Why must I buy more tools just to replace brake pads?

Does Ford PURPOSELY make the caliper bolts 18 mm because most socket sets are 15, 17, 19mm …?

Do they PURPOSELY make the brake slider pins 7mm Allen sockets because most are 6, 8, 10 mm?

Do they PURPOSELY NOT put squealers on the brake pads so you will score the rotor before hearing any problem?

(Why don’t all brake pads have squealers?)



How do I get the rotor off?

I applied Liquid Wrench several times to the grove formed by the rotor next to the hub.

I have tried hammering with a wood 2x4 between hammer and rotor to protect the rotor.

Thank you,



Robert

That’s Nothing. I Bought A Bag Of 8 O’Clock Coffee And Had To Go Buy A Mr. Coffee Just So I Could Drink The Stuff. I Think They Purposely Sell It, Knowing That.

Anyhow, it sounds like those rotors have run the course. Lose the wood and get those babies ringing like a cheap bell. Then buy some new rotors, clean everything ( hub, lugs, wheels, calipers )thoroughly with a round wire brush chucked in a drill, use some anti-seize where it seized, and put it back together.

This goes on all over the country, every day. It sucks.

CSA

Anybody with a reasonably comprehensive tool set for working on vehicles has the tools necessary to work on America’s best selling truck, which the Expedition is based upon.

Expeditions and F150s are really bad about rotors seizing to the hub. You’re going to have to replace them. Use a 4lb sledgehammer to remove them. They will probably come off in pieces. Don’t think I’m kidding because I’m not. This is a very common situation when servicing the brakes on these vehicles. Others do it too, but it seems more common on Expeditions and F150s.

“Use a 4lb sledgehammer to remove them.”

Too bad this board does not have an “ignore” feature…

After hammering and applying Liquid Wrench, I left the left wheel rotor on.
The inside rotor surface is fine. The inner 1/3 of the outside rotor surface is scored.
I installed the brake pads.

The right wheel rotor is undamaged.
Does one resurface rotors whenever replacing pads?

If removed, can something be applied to keep rotors from rusting onto the wheels?
This is a 2008.

Thank you both.

Robert

Mr. Coffee! Hilarious!!!

Instead of destroying the rotors, can a butane torch be used to evenly heat the rotor and then knock it loose with mallet?

And why don’t brake pads have squealers?

Need some cheese with that whine? :wink:

Auto manufacturers do not choose hardware based on the sizes provided in the starter sets of tools sold by Sears etc.

If you inspected your brakes periodically, you wouldn’t need squealers which are the equivalent of the ‘Oil Light’ for your engine. By the time they are squealing, the damage has already been done.

Talk to me when you’ve had to sawzall a set of OEM rotors off the hubs after only 3 years in service. Use a light coating of anti-seize on the hub center after you clean it up and before installing the new rotors.

Now that you got that off your chest…
There’s often an opening in the backing plate where you can tap, rotate, tap, rotate and work them off the hubs. If not, it may be time to get back out there and get medieval on those rotors! You’ll need a 4.25 lb sledge, the 5.00 lb won’t fit :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

True Story. I Bought A Set Of Sockets Once And Was A Little Ticked Because It Included An 18mm Socket, Which I Paid For With The Other Sockets In The Set. Can’t Please Everybody.

CSA

"I left the left wheel rotor on. "
"Does one resurface rotors whenever replacing pads? "

I recommend replacing the rotors instead of resurfacing them. But, you’re probably okay to just leave them as-is. After all, it’s not as if you are driving your heavy expedition at speeds in excess of 100MPH. Oh wait, I remember you…

Thanks for the laugh, Tard.
Either way, I’ll have to get a bigger hammer.
(Remember, I am not suddenly decelerating from 100 mph.)

What is wrong with Ford thatheir rotors rust on to the hubs?
I’m afraid I’ll damage the rotors justrying to get them off.
Scary the thought of needing a sawzall.

Oh, That’s Why That Name Looked Familiar !

Definitely new rotors for 100+ MPH, no question about it . . . and a roll bar, helmet, and extra liability insurance.

CSA

I always coast down from 100.

can you fit a three prong wheel puller on this rotor? as far as surfacing a rotor, first you need to use a caliper to check the thinkness. it if is in spec, then look at the surface, is it relatively flat, smooth and not warped? good, then take a sheet of emery cloth, and run it in circular motions over the surface to break the shining glaze, and that is all you have to do. if it has deep scores, then you might want to have it surfaced by a machine shop, but keep in mind they wont do it if the scores are deeper then the minimum thickness in the spec. if warped, replace them. a light coat of high temp brake grease on the mating surfaces of rotor and hub should keep them from binding. I think the reason ford uses odd size hardware is to keep shade tree guys like you and me, off the brakes, due to fears of liability suits.

Many years ago I went over to a friend’s house one evening about sundown. His ‘67 Chevelle SS 396 was sticking halfway out of the garage with the back end high in the air on jackstands. He had his aunt’s Falcon backed up in the driveway with a 15’ length of chain attached to the Falcon’s rear bumper and the other end of the chain attached to something under the car.

The little Falcon’s engine was groaning with the car not moving an inch. When I asked him WTH was he doing he stated he was trying to remove the driveshaft to replace a bad U-joint.
The chain was attached to the rear U-joint yoke and the entire mess was in a bind due to being canted so badly…and somewhere, some kid was missing the chains from his swingset.

Maybe the chain option could be used on the rotors but it might take a vehicle with a bit more grunt than a lowly Falcon could provide. :wink:

I can tell you that I’ve run into situations where no amount of hammering, lubing, and heating resulted in removing the rotor. In those instances, I had to resort to using a 4-1/2" angle grinder with a cut-off wheel, make a cut from the outside of the rotor down to the hub, and then take a cold chisel and hammer to split the rotor in order to remove it from the hub.

Tester

If removed, can something be applied to keep rotors from rusting onto the wheels?

Just apply a very thin film of brake grease to the rotor/hub mating surface. Obviously you need to go sparingly with it and clean your hands of the grease before handling pads & rotors. I have never had a problem since I started doing this with my own rotors.

Those “squealers” aren’t necessary if you conduct routine brake inspections in which you pull the pads out. Sometimes the inside pad can wear down before the others, so you can’t just look at the outside pads. You have to remove them and look at all of them.

Has it occurred to you this problem might be caused by excessive heat, generated by excessive speed?

Before you complain about Ford, I suggest you drive your vehicle as it was designed to be driven, at the tire pressure recommended by the manufacturer. The way you drive your Expedition absolves Ford from any responsibility for the problems you are having.

Why must I buy more tools just to replace brake pads?

Because Ford doesn’t care about what is included in your tool sets, nor should they.

I always coast down from 100.

Oh, coasting makes all the difference. In that case, while you are working on the brakes, maybe you should upgrade them with something like this http://www.andysautosport.com/ford/2003_9999_expedition/brakes/brake_kits/brembo/

Good points!

Unfortunate having to remove tires to inspect BOTH pads. That would make squealers all the more useful in preventing rotor damage.

From the infrequent occasions I attain such speeds, I coast down to typical speeds before applying brakes, so that is not the cause.

M&S tire pressure is at 40 psi. (Max 44)

Does Ford do unusual sizes to discourage amateur mechanics?