Brake & Rotor Price?

[Leo090]

Hi I have a 97 Chevy Lumina 3.1 with 86K mi.

 

I want to get new rotors and brake pads. My mechanic said $275. I think this price is a little steep. I was thinking it should be around 200. What do you guys think?

I need only new front brake pads and rotors.

[WhatTheFehl]

Sounds about right to me. That's about what my place of employment would charge. Want it cheaper? Do it yourself.

[tornado_735]

Yeah, front brakes are really easy. It'll easily save you like $150.

[94 olds vert]

Front brakes are really easy to do. Only special tool is a T-60 to remove the caliper bracket. I'm probably going to do my front rotors and pads today.

[RobertISaar]

Front brakes are really easy to do. Only special tool is a T-60 to remove the caliper bracket. I'm probably going to do my front rotors and pads today.

 

you'll probably want about 3 of those sockets though, speaking from my experiences anyways.

 

also: pads from rockauto are CHEAP, rear rotors are CHEAP, front rotors suck for shipping, but are usually better deals than what can be acquired locally.

[94 olds vert]

you'll probably want about 3 of those sockets though, speaking from my experiences anyways.

 

Yeah, owning a bunch of T-60s is smart. I picked up about 20 of them for a dollar each recently. It's always good to have plenty of those things.

[tornado_735]

I've only had to replace one T-60 and it was because I lost the first one.

[urbex]

Yeah, when I changed my brakes and rotors I think I broke 3 T-60s.... Thank God for lifetime warranties!!!!

[Bigray1111]

I just did this recently. Cost me 70ish from autozone with a 10% discount. Heres a tip that i did, use a torch to heat up the t-60's, and use a pipe wrench to grab onto them and break them loose. Only use the t60 when torquing them down.

[94 olds vert]

If you use a torch a propane torch doesn't give off enough heat to help. I used a acetylene torch on mine. That helped get them off.

 

One of mine the inside was stripped and I used vice grips to grab onto it.

[Bigray1111]

If you use a torch a propane torch doesn't give off enough heat to help. I used a acetylene torch on mine. That helped get them off.

 

One of mine the inside was stripped and I used vice grips to grab onto it.

i used acetylene

[Bigray1111]

and id like to correct myself, heat AROUND the bolts.

[Leo090]

Thanks guys for all your replies. I think this time im going to take it to the mechanic, I do not have all the jacks and patience to try and do this first time on my own. I will watch the mechanic closely and develop some confidence and try it next time.

[skitchin]

Nothing wrong with being cautious. I'm still not willing to risk working on my own car.. I'm usually a DIY'er with everything, but not on something I absolutely depend on. I think I might bite the bullet the next time I do my brakes, but as is I just don't have the right tools or the space.

[revnrob]

I dont trust anyone but me when it comes to my brakes!

[Schurkey]

The simple truth is that it's actually difficult to fuck up a pad 'n' rotor replacement.

• DO NOT push fluid back into the master cylinder. Lightly clamp the rubber brake hose, and open the bleeder valve before pushing the pistons back into the bores.
  
• Don't contaminate the new pads with brake fluid or grease. Wash your hands before (and after) handling the pads. Try to not touch the friction material.
  
• Clean the rotor with solvent, and then with soapy water. They're oiled or waxed to prevent corrosion in the box.
  
• Avoid Communist Chinese brake parts if possible. This is nearly impossible with rotors, but still possible with pads. Even parts advertised as "Ultra-Premium" may still be Chinese crap.
  
• Drilled 'n' Slotted rotors don't really work any better than plain rotors. Mostly, it's a marketing gimmick and a profit-enhancer.
  
• Wire-brush or emery-cloth the rust from brake parts (don't breathe the dust) so that the parts sit against each other flat and true.
  
• Assure that the pads are seated properly in the caliper. Some pads are actually clamped to the caliper; others rely on special stainless-steel shims.
  
• Gravity-bleed the brakes; I bleed until the fluid runs as clear as the new stuff being poured into the master cylinder reservoir. Pressure-bleeding optional. "Reverse Injection" bleeding is a poor practice unless you bleed in the normal direction before and after; and if you do that...there's no reason to reverse-bleed.
  
• TEST THE PEDAL BEFORE TEST-DRIVING THE VEHICLE. Pump the pedal a few times, slowly. Press pedal firmly, HOLD FOR 60 SECONDS. if the pedal is abnormally low, or if the pedal sinks...don't drive the car. Fix the problem.
  
• During that first test-drive, work the brakes hard from 40 mph to 20 mph--not all the way to a stop--repeat several times so the pads are pushed into the rotors hard enough to burnish the rotors. The pads and rotors will get hot, but since they're still rotating at 20 mph or more, they get lots of cooling air.
  

Edited April 30, 2012 by Schurkey

[white4d96]

/\ What he said, but as a caveat to bedding the pads, some higher-end pads will come with bedding instructions. If they do, FOLLOW THEM RELIGIOUSLY. The one time I didn't, the car ended up having a cracked pad about 3 months later.