How to Replace Rear Disc Brakes in a Ford Mustang

Replacing the rear disc brakes on a Ford Mustang requires a special tool, Rear Caliper Piston Adjuster 206-026, to seat the piston. Purchase this tool at your Ford dealership in the parts department. With this special tool and these instructions, you are ready to replace the rear disc brakes in your Mustang.

Instructions

1

Siphon half of the brake fluid from the master cylinder reservoir and put it in an approved container. Take the brake fluid to your local auto parts store for proper disposal.

2

Raise the vehicle off the ground using a car jack. Loosen the lug nuts with a torque wrench and remove the wheels.

3

Disconnect the rear disc brake caliper and hang it from the body of the Mustang with wire. Take out the inner and outer rear disc brake pads along with the spring clips.

4

Seat the piston by rotating it clockwise using the Rear Caliper Piston Adjuster 206-026. Replace the disc brake pads and spring clips with the new ones.

5

Line up the notch in the caliper piston with the alignment pin on the brake pad. Mount the rear disc brake caliper and use the torque wrench to tighten it to 24 ft. lb.

6

Replace the wheels and lower the Mustang to the ground. Position the new rear disc brake pads by pumping the brake pedal rapidly. Refill the master cylinder reservoir with clean brake fluid.

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How to Replace a Side View Mirror in a 2002 Mustang

The 2002 Ford Mustang benefits from the major redesign made in 1999, giving the Mustang sleeker contours, channels in the car frame and bigger wheel arches. The side view mirrors are an essential part of the look and driving safety of the Mustang. In addition, the law requires both pairs. If one gets damaged, perhaps by a passing car bumping into the side mirror, it will have to be replaced. Fortunately, replacing either the driver or passenger side mirror is straightforward. With basic tools and a replacement mirror, youll have this job finished in under 15 minutes.

Instructions

1

Open the front door with the mirror mount that needs to be replaced.

2

Wedge the head of a flat head screwdriver between the mirror mount and the speaker grille. Gently pry open these two pieces by moving the screwdriver around the perimeter of the speaker grille.

3

Remove the screw holding the speaker housing to the mirror mount with the Phillips head screwdriver, turning it counterclockwise. Gently remove the speaker housing from the mirror mount, taking care not to jerk it away as its still attached by a cable.

4

Press the two tabs on either end of the wiring assembly that connects the speaker housing to the door near the mirror mount. Pull the wiring assembly away from the wire in the door when the two tabs are pressed in.

5

Pry open the inner door panel trim that surrounds the power switches using the flat head screwdriver. Wedge the screwdriver between the inner door panel and the door panel trims, and move it around the perimeter. Carefully remove the inner door panel, when it comes loose, since wires still connect it to the door.

6

Unplug the cable inside the door panel that powers the side view mirror. Look inside the door panel through the hole left by removing the trim for the power switches. Simply pull on this plug to loosen it from the socket.

7

Use a socket wrench set to remove the three 16 mm bolts holding the side view mirror mount to the door. When the last bolt comes out, pull the mirror mount off the door, taking care that the cable inside the door does not get snagged as you pull it out.

8

Compare the new mirror mount to the old one, checking that the size and shape are the same, as well as the number of holes for the attaching bolts.

9

Feed the cable of the new mirror mount through the door in the same hole that the old mirror mount cable came through. Attach the new mirror mount to the door housing using the three bolts you took off earlier.

10

Plug the power mirror cable into the door and the cable for the speaker into the socket on the door housing. Screw the speaker housing back into the door and snap the speaker grille over the speaker housing.

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Mustang Brake Problems

The brake system on your Ford Mustang requires periodic inspection and maintenance. Unfortunately, it is not until we notice strange smells, noises or mechanical changes coming from a brake component that we start to pay attention to the system. For the most part, lack of maintenance is the main cause of most brake system troubles, which makes diagnosing and solving the problem much easier. However, neglect the symptoms, and you are asking for serious trouble on the road.

Checking the Hydraulic System

First, check for the most obvious cause of brake problems. Make sure the brake fluid level on the brake master cylinder is correct. The master cylinder is located inside the engine compartment, in front of the steering wheel and mounted on a cylindrical unit called the brake booster. Add the brake fluid recommended on your car owners manual, if necessary.

Check the brake booster and the vacuum hose attached to it for signs of wear or damage. Problems on the booster housing or hose may cause vacuum to leak, and leave your brakes extremely difficult to operate.

Then check for possible leaks around the master cylinder and the brake lines that connect to it. Make sure the connections are tight. James E. Duffy, on Modern Automotive Technology, recommends running your fingers along the lines to check for hard to detect leaks. Inspect the brake hoses that join the lines to the brake assemblies on each wheel. Remove the tires, and use a flashlight to look for wet spots around the hoses and the back of the wheel assemblies. If necessary, replace the brake hoses.

Inspecting Wheel Brake Assemblies

Once you remove the tires, check the brake pads, shoes, rotors and drums for wear, damage and wet spots that might indicate fluid leaks or grease contamination. As a rule of thumb, the linings on the pads and shoes should be thicker than the back plate on which they are mounted. Closely examine the rotors and drum braking surfaces for heat checks, scores and cracks. If necessary, take your rotors and drums to the auto repair shop for resurfacing.

When removing the drums on the back wheels, inspect the wheel cylinder. This is a small cylinder mounted on the upper section of the back plate. Pull back the rubber boots on each side of the cylinder to check for brake fluid leaks. A leaking cylinder can be rebuilt or replaced. Inspect the drum brake mechanism like springs; hold down the springs and adjuster star wheel to check for missing or binding parts.

If your Ford Mustang model is equipped with an anti-lock brake system (ABS), and the system light flashes on your dashboard as you drive, your vehicle computer has detected a malfunction. You can use a scan tool to retrieve any trouble codes stored in the computer memory to diagnose the malfunction, or have the auto shop look at the problem.

For help locating brake system components or required maintenance intervals for your specific Mustang model, you may consult your car owners or vehicle service manual. Most auto parts stores carry service manuals, and your local public library might have several of these manuals for reference.

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How to Remove a 1967 Mustang Door Window

Removing the door glass from a 1967 Mustang may seem like a perplexing task, particularly since there seems to be nothing holding the glass in place. Behind the door panel, however, are two metal window stops, which cause the window to be rolled up only so far. When you remove the door stops, the window will be freed; but because the front of the window curves into the vent window, you must loosen the vent window and tilt it to the side. Fortunately, removing the door glass is surprisingly simple and will take about 20 minutes.

Instructions

1

Remove the six screws that secure the rectangular weatherstripping piece to the top of the door jamb, using a flat-head screwdriver, then pull the weatherstripping piece off the door.

2

Remove the two bolts that secure the armrest to the interior side of the door, using a socket wrench, then pull the armrest off the door.

3

Remove the single screw in the center of the window regular handle and in the center of the interior door handle, using a Phillips screwdriver. Pull the handles off the door.

4

Pry the door panel off the door, using the flat-head screwdriver.

5

Position the window regulator handle back onto its gear on the interior side of the door. It is not necessary to install the handles retaining screw.

6

Roll the window halfway down.

7

Remove the rear window stop. Two window stops are located at the base of the window. The side of the window closest to the back of the car contains the rear stop, while the side of the window closest to the front of the Mustang is the front stop. Reach through the door panel opening and hold the rear window stop. Insert a deep socket through the access hole at the back of the interior side of the door, then remove the bolt holding the rear stop in place. Pull the window stop out of the door.

8

Remove the front window stop. Reach through the door panel opening and hold the front window stop. Insert a deep socket through the access hole at the front of the interior side of the door, then remove the bolt holding the front stop in place. Pull the window stop out of the door.

9

Loosen the three bolts that secure the vent window, using a wrench. Two bolts are at the front of the vent window, while the third bolt is at the bottom of the long metal arm protruding from the back of the vent window down the length of the door.

10

Tilt the vent window toward the front of the Mustang, then roll the window up until the metal base of the window is exposed. Grasp each end of the top of the window, then pull the window out of the door. If desired, you can then remove the vent window by twisting out its three retaining bolts with a wrench and pulling the vent window out of the door.

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