How-To Change Rotors / Pads 2004 - 2008
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Joined: Mar 2005
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From: Burleson/Athens/Brownsboro, TX
I will say thanks again for the awesome write up...tool list is soooo great...
Did the fronts last year with about 30k on the clock...easy as pie...
just did the rears today with about 45k...
I highly suggest before you stat the rears make sure your arm is rested and you have a mini sledge hammer...I must have hit the rotors a hundred times each to get them off...
The rotors laughed at rubber mallet...
no idea why your brakes are making noise...
no roblems ever on front and after 10 miles with rears they seem ok too...
Did the fronts last year with about 30k on the clock...easy as pie...
just did the rears today with about 45k...
I highly suggest before you stat the rears make sure your arm is rested and you have a mini sledge hammer...I must have hit the rotors a hundred times each to get them off...
The rotors laughed at rubber mallet...
no idea why your brakes are making noise...
no roblems ever on front and after 10 miles with rears they seem ok too...
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Jim
Jim
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Joined: Jul 2008
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From: Chicago
No fence blue...this is not my first brake job...I never...ever had this much trouble getting rear rotors off...my wifes 04 explorer was a little rough but the rubber malet was enough force to get them off...even with the parking brake pads coming apart...
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Have you ever heard of this?
I was just at the dealer for routine stuff and my driver side pad is almost gone. All others were fine. He said the caliper was stuck and it was wearing down the pad. Apparently I am almost metal to metal.
He said I might be able to get the caliper to open and then re-grease the slides but recommended they do it. I was wanting to attempt to change out the front brakes and rotors with your write up... but now I am worried about this caliper issue.
Thoughts?
I was just at the dealer for routine stuff and my driver side pad is almost gone. All others were fine. He said the caliper was stuck and it was wearing down the pad. Apparently I am almost metal to metal.
He said I might be able to get the caliper to open and then re-grease the slides but recommended they do it. I was wanting to attempt to change out the front brakes and rotors with your write up... but now I am worried about this caliper issue.
Thoughts?
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Joined: Jul 2008
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From: Chicago
I would buy a new/reman caliper before I let them charge me $105/hr to fix it...
because if it happens again there gonna try and sell you a caliper anyway...plus more labor...
wife once got a quote for new rear pads and cuttung rotors on 04 explorer...$425...what a deal!!!
I did new pads and new rotors for less than $200...
because if it happens again there gonna try and sell you a caliper anyway...plus more labor...
wife once got a quote for new rear pads and cuttung rotors on 04 explorer...$425...what a deal!!!
I did new pads and new rotors for less than $200...
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Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 197
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From: Chicago
Advance auto parts...wagner loadef caliper w/pads...$150.
Off brand caliper...$60 plus pads...fronts braked should take
about an hour per side...that includes getting tools...jacking and remove/install wheels and brakes
Off brand caliper...$60 plus pads...fronts braked should take
about an hour per side...that includes getting tools...jacking and remove/install wheels and brakes
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Joined: Jun 2010
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From: Moline IL
Need Dust cap Part # front hub 2005 f150 4wd
Nice write up, I had to replace my front hub and half shaft , because the bearing were gone. The dust cap shown in the pictures were missing from my truck. After replacing these parts I would like to insure that it doesn't happen again by installing the correct cap. Can anyone help me with this?
The parts guy at advance auto told me that I don't need one . I can't belive that when clearly there is one installed in the brake job Pictures.
Thanks.
The parts guy at advance auto told me that I don't need one . I can't belive that when clearly there is one installed in the brake job Pictures.
Thanks.
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Joined: Jun 2012
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word of caution
Thanks for the post on the break job. It was quite helpful. One word of caution that should be mentioned. When trying to remove the rear calipers off the rotor keep in mind that the rear pad is attached to the inside of the piston. If you try and brute force pry off the caliper you stand a good chance of cracking the piston and then its off to the auto store and say goodbye to $41+ like I did.
Instead of trying to pry off the caliper the best approach would be to work a screwdriver under the tabs of the brake pads and gently work the pads and caliper off the rotor in one piece.
Comes off quite easily.
Instead of trying to pry off the caliper the best approach would be to work a screwdriver under the tabs of the brake pads and gently work the pads and caliper off the rotor in one piece.
Comes off quite easily.
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rear rotors are a bear
The rear rotors were difficult to remove to say the least. I used a 3lb sledge and wacked the living daylights out of it before it decided to come off.
The rear pads were well worn at 35K. The fronts were just starting to show.
The rear pads were well worn at 35K. The fronts were just starting to show.
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Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 6
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From: S.W. Florida
Thank you all on this write up. It helped me greatly with having patience and courage that i can get this done. Living in Florida and towing my jetskis often, that salt water rusting away gave me hell on both rear wheels and rotors. But (again) THANK YOU ALL it was pretty easy job. I did use the 2 bolts method of getting the rotors off. The wheels gave out after doing the kicking spraying hitting with mallett and spraying and kicking and lowering the truck and shaking it. Rear right wheel took the longest to come off. Probably an hour. Just a question, is there any big different way to do the front ? I have a 2005 Lariat 2wd.
Thak you guys again. Time for a beer.
Cheers...
Thak you guys again. Time for a beer.
Cheers...
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Joined: Jun 2013
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13. Reinstall the caliper (with the brake pad carrier) on the new rotor tightening the 18mm bolts first (to the brackets), then tighten the 13mm brake pad carrier bolts.
14. This is the rear brake housing. There are two 10mm bolts the hold the rear caliper in place. Remove those bolts and hang the caliper or set on something so it is not hanging by the brake line. Remove rotor - this CAN BE a real "job". The E-Brake pads were holding the rotor on and I had to use a 3 pound rubber mallet and a couple of good swings to remove the old rotor. Once removed, clean up all the parts with the wire brushes.
15. You can see the E-Brake shoes here. See how they are not totally retracted? There is a star wheel at the bottom of the housing for the E-Brakes. Adjust it so the shoes are all the way in, in preparation for the installation of new rotor.
16. Replacement of the rear brake pads are pretty simple. Again, slowly compress the single piston back in so it is smooth with the housing, and install the new pads. One of them "snaps" in to the actual middle of the piston (rear brakes are one piston) and the other pad "snaps in to place on the housing.
17. Stock Ford Rotor and new rotor. Once you have installed the new pads in to the caliper unit, slide the new rotor in to place. If it does not slide on, check to make sure the E-brake is completely retracted by adjusting the star wheel on the bottom of the housing. Using the 10mm bolts, reinstall the calipers.
18. Finished brake job. Before you go ANYWHERE, start truck and pump brakes or you will have NO brakes to start with. Push and release E-Brake a few times so it will "self adjust" itself.
Complete job on single webpage: http://www.07fx4.com/urls/brakes
14. This is the rear brake housing. There are two 10mm bolts the hold the rear caliper in place. Remove those bolts and hang the caliper or set on something so it is not hanging by the brake line. Remove rotor - this CAN BE a real "job". The E-Brake pads were holding the rotor on and I had to use a 3 pound rubber mallet and a couple of good swings to remove the old rotor. Once removed, clean up all the parts with the wire brushes.
15. You can see the E-Brake shoes here. See how they are not totally retracted? There is a star wheel at the bottom of the housing for the E-Brakes. Adjust it so the shoes are all the way in, in preparation for the installation of new rotor.
16. Replacement of the rear brake pads are pretty simple. Again, slowly compress the single piston back in so it is smooth with the housing, and install the new pads. One of them "snaps" in to the actual middle of the piston (rear brakes are one piston) and the other pad "snaps in to place on the housing.
17. Stock Ford Rotor and new rotor. Once you have installed the new pads in to the caliper unit, slide the new rotor in to place. If it does not slide on, check to make sure the E-brake is completely retracted by adjusting the star wheel on the bottom of the housing. Using the 10mm bolts, reinstall the calipers.
18. Finished brake job. Before you go ANYWHERE, start truck and pump brakes or you will have NO brakes to start with. Push and release E-Brake a few times so it will "self adjust" itself.
Complete job on single webpage: http://www.07fx4.com/urls/brakes
Might add there is a great YouTube video showing how to use the caliper bolt holes and a couple of bolts to simply and easily remove the most stuck rotors. Was so easy it was ridiculous! Also, the video says to use 1/2" X 3" bolts but on a 2007 F150 2WDwith small V8, it took smaller metric thread bolts. Just take one of your caliper bolts into the hardware store with you to match up correctly.
Thanks again.