Rotors only need to be changed if they become worn down by the brake pads or warped from heat and hard braking. If your prized Ford Mustang is shuddering when you hit the brakes, it's probably time to swap out the old rotors. The process is the same for all model years and it's fairly simple to do it yourself.
Buy rotors for your Ford Mustang at your local auto parts store or order them online. Plan on replacing all of the rotors at once, or at least the front or rear pair of rotors at the same time for safe braking performance.
Raise your Mustang with jacks and jack stands and then block the wheels to keep your car from moving while you work. Remove the tire and wheel assembly and set aside.
Drain half of the brake fluid from the master cylinder reservoir and discard. Remove the mounting bolts on the caliper and then slide the caliper off the rotor.
Keep the brake hose connected to the caliper. Use mechanic's wire or a bungee cord to suspend the caliper and brake hose out of the way. If the hose becomes disconnected, you must then bleed then brakes after the installation.
Use needle nose pliers to remove the retaining clips from the old rotor. Pull the old rotor off the spindles and set aside. Clean the area with a damp cloth to remove any dust or corrosion.
Install the new rotor into the hub. Fasten the retaining clips if they are provided with the new rotor. Attach the caliper and brake hose to their original position and tighten the caliper mounting bolts with a torque wrench. Replace the wheel assembly and tire. Repeat this process for each additional rotor.
Lower your Ford Mustang and tighten the lug nuts in a star pattern to 95 ft. lbs. (129 Nm). Pump the brakes and then refill the master cylinder with new brake fluid. Road test your Mustang to make sure that everything is working properly.
