replacing brakes and rotors

[raychan]

Hi, i was checking the price for installing new brake pads and rotors on all four corners for my GS at a mazda dealership in calgary. and they're charing me for $800(canadian) for the job. Is that a fair price? <p>Thanks in advance!!

[mx3man83]

Thats kind of alot. Disk brakes are soo easy to change. If you have a slightly elevated mechanical ability you can do it on your own. Well, that and a few tools, and a manual if need be. Brake pads are cheap, i think you can get all four corners for like 40-50 dollars at autozone or pep boys(canadian tire is the canada version i believe?) Which, by the way, they have a lifetire warranty on. As for the rotors, you can buy some slotted ones nowadays for like 200(someone give the exact price, im not positive). If you would like to stick to stock, then just have yours re-surfaced. If they are beyond repair, try to find some at canadian tire or see what mazda charges you.

[Len-Dogg]

The only hard part about switching the brakes would be if you had to bleed the brake lines. You need a special tool or two people for that.

[mx3man83]

yes that is true if you have to replace the cylinders. But if its just pads, then thats a cinch.

[raychan]

Thank you so much for the helps. Yeah i guess i'll go check the price at other garages as well. I need to replace the rotors too coz they're all bent. As the mechanics in mazda told me. I'll see if i can re-surface them. <p>Thanks again.

[tommygunzit]

how do you change the pad on the front? do you have to take those two pins out? or do you undo the two bolts on the back? any help appreciated. FYI_ I tried taking the two pins out but they wouldn't come out all the way, are they flared? also, are those spacers required? thanks

[curtklze]

never machine your rotors, they are thin from the factory, if you machine them your making them thiner and they will warp again, but faster.

for a GOOD set of pads exsect to pay about 50-70 for the front and 30-70 for the rear at a local shop, and about 25-35 for each rotor at a locl shop.

you can always get the 3rd line elcheap-o stuff for about 20-30 for front pads and 15-30 for rear and 15-25 for each rotor, but expect squeeling noises and short life.

expect to pay about 1.5 - 2 hours labour.

$800.00 is way too much, about 300-500 is fair for good parts at a local shop.

dont forget, if your missing the pad retaining clips you will have to search them out or pay for a set of pads from the dealer $$$ Our brakes have a bunch of shims and clips and other stuff that likes to rust away and go missing so that may be why the price was so high.

[tommygunzit]

how do u take the front pads off?

[OsoSlo z28]

our rotors can be turned, just depends on how good the guy turning them is. some just take a bunch off to make sure it's all done. the good ones do a very little bit at a time. you can go to napa, not sure about in canada, and get premium rotors that do not need to be turned. if you get el-cheapo's, they still may need to be turned.

as for the pads, remove the wire clips and the pins. take a flat-head screwdriver and put it in between the pad and the caliper and pry it to push the piston back some. then slide the pads out.

[Talon_66]

Raychan go to Budget Brake and Muffler or Midas, u should get a better price from them

[OsoSlo z28]

if you have a set of wrenches/sockets, flat-head screwdriver, jack and jack-stands, and know how to use them all, there is no reason to not do this yourself.

[curtklze]

Why bother paying to machine warped/ grooved/ rusted up rotors when for 5 bucks more you can have brand new ones?, its also a matter of the vented part of the rotor being rusted, this wont allow the rotor to cool its self and it will warp again. machining (or "turning") the rotor doesnt remove the rust in the cooing fins that build up in northern winters due to salt and snow.

1)90% of new cars have rotors that you cant machine, due to the fact that when the pads wear out the rotor is almost worn to the min thikness.

2)If you want to machine tham any way, first you have to measure them to see if they are above the min spec, and you have to make sure that after machining them they are still above the minimum Thikness specified.

If they are under spec or very close then you cant machine them.

[tommygunzit]

thanks for the help guys, i'll give it a try. how hooped do the rotors have to be before you get new ones or machine them. they're not warped just groved a bit. and how important are the spacers. they're pretty rusty and there are two wierd looking things that fell off when I took the caliper off. they were'nt the flat spacers or the two wire springs but sorta half box looking metal things, are any of these things important? thanks

[OsoSlo z28]

those half-box looking things keep the vibration down and reduce noise. i didn't put one side on one time and drove around the block. i came back within 5min and put them back on.

[mitmaks]

bleed brakes anyways, air contamination water are getting in fluid with time. Replace all fluid and then bleed all 4 corners.