How to Remove Front Brake Rotors From a Ford Taurus

The Ford Taurus has been around since 1986. Although some design changes and cosmetic face-lifts of the mid-size sedan occurred throughout the years, it was overhauled in 2008 when it was introduced as a full-size car. The front rotors of the Ford Taurus have changed very little through the years. Replacing them yourself is doable provided you have some mechanical skills, and it will save money on labor charges.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Floor jack
• Jack stand(s)
• Wheel chock
• Turkey baster
• DOT 3 brake fluid
• Bungee cord
• 1/2-inch drive breaking bar
• 1/2-inch drive socket set
• 1/2-inch drive ratchet
• 1/2-inch drive adjustable torque wrench (recommended)
• Medium pry bar
• Heavy rubber mallet or ball peen hammer
• Safety glasses
• Spray lubricant
• Brake clean spray
• Shop rag(s)

1. Park the Taurus on a flat, paved surface. Apply the parking brake and release the hood latch. Place a wheel chock behind one of the rear tires. Open the hood. Remove the cap to the master cylinder reservoir and suck out half of the brake fluid using a turkey baster. Discard the fluid and replace the cap.

2. Break the lug nuts loose on both front tires, using the breaking bar and a socket. Lift the left front quarter panel of the Taurus, using the floor jack, and place the jack stand under the front frame rail or the front rocker panel. Remove the left wheel lug nuts and tire.

3. Insert the pry bar into the front of the caliper housing porthole and pry the caliper piston inward, using the outboard pad against the rotor for leverage. Compress the piston of the caliper all the way until it stops. Locate and remove the caliper anchor bolts on the inside of the knuckle, using the ratchet and a socket in order to remove the caliper, caliper bridge and pads as an assembled unit. If you were replacing pads, you'd have to remove the caliper from the bridge, remove the pads, and then remove the caliper anchor.

4. Support the caliper assembly to the front coil spring, using a bungee cord to hang it from. Don't allow the caliper to dangle from the brake hose.

5. Remove the rotor. If the rotor is rusted stuck to the hub, spray both inside and outside of the hub/rotor connection with spray lubricant. Put on the safety glasses. If you're keeping the rotor to reuse, strike it with a heavy rubber mallet on the plated fin from the inside hitting outward. If you're replacing the rotor with a new one, you can use a ball peen hammer to be more effective. Turn the rotor 1/4 turn between strikes until it breaks from from the hub, no matter which hammer you use.

6. Spray brake clean on the new rotor before replacing it. You should spray a machined rotor with brake clean as well, in the event you had the rotor turned at a parts store or repair shop with a brake lathe. Wipe the rotor dry and replace it on the hub.

7. Reinstall the brake caliper assembly and the anchor bolts; tighten. Replace the wheel and lug nuts. Tighten the lug nuts flush to the hub of the wheel. Lower the Taurus and torque the lug nuts alternately with the torque wrench set at 100 foot pounds and a socket.

8. Repeat Steps 3 through 7 for the right side.

9. Pump the foot brake pedal when you're through and the Taurus is back on the ground. This will restore the hydraulic pressure to the compressed caliper pistons. It may take several pumps in order for the brake pedal to feel normal. Add DOT 3 brake fluid to the master cylinder reservoir and replace the cap. Remove the wheel chock, release the parking brake, and test drive.

Tips & Warnings

• It's not uncommon for rotors on the Ford Taurus to warp, creating a vibration or pulsation when braking (primarily high-speed or hard braking). There are many different theories as to why this occurs, and some of the issues aren't related to the rotors as much as other components causing the rotors to warp. It's not uncommon for the front brake pads to get stuck in the caliper anchors and create a heavier drag on the brake rotor. This causes premature and/or uneven brake pad wear, which also heats up the brake rotor excessively and causes warping or runout of the rotor. It's recommended to replace the pads and rotors at the same time. A quality aftermarket pad is equally as important as a quality rotor. Cleaning off the caliper slide bolts and the caliper anchor where the backing plates of the pads sit against the anchor will help. Applying a healthy coat of silicone-based brake lubricant on the anchor points where the pads sit and on the caliper slide bolts is highly recommended. Another area of interest is the condition of the hub facing underneath the rotor. In the event the old rotor was pounded off with a hammer due to rust or corrosion, the surface of the hub should be sanded clean. This is much easier to do with a pneumatic-angled die grinder and a couple of coarse reconditioning discs. Lastly, if the rear brakes on the Taurus are drum brakes, it may not hurt to check the adjustment of them. If the rear drum brakes aren't adjusted correctly, the front brakes will overcompensate, work harder, and heat up faster. This can also cause rotor glazing and/or runout.