2001 Explorer sport trac. I had a shop install new front pads because I couldnt brake the caliper bolts loose. I noticed they didnt use any grease on the pads from what I can see, and there has been a quiet rubbing/squeaking sound coming from the wheels (mainly when pressing the brakes). I assume it's the brake pads/caliper parts that still need to be greased. I have the right kind of grease and I'm about to do it, but what parts of the pads/caliper assembly need to be greased?

 

Did you have the rotors machined/turned when having the new pads installed? Did you provide the pads? Were they the inexpensive grade of pads?

If you didn't have the rotors machined, there is very likely a lip of rust on the outside of the rotor that is now rubbing on the pads when the brakes are barely applied. Contact with this rust lip can cause a variety of noises. If the pads are the inexpensive pads, the friction material the pads are made of could also be causing a squeal. Most of the time you should not need to use a grease or dampening material on the pad backing plates. However, you do want to use a high temperature, often synthetic, grease on the points of the pads or the mounting brackets that need to slide. So basically anywhere that the pads mount to the caliper bracket.

You also should confirm that the slide pins slide freely and have clean grease on them. Make sure to get the dust boots properly installed after checking/greasing. Also, make sure any anti-rattle clips are installed that should be. If any of the pads fit loosely on the caliper mounting bracket, there's probably a missing anti-rattle clip. Although a missing anti-rattle clip would typically allow a, you guessed it, rattle rather than a squeal.

-Rod

 

I bought the pads and had them installed, they are the premium Asbestos ceramics.
Nothing was done to the rotors and they werent machined. Yes there is a small lip of rust on the outside of the rotors, and they aren't really perfectly smooth where the pads contact them. I know they are ok for now, but what should I do to them ...have them machined or turned?

 

I hope you mean premium "Raybestos".

I would suggest sometime in the near future, before the pads conform too much to the rotors, you remove the rotors and have them machined. Some of the chain parts stores offer the service. Just down the street from me O'Reilly Auto Parts has a brake lathe and will machine rotors for $11 each. I'm not sure if that is standard pricing across the country or not. When reassembling, put the brake caliper grease on the slide points as mentioned in my earlier post.

Since the brakes were recently replaced, you might be able to pull the rotors now yourself rather than having to take it back to the shop. If they didn't use brake grease last time, or recommend machining the rotors, you might want to consider a different shop for future brake work too. I'm not sure if the 2001 Sport Trac requires removing the caliper mounting bracket to get the rotors off. If so, that will often require a long breaker bar or impact wrench since the bolts are threadlocked from the factory.

-Rod

 

FWIW in Europe they don't ever machine rotors on brake jobs. The shop looked at me like I wanted to push my grandmother down the stairs when I asked about it. (Was stationed there) It's more of a way to make money for the shop? Jus' Sayin'.

 

yes Raybestos haha
Ill see if I can get the rotors off, thanks

 

Maybe the cars in Europe are too small to allow the brakes to generate enough heat to warp. I can assure you it's not just a profit for the shop.

-Rod

 

No, they have big cars and trucks like everywhere else. I talked a bit with the mechanic about this because it surprised me. He said new brake pads seat better right from the git go this way and provide better stopping power because of the rough, uneven surfaces, and turning the rotors just makes them thinner, which is not optimal. He said warped rotors are defective and turning won't help, or something else is going on, iirc. It's been quite a while.

Noticed brake pads over there just seem way more abrasive, (or rotor steel softer) definitely noisier and see lots of brake dust on everybody's rims. I had bought a well used beemer when I was stationed there and that thing WOULD stop on a dime,

 

That's where the profit for the shop is. "Naw, we can't fix that pulsating brake pedal, the rotors are defective." Instead of machining the rotors for $10 profit each, they sell new rotors for $30 or $40 profit, each.

European cars do tend to have a much dustier pad. I believe it's the pad compound they use, it's probably a softer material which would create a lot more dust, grab better, but also wear faster. That's kind of the modern theory behind ceramic pads, although they tend to leave a light colored dust giving the impression of a dustless pad.

And I agree that machining rotors does take material away from the rotor, but that's why all rotors (and brake drums) have a minimum thickness specification. As long as the rotors are not machined below that minimum thickness, they are safe to use. As you get closer to that minimum they may be more likely to warp sooner due to less thermal mass, but you're at least able to get the full life out of the rotor versus sending a perfectly useable rotor to the scrap pile.

I'd also challenge the comment that the non-uniform surface helps the pads seat and improves braking efficiency, especially if the surface is so uneven that only a fraction of the pad material is making contact with the rotor. It will take it awhile to wear down enough to make contact across the surface. Plus the brake rotor will have a polished, glazed surface on it instead of a clean, flat surface. And when done properly, will have a non-directional finish on it, just like the finish on a new rotor. With that tech's mentality, he should be installing used rotors on a car when he encounters a "defective" warped rotor rather than installing a new rotor.

-Rod

 

Yes of course there's a minimum thickness, but their view is that machining only reduces the mass of the rotor. The pads seem to seat normally, nothing unusual there. Just thought it was interesting that a practice we take for granted on this side of the pond isn't an accepted practice over there.

Your point about some shops replacing rotors unnecessarily is a good one, but I don't think that was an issue at all. Warped rotors may be a result of reefing down lug nuts with impact wrenches?

 

Good point regarding some rotor wobble being caused by improper lug nut torquing. I suspect there are a lot of shops that still don't use a torque wrench when putting wheels on.

-Rod

 

Ok I am just thinking about getting new rotors for my Sport Trac, the pads I can re-use? I want new rotors because I just want an upgrade, and the stock rotors are kinda beat. If I got slotted/drilled rotors, would that increase stopping power?
This link has a bunch of stuff...
2001 Ford Sport Trac Brake Pads, Rotors & Calipers at CARiD.com

I would like a decent brake upgrade, and to keep the expensive pads I already put on if I can. Let me know