Changing Brakes How To

[jlsparky7]

There is not a brakes section in the forum so I figured the wheels and tires section would be a good place to put this. If not, feel free to move it. Heres how I do a brake job.
Brake inspection Part 1 -
Brake inspection Part 2 -

ATTN MODS: Rick and I thought it would be a good idea to "double post" some of my how to's in different sections because a majority of them apply to more than just the 1996 stock explorer.

Rick, if im misunderstanding what you meant go ahead and do what you need to do with these how to's. Not that im giving you permission or anything cause I know you dont need it.

 

[BrooklynBay]

I think that there is a misunderstanding. The double post is one post in your main thread with the how to video, then the second (double post) is in the section which applies to it. I'll make this a sticky, and delete the other thread.

 

[jlsparky7]

I think that there is a misunderstanding. The double post is one post in your main thread with the how to video, then the second (double post) is in the section which applies to it. I'll make this a sticky, and delete the other thread.

Whatever works man.

 

[Four Time Fan]

A BIG Thankyou

I have done my own disk brakes for years changing the pads. I found this link a half hour before I went to replace my rotors. I have never done anything but to change out the pads everytime I have done the brake pad replacement job. I never greased or used any antiseeze on anything. Thank you for doing this. I have a better feeling now about letting my family drive my X. Again A big THANKYOU. Doug

 

[jlsparky7]

I have done my own disk brakes for years changing the pads. I found this link a half hour before I went to replace my rotors. I have never done anything but to change out the pads everytime I have done the brake pad replacement job. I never greased or used any antiseeze on anything. Thank you for doing this. I have a better feeling now about letting my family drive my X. Again A big THANKYOU. Doug

Im glad the video was helpful. Thanks for taking the time to watch

In the link in my signature I have 20 somethin how to videos if you wanna check them out.

 

[BrianFoley]

Nice videos. My 1991 Explorer 4WD has drum brakes on the rear. And the front calipers have just one cylinder, whereas this video shows 2.

Getting the rotors off to have them turned, was a bit of a pain. I had to buy a 2 and 3/8 socket to get the bearing nut off.

 

[jlsparky7]

Nice videos. My 1991 Explorer 4WD has drum brakes on the rear. And the front calipers have just one cylinder, whereas this video shows 2.

Getting the rotors off to have them turned, was a bit of a pain. I had to buy a 2 and 3/8 socket to get the bearing nut off.

Do you mean the hub bearing? Im not sure if you need to remove that, I would have to see the vehicle. Depends on if the hub is built into the rotor. Thats how my ranger is.

 

[BrianFoley]

Yes, there are inner and outer bearing inside each rotor. There is a little key in a slot, that prevents the bearing nut from moving. I pulled that out with a magnet, and then took the nut off with the 2 and 3/8 inch socket which I had to buy special for this job.

That all has to come apart in order to take the rotor in to the shop to be turned.
The big pain was getting one of the slot keys out. It was sort of stuck in there. Only after I "jiggled" the nut back and forth a few times and applied WD-40 into the key slot, would the magnet pull it out. On the other side, the key slid right out with no trouble at all.

 

[BrianFoley]

The 1991 Explorer front brake and bearing job, complete with photos, is here:
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=122696

I don't know why I didn't find that before.

 

[jlsparky7]

Good find, very helpful.

 

[Tavery1]

Alright I have a question, I have a 98 SOHC XLT I'm seeing some models where you have to remove the hub and bearings or press them back in to the rotor to change the brakes. Is mine like this, or the simple calipers, hanger, rotor then reverse the process to install.

 

[my pos mounty]

The second generation (1995-2001) do not need to have hub bearing pressed on or off.
Rotors and bearings would be different for a two wheel drive, however still do not need to be pressed on

 

[mweiss]

I've replaced the pads on my 1998 Explorer, but now my wife's 2006 Explorer needs new pads. Are there any substantial differences in the procedure between the two, or is it pretty much the same? (I'm hoping to avoid buying another service manual.)

 

[erald01]

my question is, how do you guys bleed the brakes, cause the bleeding nipples on my calipers dont seem to want to loosen up at all, and i dont want to break them.

 

[jlsparky7]

my question is, how do you guys bleed the brakes, cause the bleeding nipples on my calipers dont seem to want to loosen up at all, and i dont want to break them.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3kv-yUVEl4&feature=channel_video_title

 

[Legion Prime]

Awesome video's, I love how you go into detail with each & every step. Only a few things I want to add, I can admittedly be a niggler for the details, especially when it's my vehicle I'm working on. The metal on the back of the pad are not spacers, nor should they be removed regardless of whether it's a new or cut rotor the pads are going on. They are shims, they are there to absorb vibrations preventing them from being transmitted through the vehicle. The "wear groove" in the middle of the pad is actually meant to help braking, Ford specs do include discard thicknesses' for the pads. What it does is it gives a place for the gasses that are produced by the high heat of hard braking to vent away from the rotor to both help keep things cooler (relatively speaking) and help improve braking performance as gas pressure can actually force the pad away from the rotor. It's basically the same concept as slotted or cross drilled rotors only without the need for cost & labor intensive milling of the rotors when changing the pads.
For what it's worth Ford actually specs a silicone lube for those pins (as of my last stint @ Ditschman Ford in 03). I've found that antiseize (while I'm probably the grand wizard of antiseize, if it's got threads & doesn't spec loctite I probably have antiseize on them) is less than ideal in this location because the carrier solvents in it evaporate & the antiseize left, while great for threads, it's a lot thicker than I personally am comfortable with. You also might want to flush the holes in the caliper out with brakleen rather than paper towels which can push the old lube & contaminants back into the hole limiting caliper movement & all the issues that entails.
The only thing I might add for 2 pot calipers is to use the old brake pad when compressing the pistons, that way you can push in both at the same time. I know you were reusing the old pads, but anything stuffed in there will make the job a lot easier, you'll just have to turn the c clamp around for clearances. I would also add in to NOT add any brake fluid to the master cylinder until AFTER the new brakes are on & bedded in. I've seen guys whose first step in doing a brake job is to top off the MC and all you can do if you don't catch them in time is just facepalm.
Once again, fantastic videos. Thank you for taking the time to put them together.

 

[jlsparky7]

Awesome video's, I love how you go into detail with each & every step. Only a few things I want to add, I can admittedly be a niggler for the details, especially when it's my vehicle I'm working on. The metal on the back of the pad are not spacers, nor should they be removed regardless of whether it's a new or cut rotor the pads are going on. They are shims, they are there to absorb vibrations preventing them from being transmitted through the vehicle. The "wear groove" in the middle of the pad is actually meant to help braking, Ford specs do include discard thicknesses' for the pads. What it does is it gives a place for the gasses that are produced by the high heat of hard braking to vent away from the rotor to both help keep things cooler (relatively speaking) and help improve braking performance as gas pressure can actually force the pad away from the rotor. It's basically the same concept as slotted or cross drilled rotors only without the need for cost & labor intensive milling of the rotors when changing the pads.
For what it's worth Ford actually specs a silicone lube for those pins (as of my last stint @ Ditschman Ford in 03). I've found that antiseize (while I'm probably the grand wizard of antiseize, if it's got threads & doesn't spec loctite I probably have antiseize on them) is less than ideal in this location because the carrier solvents in it evaporate & the antiseize left, while great for threads, it's a lot thicker than I personally am comfortable with. You also might want to flush the holes in the caliper out with brakleen rather than paper towels which can push the old lube & contaminants back into the hole limiting caliper movement & all the issues that entails.
The only thing I might add for 2 pot calipers is to use the old brake pad when compressing the pistons, that way you can push in both at the same time. I know you were reusing the old pads, but anything stuffed in there will make the job a lot easier, you'll just have to turn the c clamp around for clearances. I would also add in to NOT add any brake fluid to the master cylinder until AFTER the new brakes are on & bedded in. I've seen guys whose first step in doing a brake job is to top off the MC and all you can do if you don't catch them in time is just facepalm.
Once again, fantastic videos. Thank you for taking the time to put them together.

Thanks for adding. Im always up for learning new things.