Brakes

I have a 2003 Ford Taurus that needs new brakes. I have replaced brakes on cars for the last 40 years; but never with ABS. Do I need someone else with a computer to do this or can I continue to replace the brakes as in the past. Thanks, Neil.

I have a 2003 Ford Taurus that needs new brakes. I have replaced brakes on cars for the last 40 years; but never with ABS. Do I need someone else with a computer to do this or can I continue to replace the brakes as in the past. Thanks, Neil.
2003 Ford Taurus brakes

Welcome to the forum!

You can replace the brakes as in the past, no special computers needed. The special computer is helpful when you are flushing the brake system, but not a requirement to change pads.

Does your Taurus have 4-wheel disc brakes? Rear disc brakes would require a special tool to compress the caliper since a Taurus with rear disc brakes has the parking brake mechanism built in to the caliper.

One tip when compressing the front calipers: Rather than just using a c-clamp or large Chan-L-Lock pliers to force the fluid back into the master cylinder, open the bleeder screw while compressing the caliper. This way any contaminants in the fluid in the caliper will be forced out the bleeder screw rather than back into the system.

Another tip is to regularly flush the brake system of the old contaminated fluid and install fresh brake fluid. Standard brake fluid is hygroscopic (readily absorbs moisture) which can corrode the small valves and passages within the expensive ABS pump. Of course after you flush the system, without the fancy computer system you'll need to cycle the ABS a few times to get the fresh fluid to circulate into the ABS pump.

-Rod

If your rear calipers are like what I've worked on, they scew back in, not compress in. I was lucky I didn't ruin one the first time I worked on it not knowing it was different. You can get the tool for that from the parts store, maybe as a loaner, but it's not absolutely necessary. I think I used large needle nose pliers like a spanner wrench in the notches/slots on top of the piston near its perimeter, to turn it in. Large snap ring pliers will work too.

You may want to look at Autozone.com in their repair section to give you diagrams and instructions specific for your car. You may have to use 1999 or 2000, as they don't cover recent years, but the brakes will be mostly if not completely the same. Other hints, only take apart one brake at a time so you can look at the other side to get it back together right. Make sure you don't let the brake fluid reservoir get too low from opening the brake line or bleeding, or you will suck air in and then will have a much bigger bleeding job to do.

If your rear calipers are like what I've worked on, they scew back in, not compress in.

Sort of, just turning them alone won't allow them to compress, you have to put force on the piston while turning them, so technically they still compress. ;)

-Rod

AAAAAHHHHHHGGGHHHH!!!!:headshake:redface::banghead :
Rod!:mad:
I think you baited me!?!:nono:
(Why do I feel like Charlie Brown being misled by Lucy that she will this time hold the football for him to kick?) :twak:

Well, it really has been a long time since I last had to do one,
BUT...you had to get picky, :shakehead :slap:
AND,...you had to throw that one dirty eleven letter word out there.:nono:
SO....I couldn't let it go.:grinyes:
SO....I looked it up in two places.:iceslolan
SO....You know I'm not just making this up.:runaround:
They both say the same thing.:lol:
They say to "screw" it in.:screwy:
They did not say to press it in or compress it or use a C-clamp or whatever, just "rotate it clockwise until it's seated" using a brake piston turning tool or like. :dunno:
Nope, there's nothing there about pushing down on it at the same time as turning it. I will concede that you have to by default and necessity push down on the tool to keep it engaged.:rolleyes:
Sure, as a result of the rotation of the piston head, the piston lowers into the caliper cylinder and the fluid is forced out, but technically, it is not compressed. If it could be, it would make for some really, really bad brake fluid!?!:uhoh:
But, I will concede that the piston's effective change of position, ignoring how it got there, would be a net compression.:screwy:
You seem to have missed my main point that I was making, and had made more than once, that the rear caliper pistons can't be pressed in, in a similiar manner as the front calipers. I was just trying to make a distinction so nobody tries to mash it in like I did my first time not knowing they were different than typical callipers needing to be turned in. :slap:

For the record, they can not be "compressed" in a linear, non-rotational manor with a compressive device like a c-clamp, but instead require the aforementioned tool here and in my original post, used in a rotational manor resulting in an negative axial displacement with no mention of thrust required.:dunno:

:puke::bananasmi:runaround:
So, in summary, they said to just screw it! :bananadie:lol2:

Now that that is settled, :chair:I will now revisit the retorquing of lug nuts.... technically speaking......:jump3:
NO!....WAIT!..............
JUST.............
ONE.............
MORE..........
THING!!!.......
AAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!!!

ROD!!!!............ STOP!!!!..........DON'T!!!!...........NO!!!!......
YOU CAN'T DO THAT!!!!
YOU'RE THE MODERATOR!!!! :grinyes:
______________________________________________
Haynes, Taurus and Sable 1986 to 1995
Ford Service Manual Taurus 1995 (That'll teach you not to share. :lol::loser:)

You realize after all this Neil is going to inform us that it doesn't matter because his Taurus has rear drums, right?

One more thing to think about since you've worked on Taurus rear disc brakes. The inside pads have indexing pins that fit into the notches in the brake piston. These are the same notches that are used by the special tool to compress while rotating the piston. These indexing pins and notches also prevent the piston from rotating when the brakes are properly assembled, allowing the parking brake to extend and retract the piston mechanically, and the hydraulic system to expand and contract the piston hydraulically.

Uh oh, what's this? According to Roget's Thesaursus, contract and compress are synonyms? :pimp:

Roget's II: The New Thesaurus (http://thesaurus.reference.com/help/faq/roget.html)
Main Entry: contract Part of Speech: verb Definition: To reduce in size, as by drawing together. Synonyms: compact (http://thesaurus.reference.com/browse/compact), compress (http://thesaurus.reference.com/browse/compress), constrict (http://thesaurus.reference.com/browse/constrict), constringe (http://thesaurus.reference.com/browse/constringe), shrink (http://thesaurus.reference.com/browse/shrink)

The fancy, easier to use, rear disc brake tools work so much better than the little cube partly because they are threaded, applying linear force while also allowing the rotational torque to screw while compressing the piston.

I hope others reading this realize this bantering is all in fun....

-Rod

Bantering, shamantering, this is very serious stuff!!!
In fact I have take the extra time to point out that I have edited the quote box below to address very points.

You realize after all this Neil is going to inform us that it doesn't matter because his Taurus has rear drums, right?

Thssssspppppppppttttttt!!!!!.........

Ok,
according to Rod's Thesaursus, some sort of hybrid word reference I guess, contract and compress are synonyms? :pimp:

Roget's II: The New Thesaurus (http://thesaurus.reference.com/help/faq/roget.html)
Main Entry: contract Part of Speech: verb Definition: To reduce in size, as by drawing together. Synonyms: compact (http://thesaurus.reference.com/browse/compact), compress (http://thesaurus.reference.com/browse/compress), constrict (http://thesaurus.reference.com/browse/constrict), constringe (http://thesaurus.reference.com/browse/constringe), shrink (http://thesaurus.reference.com/browse/shrink)

-Rod
So if I used another synonym for compress,:runaround:
I would think you would need to
screw before you shrink.:nono:

Ooooppppssss:confused:......that didn't come out right.:uhoh:

I mean rotate before you constringe.........whew!:icon16:

Allowing "the hydraulic system to expand and contract the piston hydraulically.":disappoin

Tsk, tsk. Now you're practically calling the piston a balloon. Expand, contract, extend, retract. It all gets my head a spinning. They all sounds so much alike and mean so nearly so as well. Oh, what is my pea brain to do?:screwy::shakehead:headshake:runaround:
I don't think anyone will think there is anything to any of this.:headshake:lol: I know I don't mean anything by it.
Reminds me of Click and Clack, The Tappet Brothers.

Haaa, I hope that'll do it.:smooch:

Oh darn. I think I've thought of something else.
Is it worth mentioning that the parking brake cable needs to be disconnected from the caliper assembly by removing a retaining clip, or do they work that way anymore on a 2003? And on the older models, you remove the pinch bolts to the caliper by holding the slider pin hex head. It is recommended to put thread lock on the cleaned pinch bolts.

I've seen those poorly rated cubes for turning in the hollow pistons, but I'm not familiar with the tool that threads and turns and spins and pushes and contracts and compresses and slices and dices and twice or thrice more nices. I'm just a flat top piston with slots that accept the nibs of the turning tool kind. Like I said, it's been awhile.:headshake:screwy:

That's enough. My fingures are starting to bleed.:uhoh:

Oh wait, I've decided Neil has rear disk brakes because after all of this, he has too. He may not know he has disk brakes back there, but he does now!!! And if he insists he doesn't, well, I guess he'll just have to use the disk brake advice instead, 'cause we've used u[ all the space with everything else. Besides, all I'm good for now is banter, shamanter! :D

I would like to thank everyone for there input, you saved me about $350-400. The bad news is that I do have drums on the rear. Have a great 4th, Neil.

How fitting! :mad: :crying: :headshake
It figures you would have drum brakes! :banghead:
This is ridiculous! :runaround:
I can't believe it!:banghead:
I bear my soul, mindlessly babbling away, and no one pipes up to say it has drum brakes, before I embarrass myself before all of cyberspace!? :crying:
I don't know if I can do it anymore! :shakehead
How clairvoyant of you, Rod! :screwy:
Thanks a lot buddy! :disappoin
I give up! :loser:
You're on your own, Neil! :grinyes:
Get a book! :lol: :lol2:

It really can be helpful.

You may not be able to get listing for your 03, but Autozone.com has a repair section that probably has similar brakes in a 99 or 2000. They can't or won't do the more recent years due to expense or rights restrictions, I guess.