How to Change the Rear Brake Pads on a 2006 Ford Freestyle

The 2006 Ford Freestyle was Fords first venture into the crossover sector, where car meets sports utility vehicle. The Freestyle came with a 3.5L engine, automatic transmission and four-wheel anti-lock disc brakes. As with most passenger vehicles, the front brake pads wear down faster than the rear pads. With that in mind, you should anticipate changing the rear brake pads on your 2006 Ford Freestyle approximately every other time you replace the front pads. Its still best to have the pads checked for wear every time you have the tires rotated, however, and replace them once theyve worn down to three mm or less.

Instructions

1

Rotate the lug nuts on both rear wheels counterclockwise until they are finger tight using the lug wrench. Do not take them off yet. Put the wheel chocks on the ground directly in front of both front tires.

2

Raise the rear end of the Freestyle with the floor jack and then lower it onto the jack stands, placed under the rear frame on both sides.

3

Remove the rear lug nuts and wheels on both sides by hand. Keep all the lug nuts together so you dont lose any of them.

4

Put the drop pan directly underneath the right-rear brake rotor and spray the rotor and caliper with the brake cleaner to remove any visible signs of brake dust.

5

Remove the caliper bolts that hold the right-rear caliper to the caliper bracket using the socket set. Pick the caliper up and take it out of the bracket by hand.

6

Take the old rear brake pads out of the caliper by hand and then clean out the inside of the caliper with the brake cleaner. Make sure to get all the brake dust, road dirt and old grease out of the caliper.

7

Lubricate the caliper slides thoroughly with the white lithium grease.

8

Insert the caliper tool into the caliper and push the caliper pistons back into the caliper with the tool. Pull the tool out and insert the new rear brake pads by hand.

9

Slide the caliper back into the caliper bracket, thread the caliper bolts back through the bracket and caliper by hand and then tighten the bolts with the socket set.

10

Move to the left-rear and repeat steps four through nine on that side. Reinstall the wheels and lug nuts on both sides by hand.

11

Lower the Freestyle off the jack stands with the floor jack and then move the wheel chocks away from the front tires. Tighten the rear lug nuts to 85 ft-lbs. with the torque wrench.