Regarding my Ford Taurus 2002 SES sedan. I'm about to replace the front rotors and pads. as well as the rear shoes only. I've watched some videos on the process. I'm at 90K miles this will be the 3rd time the front brake pads have been replaced and the second time on the rotors and rear shoes.
Do I need to replace any "hardware" on the front brakes?
I understand on the rear shoes I should replace the springs and clips, which I will do.
Any diagrams, instruction to aid my project will be appreciated.
Why are you replacing the front rotors so frequently? Are they becoming heavily scored by the time the pads are worn down? Did the pads wear down to the metal backing plates before you changed them? Are you using aftermarket brake pads?
Motorcraft brake pads are not much more expensive than good quality aftermarket pads, and they're designed not to score the rotors in normal use as more aggressive semi-metallic pads will. They also come with the correct hardware (shims, springs) to do the job properly.
Regarding the rear brakes, have you removed the brake drums and inspected the shoes to see if they need replacing? The rear shoes wear very slowly, and shouldn't need replacing after 90K miles unless you make a habit of driving with the parking brake on. Shoes can wear down to less than 1/16" before replacing. If you've never changed rear drum brakes before, this is not a good time to start.
I am going on the suggestion of the shop that inspected my brakes, that wanted $500+ to do the front rotors and pads and said I only need the rear shoes not new drums.
They said the pads were down to 95% and I needed new rotors. I'm sure they are warped, because the steering wheel really shimmies as I stop from higher speed, or on a quick stop.
Pepboys had done my previous brake replacements. So, If I purchase Prostop front brake pads from Pepboys, I would not be getting the Shims and springs as you mention?
I'm pretty sure the previous two brake pad replacements were proper Ceramic pads as the ford specs require. I will be replacing them with the same material.
I already have the new rotors. I need to go and pick-up the pads. What else should be on my shopping list?
Brake Quiet Brake Cleaner
Do I need to replace the Brake Caliper Guide Pins?
And that would be particularly true of a high mileage Ford product as many decades back as I can remember. When I began fooling around with cars, it was routine to pick up wheel cylinder and spring kits on every brake job without even bothering to pull the wheels; if not, there was a good possibility you would have to eat at least the labor to do it right. That was when you paid the gas station $1.50 - $2.00 along with your 1K mile oil change to adjust the brakes. If you tried to cheap out, you would give the brakes a couple of strokes on every stop before it would stop. Funny how we never thought of that as a problem in those days.
You also need a small tube of brake caliper grease (a/k/a synthetic lubricant), to lubricate the caliper slider pins. If they've never been re-greased, they stop sliding easily and can quickly seize up in the caliper. This results in the inside pad wearing much faster than the outside pad. I'm surprised your pads are 95% worn, you should have heard the built-in warning tabs scraping on the rotor once they were at 80% worn.
Check that the caliper piston boot is not torn, and that any little boots at the ends of the caliper pins aren't torn. The little boots can be easily replaced, but the piston boot is more difficult; many people just buy a new caliper.
At some point you should also replace the old, dark brake fluid with fresh, clear brake fluid, but that's a job for another day.
Bob
I am going on the suggestion of the shop that inspected my brakes, that wanted $500+ to do the front rotors and pads and said I only need the rear shoes not new drums.
They said the pads were down to 95% and I needed new rotors. I'm sure they are warped, because the steering wheel really shimmies as I stop from higher speed, or on a quick stop.
Pepboys had done my previous brake replacements. So, If I purchase Prostop front brake pads from Pepboys, I would not be getting the Shims and springs as you mention?
I'm pretty sure the previous two brake pad replacements were proper Ceramic pads as the ford specs require. I will be replacing them with the same material.
I already have the new rotors. I need to go and pick-up the pads. What else should be on my shopping list?
Brake Quiet Brake Cleaner
Do I need to replace the Brake Caliper Guide Pins?
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