How to Take the Brake Pads Off of a 1994 Ford Tempo
- 1). Park the Tempo on flat ground and set its emergency brake. Place a solid block of wood or a brick behind the rear wheel.
- 2). Insert a jack under the Tempo. If you're using a hydraulic car jack, place it under the Tempo's front axle. If you're using the jack that came with the car, place it behind the front wheel, near the frame of the car. Jack the Tempo up so that its tire is off the ground. Then insert the jack stands beneath the Tempo. This will help safeguard both yourself and the car in the event of a jack failure.
- 3). Remove the Tempo's lug nuts. Use the tire iron/lug wrench that came with the car for this task. Turn the nuts counterclockwise to loosen and remove them. With the nuts completely removed, slide the wheel off of the car.
- 4). Clean the car's rotor assembly, caliper and pads with brake cleaner. Cans of aerosol brake cleaner may be purchased any auto supply store. Using the brake cleaner will remove harmful brake dust and other dirt that could interfere with the braking system.
- 5). Locate the two bolts on the back of the Tempo's caliper. These are slide bolts that hold the caliper onto the rotor. You must remove both bolts in order to detach the caliper and reach the brake pads. A wrench or socket will be needed to loosen and pull these bolts.
- 6). Grab the caliper with both hands after you've removed the slide bolts. Pull the Tempo's caliper from the mounting bracket on the rotor. Hold on to the caliper or rest it atop the rotor. Never permit the caliper to dangle freely from the brake line, as it could damage the line.
- 7). Pull the brake pads out of the bracket on the rotor. If the pads are stuck in place within the bracket you may need to pry them out using a screwdriver. Before removing the pads completely, however, you should pay close attention to how they're positioned. This way, you'll know how the new pads fit within the bracket.
