How to Change the Front Brake Pads on a Ford ZX2

The Ford ZX2 (also known as the Escort ZX2) replaced the Ford Probe in 1998 as the sporty coupe geared towards the younger generation. It remained on the Ford/Mazda chassis, and replacing the front brake pads in the ZX2 employed the same procedure as the regular Escort. The unique feature in the Ford Escort ZX2 (and other Escorts) was that if you were just replacing the front brake pads and not the rotors, unlike a lot of other vehicles on the road at the time, you didn't have to remove the calipers in order to do the service.

Instructions

1

Open the hood and remove half of the brake fluid from the master cylinder reservoir using a brake fluid suction pump. Discard the old fluid.

2

Apply the parking brake on the Escort. Make sure the vehicle is parked on a hard, flat surface suitable for lifting and supporting the vehicle.

3

Loosen the lug nuts on the front wheels 1/4 turn with the lug nut wrench.

4

Use the lifting jack to lift one side first then support the Escort onto a jack stand placed under the front frame rail. If desired, lift the other side as well, or you can just do one side at a time.

5

Remove the lug nuts then remove the wheel. Set the wheel and lug nuts out of the work area.

6

Disconnect the top brake pad W-spring by pulling it out from the center holes of the pad backing plates on both sides. Disconnect the bottom brake pad M-spring in the same manner.

7

Remove the top and bottom pad retaining pins. Use a hammer and small punch to dislodge and loosen them if necessary. Once removed, the W- and M-springs will fall out. Be careful not to damage them.

8

Use a screwdriver to dislodge the pads from the caliper if necessary. Extract both pads.

9

Use a 12-inch pair of channel locks to compress the caliper piston inward until it's fully seated and even with the surface of the caliper.

10

Install the replacement shims onto the backing plates of the new pads then apply some anti-squeal compound onto the surface of the shims. Insert the pads respectively, inboard and outboard, on both sides of the rotor.

11

Grab the top pad retaining pin and insert it into the hole of the caliper housing, then into the top W-spring and through the top hole of the pad backing plate. Push it toward the inboard pad backing plate hole, then through the W-clip and finally through the inboard caliper housing. Lock the clip into place with the center pad backing plate holes. Do the same thing with the bottom retaining pin and M-spring.

12

Replace the wheels and lug nuts and tighten snugly. Once you've lifted the vehicle slightly with the jack and removed the jack stand, retighten the lug nuts to 80 foot-pounds with a torque wrench and socket. Repeat the procedure for the other side.

13

Ensure that the master cylinder cap is secure then pump the foot brake pedal several times to seat the pads to the rotors and verify that the brake pedal feels firm.

14

Add brake fluid to the master cylinder to the top/full line stamped on the side of the cylinder housing. Release the parking brake then test-drive for proper braking operation.