How to Replace Brake Pads on a 1996 Ford Explorer

The Ford Explorer name originally belonged to high-end F-150 models in the late 1970s. The 1996 Ford Explorer was an SUV produced with the option of two different engines: the 4.0-liter V-6, and the 5.0-liter V-8. The 1996 Explorer was also available in a choice of three different drive train options: two-wheel drive, four-wheel drive and all-wheel drive. The front brake assemblies on the 1996 Ford Explorers were ventilated disc brakes, while the rear brakes were drum style.

Instructions

Lift the hood of the Explorer. Remove the brake fluid reservoir cap to allow for fluid expansion in the reservoir during this project. Loosen the front wheel lug nuts, using a tire iron.

Lift the front end of the Explorer using a jack with a 2-ton or greater capacity on the frame rails of the SUV. Place jack stands beneath the front frame rails, just inside of the lower control arm inner ends. Do not attempt this project with the vehicle supported solely on a jack, as this can result in the jack collapsing. Remove the wheel lug nuts completely from the vehicle with a tire iron and then remove the front two wheels.

Remove the caliper mounting bolts on one side of the Explorer, using a 3/8-inch drive ratchet and socket. Pry the caliper halfway off the rotor, using a small pry bar or large, flat-head screwdriver. Insert the pry bar end or flat-head screwdriver tip into the hole in the back of the caliper between the rotor and the back pad and pry the pad inside the caliper to compress the caliper piston. Continue prying until the caliper piston is completely compressed inside the caliper.

Remove the caliper from the rotor and brake assembly and set the caliper onto the lower control arm, which is directly behind the rotor and steering knuckle assembly. Do not let the caliper hang freely or you will damage the rubber hose between the back of the caliper and frame of the Explorer.

Remove the brake pads from the caliper mounting bracket, prying them free with a pry bar if necessary. Visually inspect the points of contact between the pads and the caliper bracket prior to removing the pads. Remember the points where the pads touch the caliper bracket. Remove the pads completely from the vehicle.

Install caliper grease onto the points where the pads make contact with the caliper bracket. Only a thin film is needed. Properly lubricating all of the brake components at contact points other than the one between the pad and rotor is essential to the smooth operation of the brakes. You will want to lubricate points like the shim plates or anti-rattle clips on the caliper brackets, as the pads slide back and forth in these grooves. Simply stick your finger in the grease and lubricate the parts.

Install the new brake pads onto the caliper bracket. Make sure that the wear indicator is on the back side of the brake rotor, as this pad tends to wear out faster than the outside pad does. The wear indicator is a 90-degree metal elbow that protrudes from the back of the pad and wraps around the pad. When the pads get to a low enough point, this indicator will make contact with the rotor. This is the cause of the squealing heard in brakes pads that are too worn-out to be safe anymore.

Lubricate the backside of the brake pads or the metal shim plates. Use your finger to apply caliper grease to the back of both the rear and outer brake pads. Install the caliper back over the rotor and pad assembly. Tighten the caliper mounting bolts back onto the brake assembly, using a 3/8-inch drive ratchet and socket.

Repeat steps 2 through 8 to complete the replacement of the pads on the second side of the Explorer. Spray the entire front brake system using aerosol brake cleaner spray. You want to remove any excess grease and especially fingerprints from the faces of the brake rotors. When you have completely sprayed both sides of the truck thoroughly, you should have used an entire 16-oz. can of brake spray.

Install the front wheels and lug nuts, only after you have thoroughly checked and ensured that you have tightened all of the caliper mounting bolts properly. Raise the truck with a 2-ton jack, then remove the jack stands. Lower the Explorer to the ground and tighten the wheel lug nuts between 90 and 110 foot-pounds of torque, using a certified torque wrench and wheel nut socket. Replace the brake fluid reservoir cap, and shut the hood on the Explorer.

Immediately proceed to the driver's seat of the Explorer. Without starting the vehicle at all, pump the brake pedal no less than 15 times. Pumping the brakes when the vehicle is off will ensure that the caliper expands and seats the brake pads onto the rotors properly. The vehicle is safe to use only after the brakes have been properly pumped up and reseated.