How to remove front rotors on a 1993 explorer?

Answer 1

I can help in the removal of the rotors on a 93 explorer. I changed mine before and just recently sold my explorer. Are the hubs automatic or manual locking? You might need a tool for both automatic and manual locking hubs. I had automatic hubs I just had to push a button for 4 wheel drive. The tool is a 2-3/8 inch hex lock nut wrench. It looks like a socket but really big. If you need pictures get a manual from an autoparts store. Hanes is the one I had it covered a bunch of years of explorers. Automatic: remove tire and caliper make a mark on the locking hub cover and the wheel hub to align it later pry the retaining rings off the hub cover then slide the cover off using snap ring pliers or a flathead screwdriver pry up the snap ring off of the spindle. It's a c shaped piece of metal that snaps on the spindle in a little groove. You might have to remove some grease to see it. remove the metal axleshaft spacer next. It has teeth on the inside that line up with the grooves on the spindle then pull off a plastic cam from the wheelbearing nut. it has a spring going around it in a groove. it's on pretty tight but it should slide right off with a little rocking backa and forth. Putting it back on is the tough part it can be tricky because the spring forces 3 metal bars down and when you put it back on another set of hands might help. after the cam there are 2 plastic spacers remove them now you need a small magnet to remove the locking key. it's in a little groove inside the locking nut close to the spindle. Place the magnet in front of the hole and the key should pop out onto the magnet Once the magnet is removed you need the Lock nut wrench and a breaker bar or socket to remove the wheel bearing nut if you can't remove it by hand. It should be tightened to 35 footpounds of torque with a torque wrench and then back it off a 1/4 turn then tightened to 16 ft-lbs when putting it back on. Then you have to play with getting the key back in place. Don't tighten it too much or too little it's gotta be somewhere in the middle. I just tightened it up and then had to play with moving the nut so keyhole would line up on the spindle. Once the nut is off the outer wheel bearing will be exposed and the rotor will just pull off. You can check the wheel bearings for wear at this point. If you are getting the rotors cut you might as well remove the inner wheel bearing and wipe all the grease off cuz the dust will get everywhere. Clean the wheel bearings off and make sure you label which was the inner one and outer one. If you replace the wheel bearings you will have to replace the races inside the rotor. If the wheel bearings are good just clean them up repack them and do everything in the reverse.