Why does my brakes feel like they pulse on my ford explorer?

Answer 1

Because your rotors are warped. Get them re-surfaced or replaced. Optionally, you should also replace the front wheel bearings and associated components (seals, bearing races, etc.), and possibly even rebuild the caliper (new piston, seals, springs), as well as flush the old brake fluid. Tip: when you brake hard and come to a complete stop, find a way to release the brake pressure while stopped (i.e., put the car in neutral), holding the brake while stopped (especially after heavy braking) will warp the rotors; the area being held between the pads will cool drastically slower than the area open to the air, thus warping is more likely to occur.