[SteveTheBluesman]

Ok, so last year at this time I replaced the fronts rotors and pads on my wife's 99 SE. Backs are squeeking, and they feel like they are at about 1/4 - 1/2 inch of pad left, so I want to give these a shot.

But I know they are a bigger pain in the ass than the fronts.

Need some help with these.

What is the deal with the E-brake? And this turning the caliper ****? Anyone have a part # for the tool I need? Any other issues I need to know?

The car really eats brakes. Did Ford ever hear of engine braking?

 

[jubersax]

But I know they are a bigger pain in the ass than the fronts.

What is the deal with the E-brake?  And this turning the caliper ****?  Anyone have a part # for the tool I need?  Any other issues I need to know?

The rear breaks are definitely harder to change then the front brakes, but it is doable. There are 2 hard steps:

1. removing the parking brake cable - I found this really hard to do. I tried to do it like pictured in http://www.autozone.com/servlet/UiBroker?F...23d801b0321.jsp, but it was hard work. I finally got it off after some struggling. Maybe someone has some tips as to how to make it easier. Getting them back on is also a little tricky.

2. compressing the caliper piston - from the autozone site: If the special piston is unavailable, a pair of needle nose pliers may be used to rotate the piston in, however, it is considerably more difficult. Considerably more difficult is quite the understatement. I tried doing it with needle nosed pliers, but it's really hard to turn and you need to turn it *a lot* to get it compressed. I ended up going to the nearest auto store and buying a special brake tool. You don't need a Ford one. The one I bought was a cube with 6 differently spaced heads for different makes of car. It was less then $10 and worked like a charm.

Other than that it's the same as changing the front brakes. Good luck.

 

[jedhead]

Go to autozone and rent the caliper piston compressor. It make the job much easier. Remember to get all the old fluid out when you bleed the brakes.

Bob

 

[spridget]

here's a tip to remove the parking brake cables from the calipers. Loosen the parking brake adjust underneath the drivers door to allow some slack in the cables. Then use a pair of pliers to pull the cables off the calipers. When its all done readjust the parking brake cables.