🔧 Front Brakes & Rotors - Replacement

Replacing the front brake pads and rotors on your Explorer restores stopping power, reduces noise, and fixes pedal pulsation from warped or worn rotors. This job is very doable at home with basic hand tools, but you must support the vehicle safely and compress the caliper pistons before installing the new pads.

Difficulty Level: Intermediate | Estimated Time: 2-4 hours

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⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• Brake dust can be harmful. Do not blow it off with compressed air.
• Use jack stands. Never work under a vehicle supported only by a jack.
• Let the brakes cool before starting if the vehicle was recently driven.
• Do not press the brake pedal with a caliper removed.
• Support the caliper with a hanger or wire so the brake hose is not stretched.
• Battery disconnect is not required for this repair.

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🔧 Required Tools

You'll need the following tools for this repair:

• Floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum)
• Jack stands
• Wheel chocks
• Breaker bar
• 21mm lug wrench or socket
• 15mm socket
• 17mm socket
• Ratchet
• Torque wrench
• C-clamp or brake caliper compression tool (specialty)
• Bungee cord or caliper hanger
• Flat-blade screwdriver
• Rubber mallet
• Wire brush
• Brake cleaner
• Safety glasses
• Nitrile gloves

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🔩 Required Parts

HowToo sells all the parts you need for this repair:

• Front brake pad set - Qty: 1
• Front brake rotors - Replace in pairs - Qty: 2
• Brake hardware kit - Qty: 1
• Brake caliper slide pin grease - Qty: 1
• Brake cleaner - Qty: 1

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📋 Before You Begin

• Park on level ground and set the parking brake.
• Place wheel chocks behind the rear wheels.
• Loosen the front lug nuts before lifting the vehicle.
• Work on one side at a time so you can use the other side as a reference.

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🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Loosen the front wheels

• Use a 21mm lug wrench or socket to loosen the front lug nuts about one turn each.
• Do not remove them yet.

Step 2: Raise and support the vehicle

• Use a floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum) to lift the front of the Explorer at the proper lift point.
• Set the vehicle securely on jack stands.
• Remove the front wheels with the 21mm lug wrench or socket.

Step 3: Remove the caliper

• Use a 15mm socket and ratchet to remove the caliper slide bolts.
• Lift the caliper off the bracket and hang it with a bungee cord or caliper hanger.
• Never let the caliper hang by the hose.

Step 4: Remove the brake pads and bracket

• Remove the old brake pads from the bracket.
• Use a 17mm socket and ratchet to remove the caliper bracket bolts.
• Remove the bracket from the steering knuckle.

Step 5: Remove the rotor

• If the rotor is stuck, use a flat-blade screwdriver or rubber mallet to free it.
• Remove the rotor from the hub.
• Use a wire brush to clean rust from the hub face.
• Clean hub surfaces help prevent rotor wobble.

Step 6: Install the new rotor

• Spray the new rotor with brake cleaner and wipe it dry.
• Install the new rotor on the hub.
• If the rotor uses a hold-down screw, reinstall it if equipped.

Step 7: Reinstall the caliper bracket

• Install the caliper bracket using the 17mm socket and ratchet.
• Torque to 148 Nm (109 ft-lbs).

Step 8: Prepare and install the new pads

• Apply a thin layer of brake caliper slide pin grease to the slide pins and pad contact points.
• Install the new brake hardware if included.
• Install the new pads into the bracket.

Step 9: Compress and reinstall the caliper

• Use a C-clamp or brake caliper compression tool (specialty) to push the caliper piston fully back in.
• Reinstall the caliper over the new pads.
• Install the slide bolts with the 15mm socket and ratchet.
• Torque to 35 Nm (26 ft-lbs).

Step 10: Reinstall the wheel

• Reinstall the wheel and hand-tighten the lug nuts with the 21mm lug wrench or socket.
• Lower the vehicle.
• Torque the lug nuts in a star pattern to 150 Nm (111 ft-lbs) using a torque wrench.

Step 11: Repeat on the other side

• Repeat the same steps on the opposite front wheel.
• Replace pads and rotors in pairs for even braking.

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✅ After Repair

• Before moving the Explorer, pump the brake pedal until it feels firm.
• Check the brake fluid level in the master cylinder.
• Test drive at low speed and confirm there is no noise or pulling.
• For the first 200 miles, avoid hard braking unless needed.
• New pads need a short break-in period.

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💰 DIY vs Shop Cost

Shop Cost: $450-$850 (parts + labor)

DIY Cost: $180-$350 (parts only)

You Save: $270-$500 by doing it yourself!

Shop labor rates vary but typically run $100-$150/hour. This repair takes a shop approximately 2-4 hours.

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🎯 Ready to get started?

HowToo makes it easy: same-day/2-day shipping on every part, plus all the tools and specialty tools you need! Check out the parts and tools sections below to add everything to your cart.