How do you install front brakes on a 1993 Mercury Cougar?

Answer 1

If you are simply changing brake pads, the following will work, but you might want to check a Chilton's manual if you have never done brakes before.

* Chock the rear wheels. * Jack up the vehicle, but before the wheel clears the pavement, loosen the lug nuts.

* Finish raising the vehicle, and place a jack stand in a solid secure place beneath the vehicle for safety.

* Remove the tire. * There should be four bolts on the back of the caliper and bracket. This is if the caliper is mounted in a bracket, and it should be. Locate the bolts that hold the caliper to the bracket and loosen them. You should remove one side completely, just the caliper, so you can determine what type of caliper it is. There were two Mercury used: one caliper can be compressed in the bracket with a long screw driver or off the bracket with a C-clamp; the other must be turned in with a special tool that can be purchased at any auto parts store for a reasonable price. Do Not Compress the type that must be turned down, it will damage the caliper. * Remove the caliper from the bracket. * Remove the outside pad from the caliper. * Remove the inside pad, and check the caliper type. A turn-down style will have a recessed square or two holes for the tool. A compressed type will have no markings inside at all. * Once you have determined the type of caliper on your vehicle, retract the cylinder. Be certain you do not compress a turn-down style caliper. * Install the new pads--be certain to install the same type as you remove. Pads are often meant only for one side. * Remount the caliper onto the bracket. * Tighten the mounting bolts. * There may be two plungers on the caliper. There is a special grease made for moving parts on brakes. Grease the moving parts but be very careful not to get any grease on the pad surfaces or the rotor surface. The plungers may need to be replaced as well if they are present. Mercury brake parts can be very expensive, but doing them yourself will save you literally hundreds of dollars. I formerly owned a 1997 Sable. While I was away several years ago, my wife took it to a shop to have an estimate done. She was quoted in excess of $700. I did the job when I returned for about $300 (new rotors and calipers). It may not be necessary to change rotors or calipers every time you change pads, but you should have the rotors mic'ed to check the thickness. If the surface is abraded, an auto parts store should be able to turn them if sufficient thickness remains.

Changing pads can seem complicated, but with a good service manual such as Chilton's, the job is quite easy, and should take no more than an hour for both sides, an hour and a half to two if doing both front and back.