Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Cost of a brake job

I don't turn rotors - they're usually cheap and just replace them.

Pads, rotors and MAYBE an hour of time per position for me and it's never even been close to 1k.


I can think of 1 time ever I replaced calipers but that's because they were shot. I don't do calipers unless there's a compelling reason. In this one case, the pucks wouldn't retract to allow pad replacement. She had gone WAY too long before doing brakes (whole car was a mess)

Yepp... $38 at Rock Auto for Raybestous 1997 Dodge 3500... ordered a few spares 2-3 months ago.

https://www.autoshack.com/Auto/Brakes/Discs-Rotors-Hardware

Best prices I've found online recently.
Quick shippers too.

Replaced a caliper one time and it turned out that the rubber line to the caliper was my problem, wouldn't let the piston retract and ate up a set of pads in about a months time.

Most brake fluid is hydroscopic (it absorbs moisture) which will ruin calipers and master cylinders... best to change at brake service time... Schit that squirts out of the bleeders will be ugly...

They quoted her 1300 for brakes on her Passatt. I did all 4 positions, including just rear calipers for 400, if I remember right. Was back in 2006.

To have a local garage do it. In the vicinity of $550 +/- per axle. If they find problems, well you know...

To do yourself, a little less than 1/2 of the above with new pads and rotors. Keep in mind the rotor mounting surfaces and axle hub have to be free of rust or you could induce rotor run-out

You shouldn't need brake fluid unless you are losing it somewhere.

Do you have any specialty tools should they be required?

If you've not done brakes before call on a buddy who has and/or get a good repair manual.

Dirty job...

On newer vehicles with electric parking brakes on the rears, brake pad changes can be a challenge.

1200 bucks to do a routine pad swap is highway robbery! If that includes replacing all 4 calipers, rotors, pads, etc... it still seems a little high.

I’ve been drivin’ for 46 years and have replaced a lotta pads on a lotta vehicles. Never, ever replaced a rotor or a caliper though. And never, ever replaced brake fluid either. And I’ve never had a single rotor turned either. And I’ve never had a problem with brakes at all, other than to simply replace worn pads.

It's amazing how much people pay for simple automotive maintenance.

A wrench set and a couple YouTube videos have saved a lot of non-mechanics a lot of money.

My sister does her own break jobs and she's 58.

1000 ought to do it.

I grew up in the car business... New cars, used cars and auto salvage, collision repair etc... cant count the brakes i've been in... and the # 1 cause for trouble was old brake fluid... followed by externally sticking calipers, and finally over tightening of lug nuts causing warped rotors...

You should be able to find YouTube videos taking you through the process, step-by-step, for your vehicle.

Order some copper grease to apply where the metal surface of pads touches the calipers. Also apply to the pins that hold the pads in place. This should eliminate break squeal. Do not get the grease on the stopping surface of the pads nor on the stopping surface of the rotors.

Very, very rare that you would need to replace the calipers.

5 years ago, the quote to do all four wheels on my Lexus IS was roughly $1300. Instead, purchased pads and rotors online. High performance parts - rotors are drilled and slotted. Far better longevity and stopping power than Lexus parts. I got 5 years and about 70,000 miles out of this set. Price 5 years ago was $368 for pads and rotors.

How tight should lug nuts be torqued?

depends on the vehicle, stud diameter ect, should be in the owners manual, service manual ect... i do most @ 90 to 100 ft lbs though for 1/2 inch studs... Heavy duty pick-ups will be more like 150 ft lbs...

Old brake fluid absorbs water, that moisture is then on the steel pistons that press the pads against the rotors. Over time the piston gets corrosion on it causing the piston to not retract/relax, in turn causing constant drag/friction between pad & rotor. Which increases over time, a high mileage vehicles brakes can and do lock-up stopping the vehicle.
Also the added heat will overheat the wheel-bearings causing pre-mature wear.

And yes ''turning rotors'' is a waste of time, I've ran stock rotors 150K+ miles and could have still kept running them.

$176 for pads and rotors on the front of a 20 year old gmc last week. Oriellly’s.

Seemed pricey.

Some O'Reilly Auto stores offer the service. Had it done for both the car and truck when I last did the brakes on them.