I own a 98 EB Expedition. Last night I was gonna change out the front brake pads. As I removed the caliper I found no way to remove the pads. I not sure if I am missing something, or didn't remove something to get the pads out or what. I'm sure someone has done this before, so I need some help.

Thanks
Orlie

 

They slide on the caliper that is attached to a mounting bracket by two 45-Torx bolts that are inside rubber dust boots.

 

It sounds like you already removed the caliper, if not follow buzzards instructions above.
For the pad itself, there is a clip/retainer that keeps the pads fixed to the caliper. The pads may be seized to this little bracket (its like a tin bracket) or maybe the last time they were replaced they were glued with silicon to prevent vibration noise or they may have corrosion. Just insert a flat screwdriver in between the bracket and the pad and twist so they separate.
When mounting them back, use anti-seize between the plate and the pad to prevent this from happening again...

 

ineedashot,

So am I supposed to remove those two torx bolts to get the pads out.

later
Orlie

 

Yes. Watch that you do not get dirt on the slide pins or on the greased bushings where the calipers slide on the pins. Latest updates to the service manual say to torque to 41 ft. lbs. You will need a 7 mm hexhead for your torque wrench. You may have difficulty removing these depending on the installation. I stripped one of mine out trying to get it off. Either they used the wrong Locktite when installed or it was stripped during installation. A little birdie told me to expect this in about 1 in 10 vehicles.

Rumor on the grapevine from well informed sources (I could tell you but then I would have to kill you.) says Ford will announce its choice of two competeing vendors for the replacement pads Dec 15 2003.

 

Goodluck with your rotors sir!

 

Orlie,

You will need to remove the "calipers" in order to be able to remove the "pads".
Be ready with a "clothes hanger" to hang the caliper from anywhere in that area so you can work better the caliper. You will need to open them so new one can fit. I recommend the tool that comes for this purpose ($4.00 a@ any auto place) and to open the brake fluid reservoir before attemptiing to do so...

Search other postings about this subject for additional detailed instructions...

Good luck!


H

 

Uh!

Rotors, I hope you don't need to cut them because they must be seized as well (P.I.T.A. Job).
I'm not even gonna go there!!!

 

Tools required for rotor removal:

XX lb sledge hammer

 

I recently just completed a brake job new pads & rotors all around using EBC 4x4 pads and Brembo OEM rotors & doing the labor myself. I was sore for about two days afterwards. I fully expected at the onset of the job that it would take 2-3 three hours to do all four rotor/pad sets. Try more like 6-7. For the fronts, after you take off the dual piston calipers, you need to remove these large brackets that hold the pads in place. To do that you need a wrench with a helluva a lot of leverage to remove the bolts that holds said bracket in place. Then comes the fun part... rotor removal. I figured it'd be like the rotors on my old '00 Focus and I'd be able to remove them w/ a rubber mallet Didn't do much there other than remove chunks of rubber from the mallet. So I upgraded to the brass hammer with a can of WD-40. Again doing not much more than removing brass from the hammer. Finally after about a half hour or so of wailing on the rotor, I brought out the big guns... an 8lb. sledge. Add some more wailing on the rotor with the sledge and more time, and finally the rotor came loose. One of the old rotor actually split and the part that attaches to the hub and the shiny section where the pads touch separated. So at the end of the day, I'd saved a few hundred in labor and learned a thing or two about rotors. "Don't get angry, get a bigger hammer." -Sage words from my Dad.

Smitty

 

Great story. LMAO

Any appreciable improvement with the new rotors? What kind of pads?

 

What is the solution for stripping the inside of the torx bolts out. I spent several hours trying to remove mine and only had success striping the inside out of them on my 99 . The rear 1's were easy but still have not got the front changed. Also should I put the ceramic pads or the performance friction I already have? Thanks

 

I put some anti-seize on my rotors, in about 30,000 I'll tell you how it worked

 

Visegrips???

 

Edit to my post up top. The pads slide onto the mounting bracket, not the caliper. Once the pads are on the bracket, the caliper is attached and all is slipped over the rotor and bolted to the hub assembly.