Brake replacement: Do it yourself or at the dealer?

[droorda]

I'm fairly handy when it comes to cars, so just wanted to take a poll since i'm new to owning an explorer. Do you all recommend getting it done at the dealership or handling it yourselves? I saw a 179.99 per axle brake deal on my dealer website (new pads/rotors) but that seems awfully high. Any insight here would be greatly appreciated before i pull the trigger one way or another.

 

[613GT500]

$179.99/axle is robbery...do it yourself.

 

[droorda]

$179.99/axle is robbery...do it yourself.

My thoughts exactly...

 

[Machine090767]

$179.99 will BRAKE your bank.

 

[peterk9]

$179.99 will BRAKE your bank.

Just corrected the spelling in the thread title.
One the most misspelled words in the Forum.

Peter

 

[Icuff4cash]

Why is that expensive a set of good pads must run. 50 each rotor has to be 50 each then labor bleed greese bearings and adjust plus give you a warrenty. So how much you really saving $50-75. What's your time worth for a 2 hour job in your driveway in 100 temps.
Just my 2 cents

 

[bigdude2468]

Agreed the price is high. It is not always necessary to replace the rotors and if they have enough material you can get them turned for about $12 each. A good set of pads are no more than $40. Unless the calipers are being replaced the brakes do not have to be bled and there are no bearings to grease, they are sealed. A good set of pads are no more than $40. I would also just about guarantee that the dealer will say the calipers need to be replaced. Bottom line without calipers the parts are maybe $75 so $100 is labor.

 

[Icuff4cash]

I thought they need to remove rotors to cut them. It's been 25 years since my bk job. Then the bearing get repacked since your doing a bk job it's time to repack. I saw hp pads around $75.00 so if you have an awd and tow you would not want a manny moe & jack special.

 

[Josh P]

Do it yourself. How many miles did you get out of the current set?

 

[droorda]

Do it yourself. How many miles did you get out of the current set?

unsure. I just purchased a 2012 with 60k on it, and it's pretty obvious it needs some brake work.

 

[peterk9]

I thought they need to remove rotors to cut them. It's been 25 years since my bk job. Then the bearing get repacked since your doing a bk job it's time to repack. I saw hp pads around $75.00 so if you have an awd and tow you would not want a manny moe & jack special.

If by 'cut' you mean turn the rotors to smooth them, that can be done while they are on the vehicle. No need to remove them if you have the proper machine. BTW, pads are 'free' if the dealer does the work. See "List of Useful Threads" for that particular thread.

Peter

 

[RoadPointer]

For anyone's safety on the road, I advise that you consider your car dealer for a brake replacement unless you are a very good mechanic and really knowledgeable about such matter.

 

[rmcalis]

Actually $179 per axle is not bad if they replace the rotors, be sure the price is just for not for rotor resurfacing (be my guess). I prefer to do my own work, just to be sure it is done correctly. Look on UTube for any possible videos on how to do the job.

 

[chefduane]

For anyone's safety on the road, I advise that you consider your car dealer for a brake replacement unless you are a very good mechanic and really knowledgeable about such matter.

Ridiculous. Any person with minimal mechanical skill and who can read (and watch a utoob video) can do a brake job. No need for specialized skills or even special tools.

 

[reserved50]

I just buy new rotors and get ceramic pads every time, ceramic pads leave little to no dust on the wheels and suspension. Cheap pads usually make noise and dust while heavy duty performance pads sometimes need to be warmed up before they work well or at all (trust me its not fun two footing the brake for half a mile). The pads in the median price range, they take a little bit from the cheap pads and the performance pads.

The cheaper the rotors are the greater the chance you will have of warping them, if you barely hit 20mph and never drive on hills then buy whatever. If you do high speed driving or tow or drive in hilly regions try to purchase expensive rotors. Stay away from cross drilled rotors (may crack around holes and disrupt air flow internally) but slotted rotors do work to evacuate built up gas from braking and "cleaning" the pads.

 

[ieee_raider]

I haven't changed my explorer brakes yet but I'm sure it's coming soon.
Most cars I've worked on recently other than my F150 front hubs have rotors that can be removed without impacting bearings. (the hubs and rotors are separate)
Is this not the case with the explorer? I haven't taken mine apart yet to see.

 

[Napalm]

Modern cars and caliper brakes are very easy but I have to say 179 if that included some quality parts - and someone else's time in this heat. it's a bad price.

However I would do it myself - because what I call quality parts other people call expensive. I would go ahead and get new rotors - at least for the front - and pads would be either a wagner thermo quiet or hawk ceramic or something akin to those (both are a ceramic based high friction compound - often the wagners are cheaper)

Rotors - I would buy something with a name that's not centric. if they are under 40 dollars they are often to cheap. Yes most are made in china these days - but the cost comes when they take the time to machine the hat faces - check to ensure the rotor face is parallel to the hat faces - and they are weighted and checked for runout.

anywho. Doing the job your self you can also inspect your brakes and know exactly what you are dealing with. Check the boots - grease the pins - etc etc. Something most shops skimp on I've noticed.

 

[reserved50]

I thought Centrics were supposed to be good? They sell a few lines of rotors from very cheap to high end performance rotors.

Modern cars and caliper brakes are very easy but I have to say 179 if that included some quality parts - and someone else's time in this heat. it's a bad price.

However I would do it myself - because what I call quality parts other people call expensive. I would go ahead and get new rotors - at least for the front - and pads would be either a wagner thermo quiet or hawk ceramic or something akin to those (both are a ceramic based high friction compound - often the wagners are cheaper)

Rotors - I would buy something with a name that's not centric. if they are under 40 dollars they are often to cheap. Yes most are made in china these days - but the cost comes when they take the time to machine the hat faces - check to ensure the rotor face is parallel to the hat faces - and they are weighted and checked for runout.

anywho. Doing the job your self you can also inspect your brakes and know exactly what you are dealing with. Check the boots - grease the pins - etc etc. Something most shops skimp on I've noticed.

 

[Napalm]

Centric is cheap chinese crap. And they are the parent of Stop Tech who sells expensive chinese crap. I know I know racers all over use stop tech . . . . . Everytime I've held them in my hand they feel cheap.

the rotors - again most are indeed cast or even finished in china. can't help it - cheap cast steel. Those cheap o rotors that look like a good deal are probably cast in the same shop that makes the ones for wagner or whomever. Difference is - wagner and the others do spot checks to verify alloy consistency. (despite what you will read on the internet they are not exactly cast iron, and there is more to a brake rotor alloy than just being iron - due to the amount of carbon and nickel and manganese I and anyone else using a materials chart would call them steel but that's a longer thread some day)

So to that end - the wagner or other brand named device will then get faces with a mill - and checked for trueness. rejects are often sent to be remelted. OR they get put in a box for a no name part.

Why it's important - well un even rotors, or rotors where the face isn't parallel with the hat and mount plane - will wear your bearings quicker. But you don't know the alloy is the same at stock rotors either - or that they sink heat as well. Usually sure cheap rotors work fine for some people. Then that moran cuts over on you doing a 3 lane lane change in rush hour traffic. you panic stop and from then on you have pulsations in the floor board every time you hit the brakes.

OR you have a more quality rotor - it takes that abuse and asks for more. And it takes to using quality high friction pads too.

 

[reserved50]

are you saying even the top of the line Centrics and Stop Techs are not up to par with the average rotor, or just the cheap mass produced ones? I would guess the billet 2 piece rotors would feel ever so slightly better in your hand than cast rotors?


from both sites
http://www.centricparts.com/products/centric-premium-brake-rotors
"Centric premium rotors feature a double disc ground, taper free finish. Double disc grinding ensures parallelism, eliminates run out and provides near perfect disc thickness variation (DTV). Double disc grinding leaves a non-directional finish on the friction surface area for more effective pad-rotor break in. This special finish also provides quieter and smoother stops. The surface Roughness production standard for Centric Premium Brake Rotors: RMS=64.3 or Ra=1.6 micro-meters (63 micro-inches)."


http://www.stoptech.com/products/rotors/rotors-overview
StopTech AeroRotors®

"StopTech's patented AeroRotors® are 2-piece replacement rotors featuring a billet aluminum AeroHat® and AeroRotor® friction ring. These rotors feature a patented AeroVane® optimal cooling vane design to improve rotor airflow, cooling and heat capacity. This improved directional design minimizes turbulence and flows up to 61% more air than any rotor tested. Better airflow means better cooling and less fade."