Quick question. I have looked in the manual and it is very vague. Lets say I have the caliper off, how do I now remove the rotor? I have a 4x4 Ranger. Does it just slip off, or is there harware to remove in order to get the rotor off? I am doing this Saturday, so please help if you can.

 

Take off the wheel, unbolt the caliper and remove it from the rotor, and the rotor just comes right off. No hardware or anything attaching it to the hub. The wheel holds it on there with the lug nuts.

Oh, and welcome to R-F!

 

you will have to take off the caliper bracket as well i believe. im a little rusty on ranger brakes

also, sometimes there a small metal retainers that look like washers on the wheel studs, you may have to spin those off to get the rotor off. on a 4wd the fronts will just slide off

 

On the 4x4 you might be able to maneuver the rotor past the bracket, but on the 2wders you definitely have to take the bracket off. BE SURE TO use lock-tite on the bracket bolts, and torque them to spec, or you'll end up eating a wheel like TbarCYa did at Centralia, and a few others on the site have done (I think Doc did too once?)

 

Thanks for the info, that was what I thought but wanted to check before I took it apart and was stuck.

 

You don't need to buy a "hardware kit" to do a brake job. Just make sure everything is rust free and doesn't bind.

 

Procedure calls for replacing the clips, but the truth is that they can be reused depending on their condition. The trick is being able to determine if they're in acceptible condition to reuse.

 

I am lost here. Caliper clips or brackets? What am I removing? I thought the pads were held on by clips and the caliper attached to the truck with two bolts. What am I missing here? Do I replace the clips that hold the pads on, is that wat y'all are talking about? I thought everyone agreed that the rotor just slips off, what is this bracket all about? I want to do this right and will but a hardware kit if needed, but need to buy up front before I have my truck torn apart.

 

It would be NICE if more people linked examples of what they were talking about rather than just giving advice and being fussy when anyone disagrees (04 Edge!)...

I'm not sure why, but some people on here are ALLERGIC to giving you proof of what they are talking about, or linking some good examples to help explain it to you. I will give the others here a chance to do so, and if they don't I'll take care of it.

However, if you search the internet for information on brakes and procedures, you can probably find out what they are talking about.

I like Mark and he's very well informed -- now if he would JUST get off his high horse and explain things NICELY and post explanatory and confirming links, he would have FAR FEWER problems with folks around here.

 

Okay, can anyone help with my question?

 

Well, let's see if I can explain.

First: the caliper itself you understand, yes? It has the pistons that activate the brakes and you have to remove it to put in new pads.

Next: the caliper bracket is the metal piece that bolts to the "spindle" (what your axle goes through, a piece that joins the upper "A" shaped arm to the lower one) and holds the caliper. The picture below is an Explorer, but it shows the front wheel with the caliper removed but the bracket still in place. If you want to remove the rotor, you usually have to remove this bracket. It attaches to the spindle with two 15mm bolts in the back. This is the piece whose bolts you are being warned about properly tightening.



The "clips" I didn't find a good picture of -- but basically the are little flat spring metal pieces that are in the caliper, at either end of the pads. They can get cruddy and corroded, and the grooves they and the pads sit in can be that way as well. This is the area that you are being told to clean up, and for good measure use new parts in.

Most home mechanics who are pretty cheap (and I include myself) usually just clean up this area. Professionals, who face liability and what not, often make replacements as a matter of course and who's to say they aren't wiser? They just don't take time to explain, all too often.

It's very frustrating to watch the "pros" say "do it because I told you so" without explaining much at all. Oh well. It's a pet peeve of mine and I have no intention of "getting off it", lol.

I'll see if I can still find a nice picture of the caliper with clips in it.

Edit: Okay, this is not for our vehicles, but it illustrates the idea.



Item "2" is the "anti-rattle" clip and it's position on our systems is similar, I believe. Best I can do so far. When you slide in the pads, the ends are up against this "springy" clip and it keeps the pads from knocking around, but gives them enough clearance to move. They do tend to accumulate debris, however.

 

Thanks for that diagram, I see the bracket now. Seems impossible to get the rotot off w/o removing it, correct? I hate to remove it because it sounds like such a dangerous procedure if it is not torqued right. What is the torque BTW? I need to but a torque wrench if I do this and some loc-tite.

The clips, I have the break cleaner. Just clean them up as long as they look okay and snap the pads back in?

 

I highly recommend re-lubing the caliper bolts. When you remove the caliper you will have 2 long bolts covered in black goo. That goo shouldn't be black :) Get some good grease, wipe off the old grease, put the bolts back in work them around a bit, pull them back out and repeat a couple times. Then put new grease on them liberally, put them in, work them around and repeat a couple times to make sure it's full of new grease.

 

I have a packet of goo stuff for that I believe. That should be the right stuff? If not, I have white lithium grease, is that fine?

 

I think the packet you have is for the back of the pads. To keep the squeaks and rattles at a minimum and keep the plate in it's place IIRC.
Lithium grease I think should be fine....not sure what my mechanic used. May have been regular lube grease I dunno. I was standing right there I should remember but in my old age..

 

Good question, can anyone illuminate? I believe my lube is for the slides and the back of the pads, yes.

 

you will not need a torque wrench so much as the loc tite
it seems those bolts have a habit of backing out
I would use the blue - medium strenght loc tite
#242 / 243 or if you can find it #246 since that is medium strength and high temp rated
good luck and thanks for putting up with the other "ladies" on this forum

 

Okay, what about the grease and the need to remove said bracket?

 

The torque spec is 85 lb-ft. You may need to put everything back together before you can finally torque them as it's hard to get a wrench in there at certain angles and really torque it unless you turn the wheels a bit.

Listen, it's not a HUGE deal -- get them very tight with loctite on them and you should be fine -- but proper torque is a GOOD idea. Yes, we've had some spectacular problems -- but it may be just that someone tightened them inadequately and you don't hear about it ALL the time.

Light brushing of the area with a brass brush is good also if you want to be throrough. Lot's of us resuse the stuff and maybe it IS a bad idea -- use your best judgement. I tend to reuse stuff when I can -- but I'm terminally cheap.

Also, if you've got the torque wrench, the caliper bolts are 24 lb-ft torque spec.

Whatever lube you use, it should be a high-temperature grease. I know many brake lubes are silicone or synthetic-based for this reason.

 

From the Ford Factory CD, 2001 Ranger 4x2 4x4

1.Raise and support the vehicle

2.Remove the wheel and tire assembly

3.CAUTION: Replace the pads if worn to or past the specified thickness above the metal backing plate or rivets. Replace the pads in complete axle sets.

Inspect the pads for wear or contamination.

4.Remove the lower caliper bolt.




5.Rotate the disc brake caliper (2B120) upward.



6.Remove the pads (2001) and the stainless steel slippers.

1 Remove the pads.

2 Remove the stainless steel slippers.

Discard the slippers.

*** The slippers, clips or whatever you want to call them are part number F57Z2L200 and run $15 a piece from Ford.
Most people just clean them (this is according to the local Ford parts guy). The dealer will replace them as part of the brake kit. *****



7.On 4x2 vehicles, measure the brake disc and hub (1102) for minimum thickness. Same for 4x4 23.0 mm thickness.

Replace the brake disc and hub if not within specification. For additional information, refer to «Disc» in this section.




8.Inspect the disc brake caliper for leaks.



If leaks are found, disassembly is required. For additional information, refer to «Caliper» in the Disassembly and Assembly portion of this section.


Reinstall

Note:
Do not remove the anchor pins (2B296) unless installing new pins.

1. Inspect the anchor plate guide pins. They should slide in and out of the anchor plates with no binding. Check the boots for cracks or tears. If the pins do not slide easily or the boots are cracked or torn, install new boots and pins. Lubricate the pins using Silicone Brake Caliper Grease and Dielectric Compound D7AZ-19A331-A or equivalent meeting Ford specification ESE-M1C171-A.

2. CAUTION:
Stainless steel slipper replacement is mandatory with the service brake pad installation, even if the slippers appear undamaged. Make sure the slippers are correctly positioned with the slipper ends snug against the outboard end of the anchor plate rail.

*** this is Ford talking to the tech to replace the slippers, since they don't want a lawsuit if the brakes lockup *******

Note:
Clean the anchor plate slipper mating surfaces.

Note:
The inboard pad has a wear indicator tab.

Install the stainless steel slippers and the pads.

1 Install the new stainless steel slippers.

2 Install the pads.




3.Inspect the anti-rattle spring. Replace if worn or damaged.



4.Note: If installing new pads (XL22-2001-BA), the caliper pistons must be compressed using a C-clamp and a wooden block.

5.Rotate the disc brake caliper downward.



6.Install the caliper bolt.



7.Install the wheel and tire assembly.

8.Inspect the brake system operation.

 

24 for the calipers.

85 for the bracket.

Use high temp lock-tite for both caliper bolts and bracket bolts? This is lube enough? Or am I confusing something here? My understanding is that both sets of bolts should be lube and both should have lock-tiite. Are they one in the same?

Do I have to remove the bracket normally?

 

Great post and diagram.