

Doubletake,
Thanks for the info...sure enough, you are very correct.

I couldn't get that cap off...so I finally just put the screwdriver through it
and pulled it off that way (Damn, I hope I can get another easily)!

I then took out the cotterpin, whatever that washer thingy is that keeps the cotter pin in place, and then the bolt that holds the rotor in...a few bearings and washers came out (which I placed in order of coming out so they go back in the right way) and then removed the rotor.

Questions now, the bearing on the back side of the rotor??? Should that easily come out? it did not for me...would that be a problem for the folks who are turning the rotors? BTW, the spindles looked nice and smooth (happy to see that)...As to packing everything back in, should I just gob as much wheel bearing grease as possible back in when I'm reassembling? This part isn't rocket science is? I guess I'll just have some old tee-shirts nearby to pick up whatever grease does not go in.

Oh, one last question...now that I got the rotors off and have not spent the $20 to get them turned. The inboard side of the rotor on both sides was thinner than the outboard side...is this normal??? We never had any problems braking until the inboard pad on the passenger side got down to the rivets and started scraping only the pass. side rotor (inboard side)...the drivers side inboard side of the rotor appears to be thinner than the outside part of the rotor...and I still didn't find out if they are still thick enough to be turned ( I assume not since this will be their first turn on the lathe and the scarring of the rotor is not that bad...BTW, I don't tow anything...it's just a typical soccer mom urban assault vehicle for the wife.