2005 Montanna Brakes...

[Mark_88]

So, I did the front rotors and pads last week for a friend...not too many problems...today she asked me to come up and do the back brakes...problem...

There I was with the pads out and the rotor in my hand and it would not compress the caliper to put the new pads in...messed up a perfectly good clamp trying...and she asks me "do I need help?"...I say...yeah, I think it has to do with the parking brake but also I need a bigger clamp...this was in Beaverton (no, I did not see a Ton of Beavers...there were some, but jail is not my kind of place)...the nearest store is about 40 kms in three directions...

Then she says "call my friend and ask him if he knows anything about this..."...so I do and it's busy...he went out to lunch...

Sweating like a pig and grunting like a hog I finally have her try the number...he tells her you don't need a clamp...just turn the piston and press it in...

Eh~?

This was my first time doing rear disk brakes with the parking brake so it surprised the heck out of me...it worked~!

So....my question...do Rangers or other Ford models have the same "trick" to them with rear disks? This upset me more because I didn't have time to research it as I usually do when dealing with something different...and, of course, she didn't have a Haynes or Chiltons manual handy...

 

[shane96ranger]

I've only experienced this on GM products. Every one I've done has been on the rear, and had a place to insert a tool on the piston. You can rent a tool from Autozone specifically for that style.

I can tell you that my 98 Mountaineer was not this style, so I doubt the Ranger would be.

 

[InsaneRedRooster]

I've only experienced this on GM products. Every one I've done has been on the rear, and had a place to insert a tool on the piston. You can rent a tool from Autozone specifically for that style.

I can tell you that my 98 Mountaineer was not this style, so I doubt the Ranger would be.

Yes, the piston twists in. It's got to do with the e-brake being integrated into the normal break system. Dunno why though.

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[85_Ranger4x4]

I know the DSM triplets are like that too (Plymouth Laser, Mitsubishi Ecplipse and Eagle Talon)

The tool isn't that expensive to buy, I think it was like $12 when I did mine (9 years ago ) On those needlenosed pliers worked too but it wasn't near as handy as the regular tool.

 

[exbass94]

You're very lucky you didn't totally screw up the calipers trying to press them back in like that.

 

[kcm1582]

So, I did the front rotors and pads last week for a friend...not too many problems...today she asked me to come up and do the back brakes...problem...

There I was with the pads out and the rotor in my hand and it would not compress the caliper to put the new pads in...messed up a perfectly good clamp trying...and she asks me "do I need help?"...I say...yeah, I think it has to do with the parking brake but also I need a bigger clamp...this was in Beaverton (no, I did not see a Ton of Beavers...there were some, but jail is not my kind of place)...the nearest store is about 40 kms in three directions...

Then she says "call my friend and ask him if he knows anything about this..."...so I do and it's busy...he went out to lunch...

Sweating like a pig and grunting like a hog I finally have her try the number...he tells her you don't need a clamp...just turn the piston and press it in...

Eh~?

This was my first time doing rear disk brakes with the parking brake so it surprised the heck out of me...it worked~!

So....my question...do Rangers or other Ford models have the same "trick" to them with rear disks? This upset me more because I didn't have time to research it as I usually do when dealing with something different...and, of course, she didn't have a Haynes or Chiltons manual handy...

I know the new Taurus and Fusion have that style caliper, and I think Flex or Edge might use them too. They are becoming pretty common and are easy to identify by the slots cut into the face of the piston. At work I have a Sunex kit to handle them, works real nice.

You're very lucky you didn't totally screw up the calipers trying to press them back in like that.

Yup, very easy to damage the internal mechanism of these calipers by pushing straight in.

 

[shane96ranger]

Yes, the piston twists in. It's got to do with the e-brake being integrated into the normal break system. Dunno why though.

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You mean the Ranger does twist in? I wonder what year that started?

 

[kcm1582]

Nope, rear Ranger brakes are drum not disk and these are disk brake calipers we are talking about.

 

[shane96ranger]

Nope, rear Ranger brakes are drum not disk

Well, that's what I thought because I'd never seen one with rear disk. But after reading Mark's post I looked on Rock Auto, and they list a rear caliper for a 2003 Ranger.

these are disk brake calipers we are talking about.

Yes, I know. See my previous posts.

 

[kcm1582]

Well, that's what I thought because I'd never seen one with rear disk. But after reading Mark's post I looked on Rock Auto, and they list a rear caliper for a 2003 Ranger.

Well that's a new one, must be a misprint.

Yes, I know. See my previous posts.

OK, just wanted make sure.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

You mean the Ranger does twist in? I wonder what year that started?

They got rear discs in 2010 but I have no idea how they are constructed.

 

[Mark_88]

So, it isn't just Pontiac...hmmm...good to know...after the fact...lol

Yes, the piston twists in. It's got to do with the e-brake being integrated into the normal break system. Dunno why though.

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When I first started to take them apart and saw the PB cable I was concerned...not being anywhere near a computer to research it was not a fun feeling...then pushing in the caliper was extremely impossible (I was going to say something like difficult, but) I figured maybe it was a proportioning valve or something like ABS that was restricting the fluid flow...

You're very lucky you didn't totally screw up the calipers trying to press them back in like that.

Oooops!

They seemed to work fine...had her test drive it as I wasn't going to...lol

I managed to twist the piston with vice grips without messing up the boot too badly...the boot still did what it was supposed to do and I figured the calipers would need replacing in another five years or so...had to grease the sliders as they were very dry...thought they were "lifetime lubricated" but that wasn't the case...

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

thought they were "lifetime lubricated" but that wasn't the case...

Yeah, they were lubed for the lifetime of the grease.

 

[Mark_88]

Just an update...so far the van is still running but she said the brakes were still making a noise...I test drove it last week and it seemed fine...

I did find two studs were stripped...she had just had the summer tires swapped before I did the rear brakes and I had a heck of a time to get those nuts off...

She took it right over to the guy who did the tires and he said "Yeah, forgot to mention that to you..."

WTF?

I don't think they would have come off because it looked like he put some JB weld or something inside the nut...wow! Not sure how much they charged her to replace the two studs, but I would have steered clear of that place if it was my truck...