Brake bleeding.

[Icepick2010]

Hi All,

I'm new to the forum and wanted to ask a few questions regarding the brake job I plan on doing on my 2002 Explorer XLS.

First off, I'm a fairly inexperienced wrench turner. I usually just do the small stuff like changing the oil, battery, or burned out lights. Anything bigger I usually take to a shop. However, in order to save some $ I plan to do a much needed brake job. I'm going to change the front pads and rotors, the rear pads, and flush the brake fluid. I've got 45K mile on the XLS and have never done the brakes.

My questions are:

1. On the rear calipers of a 2002 XLS is the caliper piston a normal piston that can be pushed back in with a C-Clap, or the screw type that requires a special tool to screw in the piston while it's being pushed back in.

2. Should I wait until after I've changed all the pads to flush the brake fluid, or can I change the rear pads then flush the fluid from the rear calipers then move to the front pads and front fluid flush? Does the order matter? I know I should flush from the farthest from the master cylinder valve first, which is why I'd do the rear axle pads first, but I wasn't sure if it mattered if I flushed the rear valves first before doing the front pads.

3. I plan on using a vacuum flush method as I won't have someone else there to work the brake pedal while I open the bleeder. I have a MityVac that I haven't tried yet. Any comments on how well this works for bleeding the brakes. I bought the brake bleeder attachment that goes with the MityVac.

4. Do new rotors need to be prepped in any way, or can they be put right on out of the box?

Thanks

 

[my pos mounty]

While I have yet to work on a third gen explorer, I am almost 100% sure that Ford did not use the screw-in type calpier pistons. So, if you open the brake resevoir and crank the c-clamp slowly, you should be fine.
Like you already mentioned flush from the rear (check for the crossover brakeline from one side to the other, i think the passenger side is furthest from the master cylinder??). I do not see any reason why it would matter if you replaced all the pads first or only the rears before flushing.
I have the same vac pump as you do, I love it! Can't imagine doing brake jobs without it now.
After removing the rotors from the box (some are wrapped in plastic as well) you will need to clean them using brake cleaner and a clean rag to wipe them. You want to remove the oily sealent the factory that makes them use to stop oxidation. Ensure your greasy fingers do not leave fingerprints on the rotors either as that may cause you braking problems down the road.

 

[BrooklynBay]

Welcome to this forum! I've moved your thread into the stock 2002-2005 section.

 

[coghij1]

You finish up your brakes yet Ice Pick?

And while were on the subject of bleeding the break lines with the mityvac, I tried to flush by brake system out but I was having a problem. I used one of the attachments that came to a point so I could stick it in the hole of the bleeder because the pieces that go around the valve don't leave me room the wrench it open. I can pump a vac of about 20" Hg and it seems to seal well. However, as soon as I opened the bleeder screw it started to suck mostly air in and only a little bit of brake fluid. Im pretty sure that the end of my vac hose was in the screw hole nice and tight and I really really doubt there was any air in the lines.

Can air come through the threads of the bleed screw? What am I doing different from everyone else here?

ps. I have a wimpy mityvac. You know, the hand held one with a small arse cup. TIA!