How to Change the Rear Disc Brakes on a 1998 Taurus

Prior to the 1990s, rear brakes were primarily drum-style brakes, except on premium vehicles. In 1998, the Ford Taurus came with optional rear disc brakes. The rear brakes on a vehicle are only responsible for a small percentage of the stopping power, they are mostly used to provide stability when braking. The lack of stopping responsibility means that the rear pads last far longer than the front pads, sometimes twice as long. Unlike front brakes, the rear disc brakes on the Taurus are used as the parking brake, so there are a few extra steps involved and a special tool required.

Instructions

1

Loosen the lug nuts holding the rear wheels, using a ratchet and a socket.

2

Raise the rear of the vehicle using a floor jack and support your Taurus by placing jack stands beneath it.

3

Remove the lug nuts from the rear wheels and pull the wheels from the vehicle.

4

Trace the rubber brake hose, connecting to the rear of the caliper, to where it is held to the frame by a bolt. Loosen and remove this bolt using a ratchet and socket.

5

Look at the rear of the caliper, directly below where the brake hose connects to it, and locate the parking brake cable. The cable slides into a small slot on the caliper's body.

6

Trace the cable from the caliper and locate where it attaches to the parking brake lever.

7

Place the channel-lock pliers so they are contacting the parking brake level and a fixed part of the caliper body. Squeeze the channel-lock pliers, compressing the parking brake lever. Notice the parking brake cable now has slack. Grab the top of the cable and pull it upward so that the retainer -- the small, metal cylinder at the end of the cable -- clears the slot, then pull the cable through the slot in the caliper body.

8

Release the channel-lock pliers from the parking brake lever.

9

Look on the rear or the brake caliper and locate the upper and lower caliper bolts. Loosen and remove these bolts with the ratchet and socket.

10

Pull the caliper up and remove it from the brake assembly. Secure it to a suspension component using the bungee strap and never allow the caliper to hang by its rubber hose.

11

Grab the brake pads, inner and outer, and pull the from the brake assembly. Take note of how they are positioned, as the new pads must be installed in the same position.

12

Place the Ford rear caliper tool on the 6-inch extension. Notice the tool has two small pins protruding from it. Line these two pins up with the notches in the brake caliper piston, the metal, cylindrical object on the inside of the brake caliper. Turn the tool counterclockwise with the ratchet and apply light pressure. Notice the piston begins pressing into the caliper. Continue turning the tool until the piston is fully pressed into the caliper.

13

Place the new brake pads on the brake assembly and position them in the exact manner as the old ones were installed.

14

Place the caliper over the rear brake assembly and tighten the caliper bolts to 23 to 25 foot-pounds, using a torque wrench and a socket.

15

Attach the brake hose to the frame and torque the bolt to 8 to 11 foot-pounds, using the torque wrench and a socket.

16

Grab the parking brake cable with the needle-nose pliers and pull it upwards until the retainer at the of the cable clears the slot in the caliper, then slide the cable through the slot. Lower the cable downward until the retainer sits in the grove in the caliper.

17

Place the rear wheels back on the Taurus and hand-tighten the lug nuts.

18

Remove the jack stands from under the Taurus and gently lower it to the ground.

19

Tighten the lug nuts to 100 foot-pounds, using the torque wrench and a socket.

20

Create brake pressure by pressing and releasing the brake pedal until it feels firm.