Front brakes: 2001 ford windstar.

Freefall_Doug · 10-28-2009, 10:11 AM

I am going to be diving into my girlfriends 2001 windstar to do the front brakes tomorrow.

Are there any hickups that I should expect, or special tools needed to replace the brake pads?

The rotor looks ok, and no peddle pulsation, so I am going to drop in some autozone pads to keep it rolling.

Thanks!

TMD · 10-28-2009, 10:18 AM

Nothing strange on mine. If you have done a disc brake replacement before should be nothing new, just the standard pain of compressing the piston if you don’t have the special tools.

Freefall_Doug · 10-28-2009, 11:53 AM

Are they twist and compress pistons?

Most calipers I have delt with can be compressed with the old brake pad and a large c-clap.

But some of the newer vehicles, my A4 Audi for instance, have calipers that are also threaded so a special tool is needed to twist and push the piston at the same time. Ugh!

theoldwizard · 10-28-2009, 02:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Freefall_Doug

Are they twist and compress pistons?

I do not believe the fronts are. The rears may be a different story.

zpn_by · 10-28-2009, 11:43 PM

Rear brakes are drum on 2001 Windy's. For some reason, Ford decided that we didn't need rear disc from 1999-2003. Just clean out the grooves in the caliper bracket where the pads sit (you'll see it) and put some anti-seize compound in there and on the pads' tabs. Repeat that every 10,000km (6,000 miles) or at every tire rotation.

Rick_101 · 10-29-2009, 02:35 AM

There should be no surprises if you've worked on Ford brakes before.

Freefall_Doug · 10-29-2009, 05:04 AM

One last question, do these have electric brake wear sensors built in to the front pads? Thanks for all of the replies.

Freefall_Doug · 10-29-2009, 08:51 AM

More fun found on the tear down.

I assume that both of the caliper slides should be floating.

The bottom caliper slide is siezed into the caliper bracket. I am guessing the passenger side looks that same. Yay!

So now I need to find some caliper brakets, new slides, and all associated parts.

Can some one please confirm that both of the caliper "bolts" or "pins" should be free moving. Thanks!

Freefall_Doug · 10-29-2009, 11:30 AM

All new brakes up front now.

Calipers, brackets, bolts.
Pads.
Rotors.

Now that this is all smooth as butter the engine will blow up next week. Haa!

Rockauto had the caliper brackets and bolts, but fast shipping made it $$$. Napa actually had semi loaded calipers (all but the pads) for 60 dollars each, in stock, plus core. I ended up spending only 60 or so more, didn't have to wait for shipping, and I got "new" calipers to boot.

"Sure honey I can do your brakes, I bet it only needs new pads" <--- famous last words.

rayben17 · 10-30-2009, 05:33 PM

i doubt the windstar has wear indicators in pads , only rear calipers with integrated e-brake (screw type) caliper needs to eb twisted , even without a c clamp , if your replacing the pads , just remove caliper pins and stick a long screwdriver between pad and rotor on piston side and pull towards you (quick and easy way to push back piston
both pins shoudl be moving freely btu a pair of vise grips and elbow grease will pull them out with a bito of a fight , cheaper then new calipers , clean out the slots and the pins , lube up reinstall and save a couple hundred bucks!