help with first brake job

[treynon]

I just need the front brakes done on my 97explorer xlt rwd and im sick of paying 300+ dollars to get it done by some named business with questionable ethics. So if I get this right I take off the wheels, then calipers, then spindle (cradle?) then before putting the calipers back on I take out the slider pins (any tricks?) and greese them slide them back in, then I remove pads and replace with grease on the back of the new ones.

then I clamp the brake line and skrew out the bleeder skrew some and then let fluid come out then take off clamp, skrew back bleeder skrew and take off hose clamp (is that the right order?). Then I put the cradle? back on the spindle and tighten down then do I put the new pads on?

then bleeding I pull master cylinder cap off open one bleeder at a time to let air out then close the two fronts off and test brakes until the brake firmness is acheived.



Im new to brake jobs im just so sick of being jacked are there any pictures I can look at or anything so I can have more a visual? Am I saying this correctly I really want to get this down to save big $$$.

Thanks

 

[Dan Whitaker]

Is it 2wd or 4wd?

I would not recomend clamping the brake hose. Insteaed take the cap off the resevior and use a turkey baster to remove some of the fluid. Using a c-clamp
push the piston back into the caliper.

On my Mountaineer to remove the front pads all I have to do is remove the two bolts that hold the caliper (they have the little ruber boot) to the caliper, take the caliper off slide out the old pads,push the piston back in, put new pads in & put caliper back on.

I higly recomend getting a Chiltons or Haynes manual for $20

 

[treynon]

2wd

I dont understand how the turkey baster method would work...


Gad I need some pics here. My autozone didn't have any manuals and usually the pics in those suck anyways.

 

[mikeh44]

if you push the piston back in with out removing some of the fluid from the master cyclinder it will over flow and ruin your paint

 

[treynon]

so to push it (the piston) back in to get the pad back in place do I need to use a c clamp or just push it in via thumb or finger? btw I should update my location no longer am I in HB im in a small town of 100 people now where theres 1 autozone and 1 napa about 26 miles away.

 

[mikeh44]

c clamp or a plate with a threaded rod and nut to push the piston back if you can push the piston back in by hand you need to replace the caliper

 

[bearinns08]

a lil extra note i learned from doing the brake job a few months ago...There is a certain way the pads go in -->there is a difference in the passenger and driver's side, if they dont fit right away, try the other ones in the box.

Hopefully this didnt confuse you, but, I was trying to force em in, and finally tried the other one, and it popped right in.

 

[treynon]

thanks guys

 

[JDraper]

As said above, first thing I'd suggest doing is going out and buying a Haynes repair manual for about $15-$20. It has most of the information (with pictures) that you need on how to do maintenance/repairs on your vehicle. Most autoparts stores have them. The manual is worth the money and has decent pix.

DO NOT CLAMP YOUR BRAKE LINES!! If you do, you will have to buy new ones. They are not just rubber, they have a metallic tubular core you will crush if you clamp them.

 

[Nocturnall]

I didn't have to take any fluid out on my girlfriends 97 XLT when I did fronts/rears. I took the cover off the master and just push the caliper in with a large c clamp. If you can push it with your fingers either your the incredible hulk or things aren't right. I had no spillage just pushing them in. When you take your caliper off DO NOT pinch the brake line. I usually have a coat hanger hanging off the upper ball joints to hold the caliper when I take it off. Get some never seize/anti seize and put that all over the slide bolts(Ones with rubber boots) that hold the caliper on. Put it on every bolt you take off, it'll save you next time you do your front brakes and help them slide.

 

[JDraper]

BTW, you shouldn't have to bleed the brakes to do a standard brake job. You only have to do that if you either have to open the system for some reason (excluding the M/C cap) like replacing a line or purging old fluid.

 

[Lazzman]

Any tips on the Rotors? I am sure he is going to have to put on or have the old ones machined.

I hear that 2 and 4 wheel drive are different procedures on the front axle.

 

[Nocturnall]

the rotors slide off the hub on both front and back once you remove the caliper. If your thinking of machining the rotor spend the extra $20 - $30 and buy them new. A machined rotor is just going to warp and not last nearly as long obviously as a new rotor. Also if you plan to just replace it it makes it easier to get a stuck rotor off because you can just hammer it from behind trying to get it off. I used a 3 jaw gear puller and a metal plate in the middle to not damage anything to get the rears off my girlfriends...but those were REALLY stuck on. The rotors should come off the front without much problem after you remove the caliper, might need to hit'em a few times with a hammer or something. Be careful you don't damage anything else though while trying to get the rotor off.

 

[rmcknight]

the rear rotors can be hard to get off due to the internal pads of the park break touching in places.
you can adjust the park break pads using the hole in the back and a screwdriver, then the rotor will just about fall off. Then you can put in new park break pads - as those dont tend to last that long on exploders.
After you do that you can give yourself a real pat on the back - as the drum breaks (park break) springs and adjuster can take some patience to get right + cause some skin to come off your hands.

Never hit a rotor with any metal - or put it on the ground hard - as the metal is very very brittle.

Never bend or clamp a break line, unless your trying to kill someone!

O yer, some people believe that where a vehicle has abs you should never re-use the break fluid in the caliper. When you go to push it back in - just unscrew the bleader screw on the back, push the caliper back in with some wood or the real tool and do it back up again.

the other thing is that break fluid is not designed to last forever - it has a working life - as it get real hot + cold + hot + cold. everyt time it does that it absorbes some air + water, over time this ads up to rust and boiling and reduced breaking.

 

[trucku]

Don't forget to torque everything down to specs. with the front wheels off here is the opportunity to flush out your brake sytem. You will have to take of your rear wheels to do it (one at at at time). spend a couple of dollars and put in some new brake fluid. It will change your pedal feel and braking for the better.
Start with:
1) Right Rear
2) Left Rear
3) Right Front
4) Left Front.

Fill the reservoir as needed and stop when the caliper your bleeding flows out nice clean new fluid.

I would say its worth taking of 2 extra wheels for this. You can do it by yourself also. Get clear tubing from Home Depot. Stick one end on bleeder and other into a bottle. Loosen bleeder and pump out the fluid, while keeping reservoir filled, repeat and then shut bleeder when tubing shows clean fluid

 

[Nocturnall]

"adjust the park break pads using the hole in the back and a screwdriver, then the rotor will just about fall off." not always the case rmcknight. My girlfriends rear rotors were stuck on the center hub, actually rusted to it hence the need for gear pullers.