hey im going to midas to get my new pads put in..... i wana know how much i will spending... i asked the guy for a price.... says he didnt give it over the phone.... yea i should go somewhere else... but they are all rip offs..... so how much should i see to spend on new pads and im getting them installed there. i would try to do it myself.... but if i fu<k up then im fu<ked... so its good that someone that knows what there doing..... aight thanks guys

 

F_cking up brakes is one of the hardest things to do, IF you have the right tools.

To do the front brakes, all you need to have is a 3/8" ratchet, allen head wrenches for the ratchet (I don't remember what size), 2 flat head screwdrivers, needle nose pliers, channel locks, and a pretty large "C"-clamp.

1. Unbolt the caliper from the bracket by using the allen head wrench. Hank it with a wire (an old coat hanger) and NOT from the brake hose.

2. Use the needle nose pliers to remove the cotter pin from the net retainer.

3. Use the channel locks to unbolt the nut and the wheel bearing.

4. Grab the rotor and pull. As you pull the rotor off the spindle, you can use the end of the spindle to pop the grease seal out of the back of the rotor. Or you can lay one of the screwdrivers across the hole to use as a leverage point, and use the other screwdrive to pry out the seal.

6. Take the rotor(s) to have it resurfaced. Most parts stores will 'turn' your rotors for free if you bought the pads from them.

7. Re-install the grease seal.

8. Place the rotor on the spindle. Then re-install the wheel bearing, along with the nut/nut retainer. The nut does NOT have to be tightened down as hard as you can. Finger tight is usually all that's needed.

9. Remove the outter brake pad from the caliper. Leave the inner one in to use for compressing the piston back into the cylinder.

10. Remove the lid on the brake fluid resevoir (<-- Spelling?)

11. Mount the "C"-clamp onto the caliper with the base of the clamp against the caliper itself, and the screw against the inner brake pad which you left in, and SLOWLY push the piston into the caliper.

12. Remove the inner pad, taking note to which one it is.

13. Just put it back together the opposite way that it came apart.

I would love to finish and have it more accurate, but I can't keep my eyes open. If you have more questions, PM me.

AJ

 

3/8" allen wrench or socket for the caliper bolts is all you need after you get the wheel off.

DO IT YOURSELF!!!

I had my Iroc taken in for a free brake inspection. The guy called back and told me I needed all new brakes, rotors and all. That's what prompted me to do the 1LE upgrade. The guy quoted me...get this...$965 for stock brakes!!!!!!!!!!

My 1LE upgrade will cost me $200 less than that.

If all you are doing is pads, just follow AJ's instructions, have the rotors turned, and get a new caliper if you need to. The iron calipers shouldn't cost you over $15-20 for "new" remanufactured ones....don't mess with used ones from Ebay. While you're at it, replace the hoses if you aren't strapped for cash.

 

Listen to me: the first time you do your front brakes yourself, you will kick yourself for ever paying somebody to do them for you. It's that easy.

If you're still gonna have someone do it for you, and you're getting all new parts, look at paying anywhere from $600 to whatever ***rape rate they feel like charging.

Or..... do it yourself and pay (using replacement parts, not performance parts):

$15 +/- $10 for pads (depending on brand)
$32 for new rubber lines
$48 for GM unloaded calipers
$50 for new rotors or $22 to have them turned
$50 for new inner/outer bearings, seals, brake fluid, brake cleaner, and bearing grease
-----
What are we at now? $195 just for the front? That's just parts and supplies. Imagine that with the mechanic's parts markup and labor costs on top of it..

Anyway, if you attempt it, remember the 1st rule of doing brakes: do one side at a time!

 

fellas.... i need new everthing... i just had the car checked out... i need new rotors... they have been shaved passed the minimum...pads are done.... after everything is said and done.. its 335 for it all.... i cant do it... i dont have the tools plus my dad will not let me do it.... like i said.... he wants someone who knows what there doing to do it... because if i fu<k up im dead....so i am going to have do get them done...i went to a family friend who owns a garage in North jersey... he said thats about right....i called 2 other places to compare... im still waiting for there call.... aight thanks anyway fellas.... peace

 

Well you guys convinced me to do mine, but how hard is it to change the rubber hoses? (mine are stock) Is it hard to get all the air out if you redo the hoses? I've never bled off a brake system either, but my dad has. but he wont help me. to busy.

 

You can get new calipers at Autozone for $9.99 a piece,and rotors for $24.99 a piece.The hoses were are very simple to install.
I just did mine a few weeks ago,and I also picked up a set of "easy bleeders"which have a check ball inside the bleeder so when you push the, pedal fluid comes out and when you release the pedal, the ball slides back down and prevents any air from going back into the line..Man those things ROCK..Makes things so much easier..........

 

Speaking of bleeding brakes, check out this month's issue of Car Craft. They have an excellent article on bleeding brakes and a cheap "power bleeding" setup. They put a metal plate with a gasket on the master cylinder and force bleed the brakes with compressed air. Pretty damn nifty way of doing it.

Also, there's a SWEEEETTT '69 Camaro poster in the centerfold.

 

ARGH! Screw THAT! Search the archives, I tried that a few months ago. I tried pressurizing the plastic cap via a grommet & vinyl tube leading to a bottle of brake fluid, which was pressurized- no go, the plastic cap coudn't hold the pressure, and I got brake fluid all over. Okay, no big deal, I'll go make a plexiglass top. I cut it. I cut three 6" lengths of angle iron, and they went on top of the plexiglass. Three pieces of chain looped under the m/c body and each went to a lengh of angle iron.

The damn plexiglass cracked, and, yep, brake fluid everywhere. I thought about using a steel cap for, oh, about 2 minutes, and then threw everything in the trash, plans and all. (I took it out later, but still...) http://www.brakebleeder.com is my savior!

But I do still use the pressurized bottle on my brake system- just, after the m/c, not on it. I gotta pick this magazine up.

Oh but yeah, change your own pads, go buy a Haynes manual, they have a picture-by-picture shot of the brakes being done. Wow, $300. Rotors are what, $50 each? Brake pads are $30? A pack of cotter pins from Pep Boys is $3, a tub of bearing grease is $5? The Haynes manual is $15. A 3/8" allen socket can't be more than $10. Torque wrench for $40, and, uh, ... oh- a big c-clamp for $5 from Home Depot.

You really can't screw 'em up, unless you're drunk, or just being a jerk about them. Go slow and you've got it. Have you thought about going to a "real" mechanic instead of Midas? I'd trust them more than Midas... they'd probably handle your car better. And no, I"m not talking about Sears or Pep Boys or Strauss auto or AutoZone...

 

hey guys i got of thoes repair books at pep boys.... the haynes manual.... and i see the section on how to put new brakes on.... doesnt seem that hard... the hard part is convincing my dad on me doing it.... well see... sounds like he likes the idea of me not spending $340 if i can do it for like 200... im might get power stop rotors... there 80 each... so thats 160+s&h=$200?... the pads...35 from summit+s&h=$45.... 245...plus greese for bearings... i saved like 90 dollars.... and thats if i go for the power stops.... i might just get regular rotors for like 70 and pads for 25.. so i save a sh*t load of money... wish me good luck talkin to my dad about it... aight peace

 

tomP where in central jersey do u live?... im finding out there are a lot more central jersey people on here now..... i live in monmouth county... near asbury park and Eatontown... that would be great if i could catch up with ya and if u had any tips for me... thanks aight peace

 

The Powerstop rotors from Summit are fine.. I have them and have been using them for 3+ years now with no problems. But don't waste your money on their VGX pads. They don't seem to last very long (6 months the first time, 9 months the second time, 6 months the 3rd time). This last time, I was tight on cash so I got a set of cheapo $8 pads, and they're still going now 11 months later with PLENTY of meat left. And, they don't put out as much brake dust. So I believe VGX pads suck (I gave them 3 chances). There was no difference in braking power from those two pads.

Those aren't new, they're rebuilt.

 

I just redid my front brakes today. Make sure you have a manual(or somebody who knows what they're doing handy.) I got new rotors and pads $125 total for the good ones. When i almost had things back together, i figured i would need new caliper bolts, so i went and picked them up $15. I got everything back together, and went for a test drive. The car pulled hard to the left(on of my calipers was sticking) I ended up going back to the store to get rebuilt ones $45 for both. The right brake was too hot to mess with anymore tonight, so i ended up spending almost $200 and a whole afternoon on what was ment to be a normal $30 brake pad swap. My advice is to do it yourself. You really need to learn sometime. And don't be cheap, If i would have gone ahead and got the new calipers in the first place, I would have saved myself from doing it twice, and I could have driven my car tomorrow.