How do you change a brake pad on a 1996 Ford Taurus?

Answer 1

Go to your local auto parts store first. Get a Haynes Manual for your car. This book has very detailed information on how to repair most of your common problems with cars.

The Taurus is actually one of the easist cars to change brake pads on. For the front, remove the bottom bolt from the caliper, flip it up and remove and slide in the new pads with attached shims. You may have to compress the piston, using a C-clamp slightly to flip up the caliper and completely compress it to fit the caliper back over the new pads. Make sure you open the master cylinder and remove about 1 inch of fluid before compressing the piston.

The rear pads are similar, though the pistons are threaded and require a special tool to compress them.

You want to inpect the rotors and resurface or replace them if necessary when replacing pads. Top up the master cylinder after applying the brakes four or five times.

• just like to add it would help you alot to have vice grips when doing the rear brakes set parking brake clamp spring with vice grips then use pliers too unhook the parking brake cable and clip also the rear calipers slip down you remove the top mounting bolt leave parking brake on it will help when trying to get the cable back in ..

Answer 2

You remove the two bolts holding the caliper. In different years these can be 13mm or 1/2 inch. I prefer to take off the caliper rather than flip it and wirebrush the ledge on which the pads slide. Now compress the piston carefully, removing fluid from the master cylinder with a veterinary syringe as it nears the top . Now remove the old pads, fit new ones with backing plates and re-bolt the caliper.