Replacing the brakes on a 2001 Ford Focus is much like replacing the brakes on any Focus model from 2000 to 2005. The front brakes use brake pads that are the main components used with the brake pedal, while the rear wheels use brake shoes t...

The 2003 Toyota Tundra uses a rear drum brake with shoes instead of pads. The drum can wear over time, especially if the shoes have been allowed to wear down so far that the rivets that hold the brake material to the shoe scrapes the drum. I...

The brake calipers on a 2001 Ford Expedition work in conjunction with the brake rotor and pads to slow the vehicle when the driver presses the brake pedal. Over time the seals inside the caliper can leak, which will result in poor brake perf...

Changing brake shoes on any vehicle is not an easy task, and the 2000 model Ford F-150 is no exception. There are multiple springs and levers connected to the pair of brake shoes on each drum assembly, and multiple special tools are needed....

The brake switch in 1992 Cadillacs operate very simply: When you depress the brake pedal, the linkage contacts the switch and causes the brake lights to activate. When this switch goes out, so do your brake lights, which is a guaranteed way...

The front brake assemblies on your 1992 Dodge Grand Caravan SE come equipped with one of two brake caliper configurations. Each one requires a slightly different procedure to properly change the worn brake pads. Still, by following the right...

The Subaru Legacy utilizes disc brakes in the front of the vehicle. The disc brake system is made up of a brake rotor, which is attached to the wheel hub and rotates along with the wheel. A brake caliper is mounted over the rotor and holds t...

Timely brake replacement is vital for safe operation of any motor vehicle. If you begin to hear a squealing sound as you apply the brakes on your F-250, you have already waited too long, and you need to change the brake pads as soon as possi...

Brake rotors wear down over time in every automobile. Damage to the rotors is normally caused by heat warping. This happens when the rotor repeatedly gets extremely hot, then cools down very quickly--for example, in continuous stop-and-go hi...

The 1997 Ford F-150 uses front rotor disk brakes to stop the truck, applying pads hydraulically to the rotor surface and bringing the truck to a halt. These rotors can wear thin or be damaged by debris, and will require resurfacing or replac...

The 1997 Chevy pickup is available in 2-wheel or 4-wheel drive, and both come with disc brakes. Changing disc brakes is a quick and simple process. If you hear a squealing or grinding sound when you apply the brakes or drive, it's time to ch...

The 2001 Oldsmobile Delta 88 Royale comes with 4-wheel, all-round disc brakes. These brakes need to be changed every three to seven years, depending on the amount that you drive, the quality of brakes on the car and the type of driving you d...

The 1996 Cadillac Eldorado came equipped with a 4.6 liter, v-8 engine. It was a powerful family car, with a plethora of safety features, including anti-lock brakes, airbags and reinforced framework. The brakes are all disc brakes which is ex...

The braking system on the 2001 Nissan Xterra contains three major components. The brake rotor is the disc that is squeezed by the brake pads to slow and eventually stop the Xterra. The brake pads come in contact with the rotor during braking...

The 1994 Buick Park Avenue is Buick's top-of-the-line sedan. It has a four-speed automatic transmission with anti-lock brakes, driver's side air bags and other safety features. One of the most important safety features on the Park Avenue is...

The 2005 Ford Ranger came in both extended and regular cab. It was renowned for its 4.0-liter V6 engine that provided excellent acceleration. The Ranger incorporated disk brakes on all four wheels, which makes it much easier for the at-home...

The Escalade EXT is Cadillac's luxury pickup. The 2003 Escalade came equipped with four-wheel anti-lock brakes and all-around disc brakes as standard equipment. The brakes' life is measured in distance driven, not time elapsed, but usually t...

The 1996 Honda Accord was well known for the acceleration provided by its powerful V6 engine. It also was acclaimed for a great ride and expressive steering. Anti-lock brakes were an option of limited availability, but disc brakes at all fou...

In 2001 Dodge redesigned its full-size pickup, the Ram. This new Dodge Ram was bigger, stronger, and had a larger interior than the prior model. It had optional four-wheel anti-lock brakes and disc front brakes. The disc brakes are far easie...

The Falcon is one of Ford's great classics. According to Dearbornclassics.com, the original 1964 Mustang was composed mostly of design elements and chassis pieces of the Falcon. The 1965 Falcon was available as a two or four door hardtop. It...

There are three ways to tell when it's time to change your brakes. The first is if you hear a squealing sound as you brake or drive. The second is if the brakes "grab" or stop jerkily when you use them. The third way is if there is a grindin...

Every time you change the brake pads on your Ford Ranger, you should either replace or turn the stock rotors as well. That's because the rotors wear down with the pads, and if you just change the pads, you'll actually lose braking ability. F...

When you change out the brake pads on your 2000 Honda Accord, you also need to either turn or replace the front rotors. As the rotors wear down, grooves form in the surface, which match with the brake pads. When you replace the pads with smo...

The 1970 Ford Mustang came equipped with disc brakes, which provided stopping safety, as well as replacement ease for the at-home mechanic. Disc brakes are the favored brakes for the do-it-yourself car guy because of their ease of removal an...

Ford F150 brake rotors on the 1996 models mount the wheel to the vehicle and provide the friction surface for the brake pads to bear on. The rotor is mounted on a spindle with a pair of tapered roller wheel bearings to support the radial and...

Properly functioning brakes are an important factor for owning and operating a Ford Taurus, or any other automobile. The rotors on a vehicle are part of the brake system and are every bit as important as the pads, perhaps even more so. Overl...

The brake calipers on a Toyota truck do the heavy lifting for the braking system. When you push on the pedal, the master cylinder pushes fluid to the calipers, causing the pistons to clamp down, which in turn applies the pads to the rotor, s...

The master cylinder is an important part of the braking system. It takes the braking power produced by the brake booster and pushes the brake fluid to the front and rear brakes. As it is a hydraulic system, there are internal seals. If they...

There are three basic indications that you may need to replace your brakes: a grinding sound when the brakes are used; the brakes "grab" or jerk abruptly when used; and a constant or semi-constant squealing sound as you drive and stop. If an...

Jeep's 1998 Grand Cherokee came equipped with all around disc brakes. Changing brakes can be a nuisance, especially when you don't know how or when. The when is easy; each set of brakes is marked with a number of miles that they are good for...

The Ford Focus in 2000 came with all around disc brakes which made changing the brakes quite simple for the home mechanic. Changing all four brakes will usually take less than two hours and it only has to be done every three to five years. H...

Changing disc brakes on the 2003 Jaguar X-type is a simple process that takes less than two hours to do for all four tires, on average. This process only has to be done every three to six years, depending on the brand and quality of the brak...

Changing the brakes on a 1985 Ford Thunderbird may seem like an arduous task, unless you know how and when to do it. The brakes on a T-bird only need to be changed every three to five years, varying according to the amount driven and the qua...

The new Volkswagen Beetle incorporated all around disc brakes into its 2006 model. Disc brakes are the favorite among home mechanics due to their ease of changing and the speed with which the job can be completed. Most brake changes, for all...

Brake pad linings wear down with each depression of the brake pedal. Unattended lining wear leaves the metal parts beneath to rub together and damage the brake system. The brakes work most efficiently with a certain amount of lining remainin...

The 2000 Chevrolet Cavalier is a small car designed to be a low-cost, everyday commuter vehicle with above-average fuel mileage. With everyday use, the brakes will eventually wear out and need to be changed to maintain the stopping power and...

The Subaru Outback station wagon has four wheel disk brakes, which use a hydraulic caliper to apply friction to a spinning rotor, stopping the car. The system has regular maintenance parts that can be changed out to keep the braking system a...

The 1990 Ford Ranger's brake system is made of three key components; the brake pads, the caliper, and the rotor. The brake caliper holds the brake pads in place and houses the piston. The brake pads make contact with the rotor to stop the Ra...

Replacing the brake pads when they have worn out is an incredibly important maintenance task for any vehicle, but on the sporty 2005 Dodge Neon SXT it is arguably even more important. Without well-performing brakes, the added power that the...

The 2005 Honda Accord featured either rear drum brakes with shoes or rear disc brakes with pads. The rear pads are smaller than the front brake pads but only provide about 30 percent braking capacity for the sedan import. Because of this, re...

The 2000 Lexus E300 luxury sedan was one of Lexus' most popular models. This car is well known for its reliability, performance, and safety. Much of the safety is lost when the brakes begin to wear down and are in in need of replacement. Tho...

The brake discs on a Ford Escape are just one component in the braking system, but one of the most important. It's the brake disc which turns with the wheel, and is also the object that is clamped onto by the brake pads to slow the vehicle....

Many vehicles use drum brakes and brake shoes on the rear wheels that work with the parking brake. A rear brake shoe assembly uses numerous levers and springs, and how you disassemble the shoes varies depending on the model. The process is s...

A 1999 Jeep Wrangler uses a set of disc brake pads to provide roughly 70 percent of the stopping power for your Jeep. This is due, in part, to the design of the brake caliper and rotor system and the way weight is transferred as you apply th...

The 1988 Ford Mustang came equipped with a front disc/rear drum brake system that is considered small for a vehicle of this performance level. As these Mustangs age, the brake system will require some upkeep and attention. Replacing the mast...

The brake rotors on the 2005 Pontiac GXP are the component that the brakes grab onto to bring the vehicle to a stop. The brake rotors sit on the hub assembly with the brake caliper slid over the top of the brake rotor. Every time the brakes...

Changing or removing the brake rotors on your car or truck is one of those tasks that at first seems like it would be really difficult to do, but in reality, is quite simple. Once you get past the fact that you're working on the brakes on yo...

The '91 Ford Explorer is a mid-sized SUV. If the brakes on the Explorer are not changed when they begin to wear down, the result will be reduced braking power that could put you, your family and others in harm's way. When the brakes on the '...

When performing brake work on your Toyota Corolla, inspect the rotors for any defects to determine if they need to be replaced. Rotor defects include warping, gouges or worn spots that can lead to impaired brake function. When replacing the...

Drum brakes used to be the best technology available back in the 40s and 50s, but since then, brakes have come a long way. Although they have many issues when used as a front brake, when used in the rear, they do an excellent job of stopping...