Price to have brake pads fitted?

[06 Sportivo Bloke]

Whats a decent price to have front and rear brake pads fitted and rotors machined? (i bought the pads myself but am regretting it now)

[Guest]

fitting brake pads takes maybe 5-10 minutes a corner (using a hoist + air tools)... and any good mechanic should be able to machine the rotors on the car.

I would estimate no more than two hours labor to do both the pads and rotors... so somewhere in the vicinity of $200.

Are you sure you need the rotors machined though?

[david.]

I was quoted $80 to get my rotors machined by a local brake & clutch mechanic, but I don't remember if it was for the front two rotors or all four :/ He was willing to fit the pads for free since he had to take off the caliper anyway, so see if your mechanic's willing to do that :P

[06 Sportivo Bloke]

I am not sure if I need them machined just heard from a few different places I have called that its probably wise.

I have had the car 3.5 years now and haven't done them in this time, how far apart do you do it?

Or do you mainly do it if the rotr is warped or something?

[Guest]

I am not sure if I need them machined just heard from a few different places I have called that its probably wise.

I have had the car 3.5 years now and haven't done them in this time, how far apart do you do it?

Or do you mainly do it if the rotr is warped or something?

I would only do it when the rotor has a lip worn in it (and can be machined) or has a slight warp...

[viper33]

Best to always machine pads when replacing rotors

But before machining make sure to measure rotors to ensure that they're not undersize

[DJKOR]

Best to always machine pads when replacing rotors

But before machining make sure to measure rotors to ensure that they're not undersize

Not necessarily. If you rotors are not warped or have irregularities on the surface, then machining them can be more wasteful. When you machine them, you ultimately loose some thickness to them. This in turn reduces the amount of metal to absorb and dissipate the heat from braking. While the difference isn't a whole lot, it's still a difference in the negative direction. Most of the time, if your rotors are producing no vibration during braking and appear to show even wear, then changing just the brake pads should be fine as part of the whole process of bedding in the pads is the match the surface of the pad with the surface of the rotor to counter for any minor irregularities.

[K8Canb]

Best to always machine pads when replacing rotors

But before machining make sure to measure rotors to ensure that they're not undersize

Looks like you mixed up the word pads for rotars. I guess you meant "Best to always machine rotars when replacing pads."

K8canb

[06 Sportivo Bloke]

When they do brake pads front and rear is it just my imagination or should the brake pedal feel tight and new not sloppy and loose?

[STYLSH]

Has it been bedded properly? Has it been bled properly if they removed the the lines or replaced the fluids?

[06 Sportivo Bloke]

i don't know :( I know it sounds dumb :(

Maybe my fault I only asked em to fit the pads and do rotors :(

Sorry to waste your time

I'm still learning :(

[viper33]

Best to always machine pads when replacing rotors

But before machining make sure to measure rotors to ensure that they're not undersize

Looks like you mixed up the word pads for rotars. I guess you meant "Best to always machine rotars when replacing pads."

K8canb

Yes I did, sorry if i confused anyone and caused them to ask their mechanics to machine their pads :P

Machining doesn't take that much of your rotors if its done right and if the rotors are not majorly warped, each to their own i guess

[viper33]

Btw jimmy if the pedal was spongier after the pad replacement then its their fault, cause the caliper piston needs to be pushed back and depending on how its done it can let air into the lines

If it was just the same after then they should've probably told you that the brakes need to be bled but is not necessarily part of a pad change

[mbruce]

On the issue of warping, GSL Rally sport posted this on Facebook the other day, thought it might be of interest:

Contrary to almost universal belief, cast iron disc rotors do not warp! It's a condition called disc thickness variation (DTV), whereby the pad material has been laid down unevenly on the rotor. Pads don't interact directly with the rotor, they interact with a layer of their own material that's been laid down, thus why bedding pads in properly is so important!

Pad material is laid down unevenly from either the use cheap crappy pad materials or pad material which is unsuitable for the application the vehicle is being used for, or from excessive wheel bearing float. The vast majority of issues with brakes ‘warping’ is actually excessive wheel bearing float, and people blame the rotor when in 10,000k’s the problem is back!

Even if the rotor measures out of true, doesn’t mean the rotor is the problem. Disc thickness variation (which wasn’t a rotor issue) can cause hotspots on the rotors, and that’s what causes the distortion of the rotor. But the underlying problem is VERY rarely the rotor!

Before jumping to the conclusion that your rotors are ‘warped’, here some tips:

- Ensure that a proper and adequate bed in was done. With the emphasis being on constant application, not excessive.

- Check the wheel bearings as best you can

- Justify your pad choice with the vehicle’s recent use. If there’s a mismatch, be sure to change to a different pad.

[Valalan]

I have just been quoted $396.00 to have new disc rotors and pads to my front brakes

[nhp]

Go to mobile mechanic bro, just done it $130 included genuine pads for each axle and $160 if rotors machined

[fivese7en]

DBA rotors are good quality ones for what you pay. I get my brake pads replaced for $140 bendix pads for front or rear.

[rad000]

i just buy new discs every time I change my pads. It costs like $80-90 for a pair of RDA front discs on eBay so I just figure I may as well buy them instead of getting them machined. I change them myself but I guess you could give the discs to the mechanic to install when the pads are being changed. There shouldn't be any extra labour required to change the discs over as they just slide on when the caliper is removed.

Edited August 20, 2013 by rad000

[Hiro]

i just buy new discs every time I change my pads. It costs like $80-90 for a pair of RDA front discs on eBay so I just figure I may as well buy them instead of getting them machined. I change them myself but I guess you could give the discs to the mechanic to install when the pads are being changed. There shouldn't be any extra labour required to change the discs over as they just slide on when the caliper is removed.

There is extra work to fit rotors if you're doing pads at the same time. There is basically no extra work to fit pads if you're doing rotors at the same time. Yes there is a difference....

If you're just changing pads then the caliper pad holder stay bolted to the hub (which prevents the rotor coming off) and the caliper piston housing pivots up allowing you to change the pads - you then reset the piston and pivot the unit back down over the new pads.

Changing the rotor requires you to completely remove the caliper and pad holder from the hub.

[rad000]

i just buy new discs every time I change my pads. It costs like $80-90 for a pair of RDA front discs on eBay so I just figure I may as well buy them instead of getting them machined. I change them myself but I guess you could give the discs to the mechanic to install when the pads are being changed. There shouldn't be any extra labour required to change the discs over as they just slide on when the caliper is removed.

There is extra work to fit rotors if you're doing pads at the same time. There is basically no extra work to fit pads if you're doing rotors at the same time. Yes there is a difference....

If you're just changing pads then the caliper pad holder stay bolted to the hub (which prevents the rotor coming off) and the caliper piston housing pivots up allowing you to change the pads - you then reset the piston and pivot the unit back down over the new pads.

Changing the rotor requires you to completely remove the caliper and pad holder from the hub.

There's only one bolt of difference between pivoting the caliper and completely removing the caliper. It's not hard at all.

[Hiro]

There's only one bolt of difference between pivoting the caliper and completely removing the caliper. It's not hard at all.

It is more than just the number of bolts. I'm not saying it is harder, just it takes longer - you have to physically remove the caliper, retain it to stop it damaging the brake lines, and the process of fitting the caliper complete over the rotor WITH brake pads fitted is more difficult, and the easier way you end up re-assembling it without the pads and then doing the pad change (or refit) afterwards. Thus, don't be surprised if a mechanic charges extra labour for the job (if you've got a good mechanic then they may waive it).

The extra effort over all 4 wheels may equate to an hour's worth of extra labour, which at ~$80-90 an hour is not insignificant

[rad000]

There's only one bolt of difference between pivoting the caliper and completely removing the caliper. It's not hard at all.

It is more than just the number of bolts. I'm not saying it is harder, just it takes longer - you have to physically remove the caliper, retain it to stop it damaging the brake lines, and the process of fitting the caliper complete over the rotor WITH brake pads fitted is more difficult, and the easier way you end up re-assembling it without the pads and then doing the pad change (or refit) afterwards. Thus, don't be surprised if a mechanic charges extra labour for the job (if you've got a good mechanic then they may waive it).

The extra effort over all 4 wheels may equate to an hour's worth of extra labour, which at ~$80-90 an hour is not insignificant

Yeah fair enough, point taken. I'm obviously not a mechanic and don't time how long things take to change at my own house haha. Ok let me change what I said before to I would only buy new discs if I was doing it myself or if I was getting a mechanic to change them due to them being absolutely ruined.

[ShannonSmith]

Port Adelaide

$60.00 to fit front brakes. excellent old school mechanic.

[boxerboy]

$60 would be great.

I've been quoted b/w $120 & $299 for the front pads (bendix) and machining. Everyone recommends machining.

There is a slight pulsation when braking.