What approximate cost of a break job on a later model 1/2 ton chev pick up?

Call a couple mechanics in your area to find out or is there something else you are seeking..?

In my experience for everything including labor front and back around here…..$1200 ballpark

The cost of pads and brake fluid for the truck should be all. Too simple not to do it yourself.

Why not just replace the pads, and leave the brake fluid be…? Just fill the reservoir up if it’s low.

Yep, 100 bucks max...that should even cover the cost of a six-pack for after the job.

Front and rear pads from Walmart or RockAuto should run you about $50 - $60

New rotors and/or drums as well?

Don’t forget calipers

I almost never turn rotors... Anyone still do that by default?

Just To have it, if it's low and needs to be toped off.

People pay other men to do their brakes?

W newer stuff I just toss old and put new on. Seems quality of rotors these days sucks and they only last about as long as a good set of pads.

Hard to find somebody to even turn drums and rotors anymore.

I spent right at $1k doing my 2006 F350 4x4 a year ago. I bought new rotors, calipers and good pads all the way around. A shop doing the work would of probably been $2k.

Just as cheap to buy new if you need them, think I paid about fifty bucks a rotor for my dually.

I had a brake job done on an Acura RDX recently. I had all the rotors replaced with factory parts and I paid about $675.

1 ton vs 1/2 ton.

Them 1 tons are expensive phu.uckers to work on.

I punched in 2020 1500 Silverado as a random "Late Model" at Rock Auto.

They are "Out of Stock" on everything except AC Delco... $454 per caliper... OUCH!

how can you guys say what it cost without knowing what it needs....
brakes, rotors and installation will be right at 1000.00 dollars unless you go with the cheapy stuff and good luck with that most of those rotors arent true....
and yes if it just needs brake pads it will be cheaper

Why would you replace the calipers unless they are leaking? I wouldn't replace rotors either unless they are warped or scored. Brake pads are a maintenance part like an air filter etc.

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.

Good brakes are cheap life insurance, not only for yourself, but for all the people who have to share the road with you. You fools who will bet your life on a cheap brake job will probably draw to an inside straight. Let's play some high stakes poker. Where lights, steering, brakes, and other safety of operation systems are concerned, the very best you can do is just barely good enough.

I'm doubting you run your cars to "end of life".

People that run new stuff never see the issues that come with
long term use.

Same with brine/salt.

You run an older car here, you will see pads disappear due to corrosion.
That often ruins a rotor.

Or, stuck pistons due to corroision. Or stuck sliders.


What part of Colorado?
It's easy to get warped rotors here on our grades, can't imagine it
doesn't happen there.

On my '02 Chebby 2500 HD @ 120K miles

Four rotors @ $60 each...$240

Disc pads were $120 for both axles

Labor to my mechanic bud was $200 or so

So $560 or so..AC Delco parts...2 yrs ago

Normally rear brakes will last twice as long as the fronts. Have you looked to see if they need replacing? If they're disc instead of drums, a set of pads might be all they need, if anything.

Got a new set of shoes for the back 3-4 yrs ago when I did the front, they are still in the storage room.

While I don't disagree, the drama is high.

Some of the safest drivers I know, drive junk that would get many killed.😉

On all the vehicles I've ever owned, as rear brake shoes/pads wore down, the emergency brake had to be pulled / pushed further and further to engage.

I slapped new pads on my Dodge a couple of weeks ago for $27 including shipping all the way around with close out parts from Rockauto. I open the bleed screw on the back of the calipers when I push them in. That’s the total of the flush I do of the brake fluid. I have different brands front and back but I don’t care. I’ll watch for another close out sale and put some back for the F-150 I’m putting a new motor in. I watch for deals on wear parts I know I’m going to need.

That is some high drama. Dr. Fauci needs him on his mask advocacy team.

Cables stretch over the years. There might be an adjustment in it somewhere. A new set of shoes or pads will bring it back up a ways. My Dodge 2500 has a separate set of pads for the emergency brake. Since they rarely get any wear on them, they'll last indefinitely. It has rear discs with sort of a drum built in with the e-brake shoes inside.

Brakeman here - and the nickname comes from over 20 years in auto and truck brake design and performance testing of brakes for PBR, Bosch, & Akebono. I'm past my contracted silence time so I can say that I guess. I say don't EVER buy calipers unless you melted them or whacked them with a sledge hammer. Replacing the seals with a couple dollar kit is easy and cheap. As for the Fluid, only change it if it's really old. While it is hygroscopic, the brake fluid stays in a sealed protected environment unless you leave the reservoir cap off in the rain. Easy to test for. Dribble a drop on a really hot surface and if it just smokes and flames its fine but if it bubbles an pops it has water.

Brake fluid is called Hygroscopic, That means it absorbs moisture... Even though braking systems are essentially closed systems... THEY STILL ABSORB WATER... Water being heavier than brake fluid, It goes to the lowest point in the system... (That of course is the calipers and or wheel cylinders) Causing rust which damages the bores... Which leads to sticking/dragging brakes... Which quickly wears out the pads and damages the rotors... Requiring replacement... The best and cheapest way to avoid this is to change your brake fluid periodically (more often on vehicles that aren't driven regularly)... A good test is to pump some fluid through a clear plastic hose attached to the caliper bleed screw... If the fluid comes out dark and or rusty looking, You should have changed it sooner... Brake fluid is a lot Cheaper and easier to change than Calipers, Pads & Rotors... In my experience anyway... I'L give you one thing though... You spell Hygroscopic better than i do...

2 years is the normally recommended interval for changing brake fluid. As 7mm_Loco posted, anyone who has ever watched the first fluid coming from the bleed screws after a long interval flushing will attest to dirty fluid coming out. That is from corrosion which not only happens in the calipers but also the master cylinder.

It's also a good idea to inspect the brake hoses when doing brakes, especially if they are 10 years or older. Look for any dry rot, brittleness, cracks, gouges, or any signs of rubbing (particularly on the front ones). If one hose needs replacing, replace them all.

Brake flex hoses fail from the inside out, so inspect all you want- - - -you won't see any external deterioration until a hose is far past its effective lifespan. Crack the bleeder screw open a little while pushing the caliper pistons back during a pad change, and that dirty, heat damaged fluid that's been cycling in and out of the caliper for thousands of miles will spill out. Pump the brake pedal a few times to seat the new pads and top off the master cylinder with fresh fluid. Brake rotor swept surfaces need to stay parallel with each other within .0005"- - - -1/3 the thickness of a strand of hair- - - -so either have the rotors machined or replace them at every pad change. That's been an industry standard since the mid-1960's when front disc brakes came along.