TexasCTD

I have 115K miles on my truck and decided the time is getting near to have my brakes replaced. Im still on the originals and they don't have any problem right now that im aware of. Maybe 3/4s worn but no grinding or noises. I try to stay ahead on my maintenance and don't want to have some sort of failure down the line when I could have prevented it in advance.

So that said.....brakes are prob next on my list, followed by serpentine belt, water pump and batteries....which are all currently original equipment.


While I was out running errands, I stopped by my local Dodge dealer and had my truck's annual state inspection. I inquired about brakes and basically they quoted me about $600.00. I just laughed under my breath and said thanks. I'll pass for now.

I went down the road to a local "Just Brakes" and they quoted about $300 to turn rotors, new brake pads, and flush out and refill brake fluid. That sounded pretty reasonable to me. What concerns me with them is im afraid they are going to try to "find" something wrong after they start on the job and "advise" me to have this or that done (that I don't really need) just so they can up their bill......after my truck brakes etc. is tore down in their shop.

I normally do my own maintenance and I have never had a mechanical break down so far on the truck. But I know nothing about brakes except that I want mine to work very well and I think it's about time to have them replaced. Whoever I go to, I will be standing right there with my truck watching whoever it is like a hawk, but friendly and out of their way.

What do you recommend? Any problems with a "Just Brakes" store? For the money........$300 (if that is all it totals to).....i'd rather have them do it than for me to mess with trying it myself, especially in our 100 degree heat. That price includes the new pads, turned rotors, and brake fluid. I guess it sounds reasonable to me if they don't run the bill up in some other way. Yes?

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8mpg

Screw Just Brakes...They have messed over a couple friends in the past. Their gimmick is to tear the truck apart and pull the rotors and calipers.. Then they say this or that needs to be replaced. If you say no, they say they wont put the truck back together because its not safe to be on the road. Then the next thing you know, they want $1500 for calipers, rotors and pads.

Just find a good mechanic and have them do it. If I were to do it, Id buy some EBC slotted/dimpled rotors (dont buy crossdrilled rotors) and some Greenstuff pads. I dont bother turn rotors, I just replace them. Most of the time by the time your turn them all the way, they get thin and are more prone to warp.

115k..you got your moneys worth on the stockers.

8Valve

What is a typical price for NAPA rotors and pads vs the EBC Slotted/Dimpled rotors and green stuff pads. I am getting near needing to do a brake job on my 03.

thanks
8Valve

TexasCTD

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/EBC-DP71650/



So should I buy a set of "Green Stuff" pads and go to a local mechanic? Rotors are pretty dang expensive to buy new....at least at Summit. I don't think mine are having a problem right now. Couldn't they go another 100K if they were turned?

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tomm

Brakes aren't hard to do.
Pull the wheel, undo a couple of bolts, take the cap off the resivoir and compress the caliper piston with a C clamp.
You can sand the rotors in a circular fashion to remove any varnish and the hit everything with Brakleen.
Install new pads and reverse the process.
I've had mixed results with the "noise stop" goo they sell to stop chatter.
Check the resivoir level and replace the cap.

I only turn rotors if I get down to the wear sensors or feel scoring by rubbing my fingernail over the rotor inboard to outboard.

I don't bleed them unless the fluid looks or smells bad.

Be sure to get the right fluid.

MikeyB

Hey Robert,

If you want (it's a drive for you though) is to bring the truck down to my Dad's place near Willis so we can do the brakes, and true the rotors.

MikeyB

Mexstan

Why turn the rotors if the brakes are stopping the vehicle smoothly?
Just slap new pads on and in most cases you are good to go. The ridges worn in the rotors add to the braking area as the pads wear in.

TexasCTD

MikeyB.....I might consider taking you up on that. It may be a few weeks though as I have a few things going on.....trip to Arkansas (towing), son's birthday one weekend...etc.

Tom and Stan...As far as I know there is no problem with my rotors at all. Putting on new brake pads may be all it needs. Shoot, I could probably go to 150K miles w/o doing anything. I just want to stay on top of my maintenance.

One thing that I want to do, and this intimidates me more than changing brake pads..........is flush out my brake fluid with new. Im still on the original stuff. I replace every other fluid on the truck....but doesn't brake fluid need to get replaced too? Mine is 5 years old. The truck went in service on 7-31-04.

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8mpg

they are quite a bit more expensive but perform much better and less brake dust. You are talking $400-450 for parts.

dragrcr

I used to think it was a waste of time and money to turn the rotors. But I resently read some tech on this. Nowadays with these pads/Brakes that last as long as they do (yours included!) the surface of the rotor wears quite a bit. So there is a ridge at the edge of where the pad was riding on the rotor. It will be pronounced. Just check it out when you start. So when you put your new pads on there, the edge of that pad is square and that area on the rotor is rounded. So that square edge of the pad does 2 things. It causes localized overheating of that area of the rotor and it keeps the pads from seating properly on the rotor.
Is this a huge deal?? Probably not, but there is a small chance it could cuase problems and I know for a fact you will have better Brakes overall and better seating of the pads on a NEW FLAT surface.
I also got the feeling that you want it done right and were asking for advice to insure that.
Ron.

Ace

Just hangin' pads used be a viable approach to a 1st service years ago when they rarely lasted more the 20-30k miles, but not anymore for the reasons Ron mentions above. Just the time factor alone in 5 years means degraded caliper performance soon to come due to seals getting marginal, old fluid, etc. Nowadays pads, rotors (maybe turned, but I'd get new on a vehicle that expects them to go 100k miles) and new fluid minimum. Personally I'd do all new rotors, pads and calipers along with a fresh flush/bleed. What do you want for the next 100k miles? JMHO.

TexasCTD

Sure I want it done right! Im trying to plan for it now so I don't have a problem later.....even though they are giving me no problems even now.

I do have a slight "ridge" on my rotors.....where they have worn in from the pads.

If it is your collective recommendation to replace all 4 rotors with new, then I will do it. I just didn't know it was necessary yet. And certainly I don't want to spend a bunch of money unnecessarily.

Right now it is 101 degrees here as I type.....so im not very motivated to get right on this job... I have yard work waiting for me too..

But I want to plan and prepare for it. So if you have suggestions on what to get and where to get it....please post a link. And should I try to tackle this myself (not every having done so).....or pay a local mechanic to do it while I watch. I think I can probably take parts off and replace. But I don't know how to "bleed" brakes to put in the new fluid. This is the first vehicle I have ever done any significant work on myself.........and it's also the first vehicle that I ever plan on getting 500K miles or more out of.

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Totallyrad

I just did the rears on mine a couple weeks ago. Here's the link to the Wiki article. http://wiki.dieseltruckresource.com/...en_Rear_Breaks

TexasCTD

Rick thanks for the link to your article. I would say it would be a little above my head without some assistance from somebody that knows what they are doing right there with me, helping. "a man has got to know his limits"..

I guess i'll just order some brakes/rotors etc....and try to find a local mechanic or just go to "Just Brakes". I like to tackle fun projects, but honestly this one doesn't look that fun to me, especially when it's 100+ degrees. And when I don't know what im doing it will take me a whole weekend (and maybe more) to do something like this and my time is to important to me.

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8mpg

I doubt you will need to mess with the rear brakes. Id just replace the fronts, its where most of the braking is done.