Rear disc brake install

[Steeda90GT]

I need to replace both rear pads and rotors on my 99 Sport 4WD. Do I need to mess with the parking brake mechanism? I'd prefer not to right now. Any good write ups for the rears?

 

[MustangP51]

No you don't need to touch the parking brake, its a completely separate unit, with shoes inside the hub. Change the rear pads just like the front.

 

[Steeda90GT]

Great news. Do I need any special tools or will a regular c-clamp work? I know on my Mustang I have to compress AND turn the piston on the rear caliper. Is that the same for the Explorer?

 

[MustangP51]

I used a C clamp to compress the caliper, I didn't have to rotate it though.

 

[Steeda90GT]

UPDATE: Install was a breeze. One rotor was rusted on, had to whack it with a hammer for a little bit to get it off.

 

[TheVarmit]

Steeda90GT - I'm doing a complete brake job on my 2001 X Limited this weekend, my rear rotors are shot. What brand rotor did you purchase and where? Anyone have any suggestions for rotors other than factory?

 

[Steeda90GT]

I'm not sure about the brand, but I picked them up for $25 at my local independant auto store. All of the big name places wanted $45-$60 per rotor.

For the rears, just get the cheapest rotors.

 

[Midnightrider1]

So I have 2000 AWD drive Explorer and disk brake all the way around so you just do the back brake like you do the front? I was had a Mustang to and also needed to push and turn them in. So you can use a C Clamp and do the rear brakes. That will be great if that is true for me. I just notice the brakes just ot out of the hospital also. So I need to get this fix.

Frank

 

[Trefty]

So I have 2000 AWD drive Explorer and disk brake all the way around so you just do the back brake like you do the front? I was had a Mustang to and also needed to push and turn them in. So you can use a C Clamp and do the rear brakes. That will be great if that is true for me. I just notice the brakes just ot out of the hospital also. So I need to get this fix.

Frank

The only time you need to push and turn the piston back into the caliper is if the parking brake is built into the caliper, you'll see the cable connect to the actual caliper. If there is no parking brake attached to the caliper then you should just be able to push them back with a c-clamp, assuming they aren't seized. I recommend spraying down the bleeder scews with some penetrating oil and then cracking them loose before you press the pistons back in. It's easier on the caliper and you won't risk breaking the seal.

 

[Midnightrider1]

Well I will have to take a look at that and see brake caable attacth. May wait a day or 2 suppose to go down to 5 deg. Don't know if I want to lay down and look LOL
But thanks. Yes I defently will use pemetrating oil. Boy they sure have change things over the years. I used to work on cars all the time but not for a long time now.
I get a surprise every time I go to do something. LOL

 

[Trefty]

Well I will have to take a look at that and see brake caable attacth. May wait a day or 2 suppose to go down to 5 deg. Don't know if I want to lay down and look LOL
But thanks. Yes I defently will use pemetrating oil. Boy they sure have change things over the years. I used to work on cars all the time but not for a long time now.
I get a surprise every time I go to do something. LOL

Don't quotre me on this as I'm not 100%, but I think all Explorer's use the "drum brake" style parking brake, it's usually just cars that use the other style.

 

[Midnightrider1]

Well I hope it is that way and I can use the c-clamp on the rear caliper that would make it a lot easier. Needing brakes change bad and I just got out of the hospital. I be checking this out see if this small library has a book on it sometime they do some times they don't.

 

[mikepier]

One thing to add, when I did mine a few years back, the rotor would not come off for anything.It turns out the parking brake shoe was binding up inside the rotor. So I turned the adjusting star for the parking brake on the rear of the axle to clear the rotor, then the rotor came out.

 

[Steeda90GT]

The install was a piece of cake. Yes you can just use a regular C-Clamp. It is NOT like the Mustang rear where you have to turn and push. The hardest part for me was to "whack" out one rusted rotor. It took me like 20-30 min but it eventually came out.

 

[Midnightrider1]

Thank's for the info that is good to know I was hoping that was the case of changing the brakes.
The Mustang was kind of hard to do. I am glad I will be able to just use a C-clamp. That some great news for me will save me some money because I was thinking about having it done.

Frank

 

[Steeda90GT]

No problem, definitely do it yourself. One of the local Meinekes wanted like $385 or something to do the rears.

I ended up doing the front and rears myself. The rears were actually easier than the fronts. Go for it!

Remember, you don't need to go super expensive with the rear rotors..

 

[Midnightrider1]

Well the brake job went well no problems at all. Yes it was a piece of cake!!!!!!!!
C-clamp work great.

 

[CDW6212R]

The parking brake pads are about $20, do them if you change the rotors.

Always bleed the brakes on any ABS vehicle. That old fluid that you like to push back into the lines can ruin the high dollar ABS module. Spend the extra time to find a second person to allow you to open the bleed screw and push the fluid out, not back to the master cylinder. Bleed fresh brake fluid through all vehicles every couple of years at least.

 

[Midnightrider1]

Well I guess I got lucky them because I didn't blled the brake. I am glad to be told this. I didn't know also I needed to pull the rotors to do the parking brake. Well look like I let that go till summer unless I get another warm day. Don't have a garage the the outside to work on this SUV. I am kind of old and ran down. Got to pick me up a repair book for this Ford. It hard to do things being I just got out of the hospital last week.
So thanks for tha advice and I bet the brake fluid does need change. Still had the origanal rear brakes on it.

 

[CDW6212R]

Welcome to the forums, and try to look around a lot. Browse and discover how to use the Search function at the top. You can find almost any repair project here and shown as an example, many with excellent pictures. If you are a car person at all, you can do most anything without any books. Regards,