Ford Explorer Rear Brake Replacement
After doing the front brakes pads and rotors on my Ford Explorer it became obvious that the rears would be next. The rear brake
replacement for this should be the same procedure for Ford Explorers and Mercury Mountaineer from 1995-2001 from what it looks
like on the brake pad and rotor part numbers. The one I have is a 4 wheel drive, not sure if 2wd is the same, but shouldn't be too far
off. This is one of the easier brake jobs. For the time and trouble I almost always just replace the brake rotors, the cheap ones are
not much more then dealing with the time and money at the machine shop. I also find that most of the cheap rotors don't have
enough meat for turning after the soft metal wears away, and let's not forget warping etc. The rear brakes can be easier and at the
same time harder if you run into trouble with the internal emergency brake pads. These can wear a ridge into the inside of the rotor
and make it difficult to just pull off. Also you might find cracked pads on the emergency brake pad when you pull the rotor off, I had
on a prior brake job. If you are in a wet climate you may also run into difficulties removing the rotors due to rust. Penetrating oil an a
sledge hammer may work, worse case will be heating the center of the rotor with a torch to make it come free.
I picked up a set of rear pads and rear rotors from Amazon. Pricing is usually better then Autozone or (Your discount auto parts store
name here). I got the front set from Amazon and while the brake pads were about the same, the brake rotors were a bit better priced.
Complexity
Depending on your skill and running into any stuck rotors, or emergency brake issues it should take about 30 minutes per wheel. No
special tools other then then brake piston compressor was used. The rears are a bit quicker then the front brake.
Tools Needed to Replace the Pads and Rotors
Medium blade screwdriver
Metric Socket Set, 3/4" for lugs
Torque Wrench so you don't have to guess how tight things should be
Disk Brake Grease (sometimes included with the premium pads)
Brake / Carb Cleaner
Shop Towels
Gloves
Parts Needed
Rotors and Pads - I got mine parts off of Amazon Here are the numbers for 1996 Explorer 4x4 V6
*NOTE : PLEASE CHECK YOUR VEHICLE FOR PROPER FITMENT OF SPECIFIED PARTS*
Some extra stuff if you don't have it -
I picked up the rotors EACH for about $20 at Amazon vs. Autozone's $30. Brake pads from Amazon were $20 and the similar price to
Autozone. Warranty at Autozone is lifetime, from Amazon it's 12months, 12K. All in all with prices this low you can't go wrong on
either place, but not having to get off my A$$ to go to the store and have Amazon deliver them (was fast 2 days).
On the next few pages you can see the process to replace the rotor and pads. Don't forget you can have your rotors turned by a
competent machine shop if not that bad, and if you have OEM rotors still on the car it's a good way to go if within spec.
Torque Specifications
Wheel Lug Torque 1996 Ford Explorer Wheel Lug at 100Ft/Lbs
Rear Caliper bolts (The 10mm Bolts) 24Ft/Lbs
SAFETY, DISCLAIMER AND WARNING
If you don't feel that you have the skill to complete this task take the work to a professional. Please check all parts and
ensure that they are in good condition, this includes bolts, hoses and fluid. Make sure brake lines are not cracked,
pistons are not leaking and parts are moving freely when they should (Slide Pins) and all fluid is at safe levels.
Lastly take care in how you jack your car up. For the REAR brake job you must chock the wheels as you can't remove
the calipers while the Emergency Brake is applied. Do not rely on your cheap import floor jack to keep your car up, use a
cheap jack stand(s) as a minimum.
DON'T APPLY THE E-BRAKE OR YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO REMOVE THE REAR ROTORS
Be safe and chock your tires!
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