Hey guys,

I was trying to help my parents out and offered to do the rear brakes on their 97 4x4 Expedition. I noticed when I took the tire off that the brake system was the exact same as on my Lightning. I told my parents no problem that I could take care of it and order them pads and rotors.

I took the calipers off and the rotors were a mess. One brake pad actually had no pad left on it and was grinding on the rotor. I was glad that I suggested getting new rotors when I finally got the calipers off. The reason they wanted the brakes done, was because they heard a grinding noise when they were going forward, backward, with or with out the e-brake on.

I can’t get either of the rotors off the truck. I have put the brake e-brake on, and turned it off, and on and off, and so on to try and free up the rotor. After about 30 minutes and lots of spray lube, I was able to get the right rear rotor off. I e-brake does not appear to be functioning properly. First question, how hard is it to rebuild, or fix the emergency brake setup? Next question, is how do I get the other rotor off that is frozen or locked on to the E-brake? I have taken the cable off and have tried hitting the switch in both directions to try and set the brake and turn it off???

Please Help!!!!!

 

Can't help ya with the e-brake.
My front rotors were frozen to the hub on my 97 Expy. Try putting the tire back on and put the lug nuts on but leave them loose a few threads. Put the truck back on the ground and with your foot on the brake put the tranny in F and R a few times. Sometimes this little clunk will break it free. If that doesn't work then you can do what I did. I used my sawzall and made 3 cuts on the rotor. I cut down from the outside of the rotor all the way in until I just nicked the hub. The rotor looked like 3 equal size pie shapes. This allowed the rotor to flex. What happens is the outside edge of the hub gets stuck to the inside surface of the rotor. Before you put the new rotor on use a small surface grinder and just take a hair off of the outer edge of the hub. This will prevent the rotor from getting stuck again.
Good luck.

 

Don't forget to put antiseize on the hub surface when you put the new one on. I also used a brass hammer on my front Cobra rotors when they were stuck on. Again, it's good to have new rotors as you do when the hammer comes out. Heat also helps.

Good luck,

MK

 

take a sawzaw or whatever it is and cut from the space where the caliper goes all the way donw to the hub, put a chissle in the crease and hit it with a hammer it will split the rotor to the middle, then rotate the wheel and repeat on the other side and vuala the rotor comes off no problem