Wednesday, November 24, 2010

How hard is it to change disc brakes on 98 ford ranger?

I have recently changed the serpentine belt and found that pretty easy, should I attempt brakes, or should I leave it to a shop?How hard is it to change disc brakes on 98 ford ranger?
If you have slight to moderate skills, and some fairly basic tools, by all means, brakes are one of the easiest things in the world to do yourself. People are trained with all the Meineke and Brake Depot commercials that you need to have the pros do it for $100 per axle, not including rotors.

And of course, a mechanic will tell you to have the pros do it...job security.



Don't fall for it.



You'll need (other than obvious tools) a bigger C-clamp, a socket set, maybe a crowbar, a screwdriver wouldn't hurt, to pry pads out if necessary. Maybe a hex set or allen wrench set, depending.







Each axle, assuming nothing is seized on too badly, should take the average backyard do-it-yourselfer about an hour or less. Wheel off, unbolt caliper from rotor. Might take socket, might take hex or torx wrench. Pads snap right out (and back in) caliper pretty easily. Use a C-clamp if you have one to push the caliper's piston back, so the new pads will fit around the rotor.

By the way, most rotors are manufactured so they CAN'T be turned, so you may need new ones. Usually $30-60 each. Sometimes less than $20. Reverse procedure to re-install.



I wouldn't attempt your drum brakes (if you have any). You'll probably wish you wouldn't have.How hard is it to change disc brakes on 98 ford ranger?
Depending on your mechanical skills, replacing brakes is fairly easy, but you really should leave it to the pro's as it takes specialized tools, and a complete inspection of your braking system is also done at this time. Safety is priority.How hard is it to change disc brakes on 98 ford ranger?
They are quite easy. Could be done in less than a half hour, with the right tools. But take your time, and you'll do great.How hard is it to change disc brakes on 98 ford ranger?
It's pretty easy. Just take the wheel off, and the brake caliper is held on with a few bolts. Once it is off (carefully handle it so you don't pull on the brake line too much - I usually attach it to the spring or something with a zip tie while I'm working on it.



Take the old pads out, and inspect them - compare them on both sides of the truck to see if one side is wearing more than the other (sometimes a sign of brake problems).



Also check your rotors to see if they are damaged. If the pads wore to the point where they were metal on metal, then you probably want to take them to a shop and have them turned (usually pretty cheap). If they don't have enough hardface left on them you will need to replace them (check junkyards - find out how thick the rotor is supposed to be, and measure to make sure it isn't worn out - it doesn't really matter what they look like since you can just have them turned).



If everything looks good, then take off the master cylinder cap, and push the brake cylinder on the caliper back in (go slowly otherwise brake fluid will spurt out of your master cylinder and make a mess - if you have topped off your fluid, you might need to get some of it out with a bulb syringe or something). You should be able to push the brake cylinder in by hand unless it has problems - some are harder to get on than others, I sometimes use a large c-clamp to get them started, but don't force them too much or you can damage them.



Once the cylinder is pushed back in, you should be able to install the new pads, and then reinstall the caliper. If it won't fit over the rotor, then push the brake cylinder back in more until it will fit. Make sure to put the pads in correctly - take a picture, or make a little sketch of how things are before you start taking it apart - it's amazing how much that helps (or get a manual - that never hurts either).



Make sure your master cylinder has the proper amount of fluid in it, and put the cap back on. Always test your brakes out somewhere safe a few times before putting it back on the road (it's amazing how many people forget the important step of making sure that their brakes work before jumping back into traffic).



They might squeak a little bit at first as the pads get seated (having the rotors turned gives them a smoother surface which will help brake pad wear, but a little bit of uneveness isn't that bad once they get seated.How hard is it to change disc brakes on 98 ford ranger?
Disc brakes are much easier than the serpentine belt. Only leave it to a shop if you have more money than time, hopefully you have a service manual for your car (Motors, Chilton's, etc), some cars can be done in 15 minutes per wheel, some may take longer if you have to take the caliper off. Even drum brakes aren't that hard, just lay everything out in the order you took it off and watch out for that lethal spring.How hard is it to change disc brakes on 98 ford ranger?
Main thing is you need one, somewhat specialized tool. A C-clamp that opens like 6 inches. That presses the caliper back in the housing.



Secondly, you should have bought a Toyota. Everything is easier on a Toyota.



Thank God Ford doesn't make airplanes.How hard is it to change disc brakes on 98 ford ranger?
EASY IF YOUR A MECHANIC !How hard is it to change disc brakes on 98 ford ranger?
It is a fairly simple process, but if you do something wrong it could be dangerous since your brakes may fail to work.