Ford Expedition Rear Brakes - Installing Stuff

Your on the home stretch, now it's mostly re-assembly. It would be a good time to inspect your parking brake shoes, and if a problem you might want to address it now. I'm not, so I can't help with that. Make sure that you keep your parts grease free during the reassembly. I often grease up the required parts, then switch to a new set of rubber gloves. If you do smudge up things, just get some brake cleaner and a clean oil free rag and wipe it off. Lastly, if you have a second set of eyes, it's a good thing to have an 'inspector' take a look before your maiden voyage. Be safe, check twice.

Removing Rear Rotor

First this is that your parking brake should be off you can't remove the rear rotors with it applied. That being said you should have chalks under the front tires for safety so nothing moves.

Once you remembered to release the parking brake the rotor 'should' just pull off. If you live in a wet climate this might not be the case. Depending on how bad it is, you may be able to tap around the edges with a wood block and heavy hammer. If you are not reusing the rotors put on some ear protection and wail on it with a small sledge hammer. If that doesn't work you might need to soak with some WD-40, Kroil, Liquid Wrench the areas where the studs and the center hole contact, let it sit, and get the hammer out again. When it finally does come off make sure none of the oil got on the parking brake inside the rotor.

Rear Rotor Installed

This is the easy part, just pop back on the rotor on the rear hub. Sorry for the blurry picture, I had tears in my eyes as I was so excited. It's also very helpful to toss hand tight, a couple of lugs to hold the rotor flat on the hub. Will make reassembly much easier.

Bolt the Caliper Bracket Back On

Using the 2 18mm bolts torque these down. I used a setting of 145 ft/lbs as that what I found as recommended on the web, and it was difficult to find that information. So, while that's what I used, you are on your own.

New Brake Pads

Time to check and get the new brake pads ready for installation. The ORANGE circle shows how to match the orientation of the antisqueel sensors on the outer brake pads. The inner pads seem to be the same, and they do not have the sensor. Again, keep the new pad surface clean from the upcoming grease down.

Inspect and Wrap Up

Ok, now the last clip are in place time to double check your bolts are all in, that you replaced the dust caps on the 7mm slide bolts, and that in general things look good and save. Double check you brake line to the caliper is not oddly twisted or worse cracked in any way. Again, a second set of questioning eyes are good here.

After you are sure you are good with your work, bolt up the wheel lugs to the recommend torque and work on the other side of the car. Keep an eye on the brake fluid as you compress the second wheel just in case it overflows you will have someone or something to catch the spilling fluid.

Before driving start the car and press the brake a couple of times to ensure that it is not going to the floor and feels good. Do not drive the car if your pedal drops to the floor. You may have to press it once or twice to push out the piston but it should quickly become hard as prior to the job. If you have any doubts as to the safety have your car towed to a shop that can fix it.

If I have forgotten anyting or got something wrong or you have a good tip shoot me a message by using the contact page.

Cleaning the Brake Rotor

Time for new parts! Finally. Well lets start with cleaning the brake rotor. They usually come shipped with some anti-rust coating to keep them from rusting on the boat over from China. You need to remove this goo. Also for the rear brakes you need to remove it on the INSIDE of the rotor where the rear drum parking brake surface is. Get some nice clean oil free rags, shop towels, or even paper towels and a can of your favorite brake or carb cleaner. Clean it well.

Disc Brake Lube

Since it seems I'm always doing brake jobs, I have a King Kong size bottle of Permatex Ultra Disc Brake Lube At Amazon. One nice thing about the 'One click brake kit' I got was that it included a packet of lube for those that are more fortunate and don't get stuck doing brake jobs all the time. Their are a few places I use the lube (don't get cocky now), an they are the slide pins, a bit on the caliper where the pads slide, and on the outside of the caliper where it rides on the outside of the pad. USE SPARINGLY in all cases, wipe excess clean and keep off the surface of rotor and brake pads.

Install the Inner Brake Pad

This can go really easy or sometimes be difficult. The inner pad has the 3 finger spring clips that need to be snapped into the brake calipers piston. They are tapered for easy starting but sometimes you may need to get in their with your fingers to keep them from popping out as the others go in. You can tell when it's in as it will snap down flush to the calipers piston. Remember to be careful of the brake line that is still connected to the caliper.

Install the Outer Brake Pad

Well as you can tell I don't have a picture of the NEW pad being installed. If you use your imagination you can get through this... Think of the old pad in the above photo as a nice new pad. You should have some slight amount of grease on the places where the caliper and pad slide as well as a bit on the back of the pad. Again, wipe off any excess after install. You are now ready to drop on the caliper back onto the bracket and put in the slider bolts.

Ok, so I don't have a picture of it all being bolted up, but you can do it, with the caliper slide it over the rotor and brake pad. It should just wiggle over it. If not you may have to press the piston back, or sometimes starting sliding the caliper on more from the side where the pad is cut back can do it. Once the caliper is over the rotor align up the rear 2 holes where you can slide in and bolt down the 2 7mm hex head slide bolts. You should clean these bolts and coat with a light coat of Disc Brake Lube. Torque the bolts to the recommend value. Don't forget to replace the 2 dust caps you pull off earlier.

Install the Anti-Rattle Clip

The 'One Click Brake Kit' for the Expedition came with NEW clips. This was a nice thing. If you remember how they came out it's basically the reverse operation. You slide them into position like the above photo and then using a screwdriver pry them up so the hooked ends pop into the holes. You can pry with the screwdriver and push them in, just that simple. Give them a tug to ensure they are really clipped in. Also note the position of the anti-squeal sensor on the pad is facing up.