Changing the front disc brake pads on a 2000 Ford Expedition is necessary whenever the pads wear thinner than three millimeters. If you wait longer to change them, odds are, you’ll also have to replace the rotors, which damage easily when contacted by worn-out brake pads. As the pads wear beyond their service life, the rivets which bond the friction material to the backing plate will dig into the rotors, ultimately destroying them. Save yourself the hassle by inspecting your brakes at each service interval and replacing the pads when necessary.
Loosen the lug nuts on both front wheels, using the lug wrench. Make sure they’re loose enough so that you can take them off by hand, but do not take them off yet. Put the wheel chocks up against the back of the rear wheels to prevent the Expedition from rolling.
Jack up the front end and position the jack stands under the front frame on both sides of the Expedition. Lower the vehicle onto the jack stands.
Pull the lug nuts and left front wheel off by hand. Set them to the side, making sure the lug nuts don’t get lost.
Place the drop pan on the ground, below the left-front brake assembly, and clean the brake dust off the brakes by spraying them thoroughly with the brake cleaner.
Remove the caliper bolts with the socket set. Pull the caliper upward and off the brake rotor, by hand. Pull the old brake pads out, by hand, and then thoroughly clean out the inside of the caliper with the brake cleaner spray.
Lubricate the caliper slides with the white lithium grease. Slide the new brake pads into position, then then slip the caliper over the rotor. Bolt the caliper down, using the socket set.
Repeat steps 3 through 6 for the brakes the opposite wheel.
Put both front wheels back on. Thread all the front lug nuts back on, by hand, and then lower the Expedition off the jack stands, using the jack. Tighten the lug nuts to 140 ft-lbs, using the torque wrench.
