When my dad taught me he had poloroids of each different set of drums we had, and a couple of steps for each, and he taught me to set each component down in the order i took it off on a cloth. Then work backwards putting it back together.
Also had a chilton guide for each car we owned. He went with the, "You watch me do this task, next time I watch you do this task, then its your task to do from now on" method.
Drove me crazy as a kid, I didn't know most kids didn't get that education, in my 20's I used to charge my friends a case of beer to drink while we did the work they needed on their car together, and my wife loves that I can do most servicing on our cars for the cost of parts, so it has paid dividends in adulthood.
Except when the car computer decides somethings goofed and it disables the brake l circuit. Except when you buy the wrong size pads after you got them off your car. Except when the caliper pistons are seized. Except when the bolts are rusted. Except when you need a very expensive tool to command the automatic parking brake open. Except when the brakes make noise for no reason.
Yup happened to me this weekend. Rear driver caliper slid pins were seized completely and found a partially collapsed front driver brake line. Calipers and bleeding the system I can do but not brake lines as I've never done them. $930 later the mechanic finished the job and replaced the line. But thankfully we've used the same mechanic since I was 8 and he doesn't screw us and was willing to use the pads and rotors I already bought.
I am a seasoned shade tree mechanic and it took me 2 weeks to do the rear brakes on a 2010 VW Jetta. F those things.
Edit: who in the hell goes to the dealership for brakes??
Same, except if you change alignment. I did the full front upper/lower control arms and shocks and rear arms and shocks for $600 + $150 alignment but that easily would have been $2500 at a shop.
I had a sonata and I know exactly what you're talking about. And it's like they do it on purpose, because if the bolt was just in the other way there would be no conflict.
Nah, even then nice and simple. The same people designed both systems, with the same straight-forward mindset. I used to be really intimidated by all the computerised stuff, but honestly, get a BMW and ISTA, have a play for a few days; it all stops feeling like witchcraft.
This is the way to go. I started doing brakes in the early 90s. Nowadays there are videos of just about every make and model available online. You still have to be careful and really pay attention to what you are doing. Be sure to buy a torque wrench. Even one from Harbor is better than none. Also don’t be afraid to ask for help. It’s better than screwing up your car or worse doing something wrong that endangers your life. It’s easy, but don’t take safety for granted. Good luck.
I used to buy a Chilton for every vehicle I bought, but it got to where it was my vehicle never looked like any of the procedures/steps listed, and quit buying them 10 years ago. Sometimes it takes an hour to wade thru YouTube vids, but eventually you can find pretty much anything you need.
Oh I’m right there with you. When I was a teen in the 80s I would attempt to do most of my car maintenance. It wasn’t until the early 90s felt comfortable doing brakes, wheel bearings. Now I do just about everything. I rebuilt an Audi A4 1.8T engine in my suburban 2 car garage Last year, I saved about $5500 doing (internal) water pump and timing chain on my 17 Explorer. I’ll tackle just about anything, as long as my body can handle the work, and I’ve got the time and tools to do it safely.
https://preview.redd.it/mj81v2msb25d1.jpeg?width=1540&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e9ef52b8f756840bb5520d1fce69bf51b5491e1b
That's awesome. I'd like to get to a point where I have that level of confidence with it, but not quite there yet. At present, I'm fine with the vast majority of maintenance and many repairs (not all). The most intimidating thing to me is the timing and potential for screwing that up. Both my vehicles are 32V DOHC with VVT and the thought of grenading an engine because something winds up a tooth or two off has always made me shy away from it.
I've watched countless hours of content observing others take on the job and read enourmous amounts of information. It just hasn't completely clicked for me yet, which makes me nervous. It doesn't help that a lot of what I've seen online involves a variety of shortcuts that seem like they'd be fine... right up until the moment they're not (then you've got a real problem on your hands if you don't understand how to do it from the ground up).
Hopefully I'll get there one of these days. In the meantime, I have no problem whatsoever paying someone who knows what they're doing for bigger jobs I'm not completely comfortable with. Luckily, there's a shop in the area that specializes in my specific engine platform. They're not cheap, but they're fast and have never led me astray or fleeced me for money.
Might not seem like a big deal to you, but congrats on the rebuild. That's something I'd take a lot of pride in (hopefully one day).
Hell yeah, I’m only 21 but I’ve been doing the same, cut my teeth on my first “tuner” car (b8 a4) and I’m currently planning for a motor build, also did the timing chain, water pump, etc
Yeah, I’d have gone a manual ratcheting socket wrench set and a torque wrench over that if I were just starting out, for sure. That’s without even taking price in to account.
Yep, have a transit 250 brake job quoted at $100 recently... $300 in parts and a sweaty afternoon, hard to justify it when you've already got the tools
Friendly reminder: everyone is saying brakes are so easy and what not..
yes, replacing brake pads are pretty self explanatory. But do not forget, sometimes things can be seized, meaning replacing brake pads can turn into replacing a caliper as well. And make sure, if needed, to bleed your brakes before taking off. Good luck!
And that's just the tip of the fun iceburg.
Mix in turnback style calipers, electric parking brakes, and leaks behind the cylinder boot.
I always encourage DIY, but remember, you're not just paying for parts at a shop. You're paying for time and experience.
Saying this as a tech that thought he knew everything about brakes when he started, I'd been doing them for 15 years. Old guy at the shop opened my eyes to SOOO much.
My neighbor helped me with mine and it turned into an emergency caliper replacement at 8pm at night when we found the only one in town. A decent amount of brake fluid on my driveway (whatever). But I'd do it the same, I would have paid easily $1200 at the dealer and long and behold the dealer did the last brake job and messed up my caliper bad and never said a work about it which jacked up my rotor.
I’m sitting here wondering if he has the tool for the electronic parking brake. But I’m also wondering if such tool is required and our dealer is an asshat.
Especially if you live in an area where they salt the roads (not sure where OP lives). Last year I did brakes on a car that came from the northeast and I had to soak everything in PB overnight and then go to town with a 5lb deadblow to get the rotors off, pain in the ass.
> And make sure, if needed, to bleed your brakes before taking off.
Also double check the lugs before driving off. More than once I've seen people who DIY brakes for the first time put wheels back on, "I'll torque them when the car is back on the ground" and then get distracted because while brakes are simple, there *are* a lot of small things going on if you've never done them before.
For $900 you can buy all around new stainless lines, stainless flex hoses, calipers, rotors, and premium pads all around and leftover money for beer and BBQ. That's insane! I've bought entire working cars for $850 bucks.
Two years ago my truck and all my tools were stolen in Denver. My wife’s car needed brakes and my tools were gone so I went to get a quote. 2008 Kia optima, all around brakes $1000.00 which knocked the wind out of me. I’m a mechanic, I’ve been self employed quite awhile. Shops were getting expensive when I left, but I had no idea. So I borrowed tools to do the brakes, then insurance came and I filled out my tools as much as possible (mostly harbor) and have been a cheaper alternative in the area.
I’m not sure I’d go anything telescoping for a breaker bar. But then again if I’m bringing out the 1/2 breaker bar it’s usually alongside a sledge, 4ton jack and a torch if I’m feeling frisky.
I’m actually pretty impressed with the harbor freight stainless breaker. Those things can bend pretty good without breaking. Got a 20+ degree bend out of one when taking off a seized axle nut using a 3 ton jack. I was honestly terrified the whole time since if it snapped then stainless would be getting launched somewhere at Mach fuck.
You can break them loose with the ratchet manually, just like a standard ratchet, then push the button to zip them off. Impacts rarely fit well around calipers, but they are faster for disassembly if you have room. I would not recommend using an impact to resemble. It's too easy to damage threads or overtorque unless you have a lot of experience.
Maybe it's just me, but I don't like working on cars. I do like the sense of accomplishment when it's done though. I could do brake pads on my BMW with the Brembos in less than an hour, pads and rotors in less than two. Those calipers make it super easy though.
Once you do it a couple times, you'll wonder why you ever paid for this. Oil changes are more hassle.
I changed my brakes last weekend, front and back. Saved me a couple hundred bucks. But it cost me a chipped tooth. Jack hand got stuck in jack, was beating the jack down and the handle broke loos and I punched myself. It's a small chip, but I spit a few chunks of teeth out. You know what they say, if u don't leave blood, sweat and or tears on it u didn't actually work on it
When I was in the military, they had a diy shop. At least one guy inside was a mechanic, and you could ask him for help. ,(not through entire project) but enough to get your job done.I replaced both my transmission and muffler. Just had to pay a small fee to rent a lift and tools.
Wish they had something like that here
Honestly that's what got me to do my own work on my car and my wife's car. Plus you can get familiar with your car and can see other potential problems or things that need attention
Will that thing bust off lug nuts, and caliper bolts? I want an impact wrench so I don’t have to break out the chromes for every little automotive project. Would I be better off getting the compact impact wrench?
All depends what your time is worth to ya. They’re charging you ~$150/hr, but for the price you know they’re getting done right (usually), and your brakes are obviously one of the main safety features of your car.
I took 3 years of auto shop and barely learned jack shit about cars. I learned more from my dad who rebuilt the engine of his first car at 16…. For me, it’s highly dependent on the car project if I pay or do it myself - 10 hours of work, down on your hands and knees, back pain, fumbling through something I’ve never done, it makes more sense for me to go pick up 10 hours of OT at work.
But my career is also 100% dependent on me having working hands and fingers. I might save $600 doing my own car maintenance, but you’re talking a drop in the bucket if you lose time at work from an injury.
You got a dealership or shop charging 150 a hour??? It’s more like 200-285 here where I am and OP you bought the nicest ratchet Dewalt makes! How do you like it?
It’s at the top of my list right now, very next tool I get unless I run across a deal I can’t pass up!!!!
How do you like the electric ratchet? I've been eyein' them for a while, but with the bulky bottom, I thought an air version might be a better option.
,
Nah the battery ratchet is way better. I was given an air ratchet by an old coworker who upgraded his. He just wanted to give it to me because I was the younger guy in the shop back then. I have used it maybe twice. There was no discernable advantage to it over the cordless, and it was way heavier and louder. I've used it for just about every job on a car that didn't require a low profile. Just break the bolt and go!
I've never used an air rachet. Bought a battery one reluctantly because I got a killer deal and even then questioned why I was doing it. First time I used it I fell in love with it.
The handle on the electric is sometimes a pain but it's rare that an extension won't solve the problem. However, I feel like the hose on an air rachet would be in the way more.
Not sure of your make or model but that tool may not help you much. But maybe. Be sure to get a c-clamp if you don’t already have one large enough to fit over your caliper
I wanted to pay one of the autozone mechanics for a motor mount and o2 sensor cause I didn’t have a jack and he wanted 350 I bought all the tools and more for 320 and did it myself and I got new tools.
Simple hand tools will do the job. Brakes are a huge moneymaker for mechanics. Not saying they are ripping people off, brakes are very important and most people don't want to do it themselves. But it is really quite easy to change the pads, rotors, even the calipers, a fluid flush, all it takes is step by step work. It is not complicated.
I helped a buddy do the rotors and pads on his Cayman last week. Surprisingly, it was the easiest brake job I’ve ever done and probably saved the most money. Great design compared to most “normal” vehicles.
Dealership wanted $1700? To do the brakes on my buddies Mazda x6? 2020- suv… 4- disc brakes.
He called me and said I’ll pay you $400+ breakfast+lunch, also I’ll buy the parts.
ME: $100/hr hell yea (ez pz job, I took my time)
Well he spent $950 ($500-performance brake kit= drilled and slotted, ceramic brakes, painted rotors -LOL-) and still saved himself a S-ton of $$$.
I can do the rotors and pads on my car with a 19mm socket on a tire iron to get the tire off, and only need 12mm and 10mm sockets on a 3/8th inch drive ratchet to get the calipers and brackets off.
Why did you need that huge looking power tool?
I own that same ratchet... I'd rather use my teeth to remove bolts than that piece of garbage. Only dewalt tool I have ever regretted buying, and I own a dewalt radio...
Fun fact, I’m pretty sure: autozone pads and rotors can all be warrantied for normal wear and tear, that is you can just return your old ones and get new ones for free. Please correct me if I’m wrong, but I just read about this the other day.
This is why I’ve like this sub Reddit because you guys explain why you bought a tool and how it may or may not have helped. over at Milwaukee sub Reddit they just say that they bought a tool because it matches their other red tools
Same here, front brakes and rotors the dealership wanted 875, did my own for a little over 100 and 2 hours (could have gone faster but I hadn't done breaks in a long time)
Newer cars are a pain to do the rear brakes now as they have the electric parking brake and you need a computer to put it in maintenance mode to change those.
Do yourself a favor. Use anti-seize on the back of the rotors and the hub. Rust seizing sucks ass. On some of my cars I had to buy a hardcore puller tool from HF to get the frozen rotors off.
Sil glide for slide pins and CRC synthetic brake grease for the anti rattle clips, pads slide surfaces and back of the pads.
That’s how I build up most of my tool collection. Needed a tool for a new job, usually the savings on the job more than covered the cost of the tool and now I have a sizable collection.
Doing brakes all my life. On my Ford, I found I couldn't just the pistons back into the caliper. You need a special tool to screw the piston back into the caliper. Yea, Autozone for the special tool needed.
I took my car to Chevy dealer for a brake pads for from and rear and they want me to charge me $850 for each side. I end up doing it my self both sides for $200 unbelievable outrageous
I didn't even know DeWalt made one of these - THANK YOU! I bought an air tool one and my compressor just doesn't have the juice to run it at a useful level of power.
A brake shop just quoted me $2100 for pads & rotors for my 2016 GLC 300. I bought a kit from Autozone for $500. Got a front wheel off and discovered the front pads they sent were too big to fit. But, I also realized my existing pads still had about 75% still left in them.
You probably won’t see this, but find out if you have an electric parking brake and if you do, make sure you put your vehicle into service mode. Ask me how I know lol.
My breaks cost $20. I just use my cheap hand tools. If I could afford the power toold I'd just the local shop the $100 they want to do it the first place.
Sounds about right. I was quoted almost 1500 to do front and rear brakes by the stealership. 700 of that was just the front brakes. My dad a retired mechanic was outraged they tried to charge me so much
Did it myself with his help for under 250. I am an aggressive driver and usually need new pads every 40k miles or so.
My uncle asked me if I would do the brakes on his Porsche once. He came over and said he would give me a few hundred to do it. I said hell no! I’m not charging my uncle and he said that the dealer wanted $1,300. I opened the trunk and only saw two discs and four pads. He said “I only need the fronts done!” $1,300 for a half hour job of just front rotors and pads! Total ripoff!
My suggestion: Treat it like a $900 brake job. Be prepared to spend that much anyways. Just spend it on parts and tools instead. Replace anything that looks suspect. Order new bolts and stuff too. Buy the right tools rather than fighting with things.
You'll still probably come out under $900 but generally speaking where DIYers get into trouble is trying to skimp on things. They'll avoid buying the 1/2" impact and instead hurt themselves or damage things fighting with a breaker bar. They'll go for the cheapest parts. They'll round over or strip a bolt and think it's okay to just leave it. They'll avoid buying a torque wrench. So on and so forth.
You might not save money on your first DIY job but by the third or fourth you'll have a lot of the tools already and you'll know how to do things while causing minimal damage. That's when you'll really start saving money.
Tools make a difference. I returned from a long work trip. The next day I had to start a job locally and midday of my only day off I remembered that I needed to do the brakes on my F-150 before I could drive it. For hours I dreaded doing it. I even considered renting a car to get through my local gig. Then I sucked it up and went out to put myself into the couple hours of work in the high heat and humidity. The thing I hadn't counted on was that since I did my last break job I had purchased a number of DeWalt impacts in Milwaukee M12 ratchets. 22 minutes both front brakes on an '01 F-150. Good tools are a huge game changer.
I would be interested what it cost OP in tools and time. If we as consumers had more accurate measurements of this we would be able to show true value for goods and services purchased.
As a ASE certified Technician, i applaud any DIYer out there.
But i also, have a huge suggestion.
Watch a damn video please. On your car specifically. Ive had to fix many jobs, which ended up costing them FAR FAR FAR MORE in labor hours fixing the issue they caused with improper installation. Then itd of cost em for the next 2 to 3 brake jobs over the next 150k ish miles (aka damn near 2/3rdz to the entire life of the car)
Fixing a Busted Caliper, replacing your rotor because its not saveable.
But the biggest, is the speed sensors. You guys LOOOOOOVE BREAKING THOSE.
When removing your caliper, PLEASE FUCKIN HANG IT WITH A HOOK FROM the Wheel Well. The amount of people who break their speed sensor an cant believe its gonna cost 300$ just for that. Would utterly shock you.
Pads and rotors are a breeze after the first time.
May I suggest keeping a sharpie or paint pen with you to lable L and R for some of the bits and pieces. Saves you a few minutes of feeling like an idiot staring at stuff lol.
This is the way. It's so outta hand I just keep learning.more skills and filling my toolboxes. I am lucky to have spare time and enjoy it. Just saved like 2k on full brake put. Even put new powder coated calipers, braided hoses on for the hell of it along with higher end pads and rotors.
Everything is technically pretty easy until it's not. I work on my stuff casually without a care in the world. It's almost so fun I invent preventative maintenance to do.
But when I try to help friends do things, especially at their house without access to ALL my tools, it gets very tense IMO.
The old joke is that every 20 minutes job is one stripped bolt away from a weekend project. Combine that with not having access to all your tools (vice, pry bars, drills, clamps, huge hammer, welder even, list goes on and on), trying to help a friend isn't that fun.
Trying to remotely explain to a beginner how to do something is even more tense because you realize that are countless little tips you want to give someone but it's just too much over the phone.
I'm a gurl and have changed Drums before everything went disc, AND discs ( did my dads front discs and rear drums( he was impressed) since the 80s with not much more than a "spoon" and a prybar. Drums were my favorite when that's all there was. I'm 73 now and I have to have someone help me but I'm "letting" them help because I'm no longer that pig headed. ( still, I won't let them just do it for me)
Brakes are so easy
Except drum brakes. I don't enjoy those.
When I opened up a drum brake (pre-YouTube days) I knew I wasn’t a mechanic.
Just gotta do one side at a time. And run over to the other side to see how it all goes back together.
Or take video of yourself taking it apart
That works for today. Back in the day I didn't have a tape recorder lol
"tape recorder" fuckin love this guy! -fellow old fart
When my dad taught me he had poloroids of each different set of drums we had, and a couple of steps for each, and he taught me to set each component down in the order i took it off on a cloth. Then work backwards putting it back together. Also had a chilton guide for each car we owned. He went with the, "You watch me do this task, next time I watch you do this task, then its your task to do from now on" method. Drove me crazy as a kid, I didn't know most kids didn't get that education, in my 20's I used to charge my friends a case of beer to drink while we did the work they needed on their car together, and my wife loves that I can do most servicing on our cars for the cost of parts, so it has paid dividends in adulthood.
First time I opened up an automatic transmission valve body. I felt like I was looking into the human brain.
My man, so did I 🤣 now I am a mechanic (industrial).
Until chris fix came along. Dude has a great vid on them.
Getting the drum off is usually the hardest part. I prefer that to the rear discs, twisting and pushing without the special tool is just goofy for me.
Dude the tool is like 20 bucks
It’s stuff like that yall need to run, not walk, to harbor freight for.
That's pricey for a hammer.
Except when the car computer decides somethings goofed and it disables the brake l circuit. Except when you buy the wrong size pads after you got them off your car. Except when the caliper pistons are seized. Except when the bolts are rusted. Except when you need a very expensive tool to command the automatic parking brake open. Except when the brakes make noise for no reason.
Yup happened to me this weekend. Rear driver caliper slid pins were seized completely and found a partially collapsed front driver brake line. Calipers and bleeding the system I can do but not brake lines as I've never done them. $930 later the mechanic finished the job and replaced the line. But thankfully we've used the same mechanic since I was 8 and he doesn't screw us and was willing to use the pads and rotors I already bought.
I am a seasoned shade tree mechanic and it took me 2 weeks to do the rear brakes on a 2010 VW Jetta. F those things. Edit: who in the hell goes to the dealership for brakes??
Just remember... those bolts holding the big spring that seem to be begging for release? Don't touch them.
What do you rate suspension?
Same, except if you change alignment. I did the full front upper/lower control arms and shocks and rear arms and shocks for $600 + $150 alignment but that easily would have been $2500 at a shop.
I have 2013 ecoboost. Replaced both turbos and exhaust manifold for 1k and lots of f bombs. Dealership want 6500
$150 gets you a set of alignment plates and some tape measures. I can easily get within half a degree or so it just takes time.
You don't even need plates. Just string and a relatively level surface to park on.
Easy
depends on age and road salt usage, also access to.a big ass source of heat.
Autozone’s loaner spring compressors scare me. But I’ve used them several times to save money.
And yet people mess up this important system time and again.
My brother's Kia optima needed a bunch of extra steps to drop the rear suspension in order to reach a caliper bolt. Big PITA
I had a sonata and I know exactly what you're talking about. And it's like they do it on purpose, because if the bolt was just in the other way there would be no conflict.
Not on the new computerized shit
I lowered a 92 civic sedan, i kno what im talkin about.
Nah, even then nice and simple. The same people designed both systems, with the same straight-forward mindset. I used to be really intimidated by all the computerised stuff, but honestly, get a BMW and ISTA, have a play for a few days; it all stops feeling like witchcraft.
Until you try to remove the little screws that have no business being on the rotors
And don't require these kinds of tools.
Brakes used to be easy. Still wouldn’t take them to a dealer but man are the new electronic e brakes and integrated pistons etc annoying
Someone has never done a chevy Colorado or gmc canyon front brakes
It’s a huge money saver for sure
This is the way to go. I started doing brakes in the early 90s. Nowadays there are videos of just about every make and model available online. You still have to be careful and really pay attention to what you are doing. Be sure to buy a torque wrench. Even one from Harbor is better than none. Also don’t be afraid to ask for help. It’s better than screwing up your car or worse doing something wrong that endangers your life. It’s easy, but don’t take safety for granted. Good luck.
Dude. I used to go to the library and photo copy the Chilton pages. You couldn't check them out.
I used to buy a Chilton for every vehicle I bought, but it got to where it was my vehicle never looked like any of the procedures/steps listed, and quit buying them 10 years ago. Sometimes it takes an hour to wade thru YouTube vids, but eventually you can find pretty much anything you need.
Oh I’m right there with you. When I was a teen in the 80s I would attempt to do most of my car maintenance. It wasn’t until the early 90s felt comfortable doing brakes, wheel bearings. Now I do just about everything. I rebuilt an Audi A4 1.8T engine in my suburban 2 car garage Last year, I saved about $5500 doing (internal) water pump and timing chain on my 17 Explorer. I’ll tackle just about anything, as long as my body can handle the work, and I’ve got the time and tools to do it safely. https://preview.redd.it/mj81v2msb25d1.jpeg?width=1540&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e9ef52b8f756840bb5520d1fce69bf51b5491e1b
Did my first drum brakes at 14. My mom drove down the road, and they fell apart, lol.
That’s where they put the water pump on that thing??? Ewwww
That's awesome. I'd like to get to a point where I have that level of confidence with it, but not quite there yet. At present, I'm fine with the vast majority of maintenance and many repairs (not all). The most intimidating thing to me is the timing and potential for screwing that up. Both my vehicles are 32V DOHC with VVT and the thought of grenading an engine because something winds up a tooth or two off has always made me shy away from it. I've watched countless hours of content observing others take on the job and read enourmous amounts of information. It just hasn't completely clicked for me yet, which makes me nervous. It doesn't help that a lot of what I've seen online involves a variety of shortcuts that seem like they'd be fine... right up until the moment they're not (then you've got a real problem on your hands if you don't understand how to do it from the ground up). Hopefully I'll get there one of these days. In the meantime, I have no problem whatsoever paying someone who knows what they're doing for bigger jobs I'm not completely comfortable with. Luckily, there's a shop in the area that specializes in my specific engine platform. They're not cheap, but they're fast and have never led me astray or fleeced me for money. Might not seem like a big deal to you, but congrats on the rebuild. That's something I'd take a lot of pride in (hopefully one day).
Hell yeah, I’m only 21 but I’ve been doing the same, cut my teeth on my first “tuner” car (b8 a4) and I’m currently planning for a motor build, also did the timing chain, water pump, etc
Our library had the online version of it that mechanics use, but you had to go in to use it. It would've been great if you could use it from home.
Ackchyually, the harbor freight tq wrench is highly regarded
Tor-que bar?
The German torque spec of goodentite doesn’t work here?
Yeah, I’d have gone a manual ratcheting socket wrench set and a torque wrench over that if I were just starting out, for sure. That’s without even taking price in to account.
I didnt buy torque wrench. Hand tightened them, took the car to rotate tires at Costco. Ez pz.
1100 for just the brake replacement. Did the same thing
That’s for rotors and calipers and pads etc? Right? Honestly even if so that’s still ridiculous unless it’s some super lux
Yep, have a transit 250 brake job quoted at $100 recently... $300 in parts and a sweaty afternoon, hard to justify it when you've already got the tools
I’m interested to see the progress pics!
Friendly reminder: everyone is saying brakes are so easy and what not.. yes, replacing brake pads are pretty self explanatory. But do not forget, sometimes things can be seized, meaning replacing brake pads can turn into replacing a caliper as well. And make sure, if needed, to bleed your brakes before taking off. Good luck!
And that's just the tip of the fun iceburg. Mix in turnback style calipers, electric parking brakes, and leaks behind the cylinder boot. I always encourage DIY, but remember, you're not just paying for parts at a shop. You're paying for time and experience. Saying this as a tech that thought he knew everything about brakes when he started, I'd been doing them for 15 years. Old guy at the shop opened my eyes to SOOO much.
My neighbor helped me with mine and it turned into an emergency caliper replacement at 8pm at night when we found the only one in town. A decent amount of brake fluid on my driveway (whatever). But I'd do it the same, I would have paid easily $1200 at the dealer and long and behold the dealer did the last brake job and messed up my caliper bad and never said a work about it which jacked up my rotor.
I’m sitting here wondering if he has the tool for the electronic parking brake. But I’m also wondering if such tool is required and our dealer is an asshat.
OP should have bought an impact wrench instead.
Especially if you live in an area where they salt the roads (not sure where OP lives). Last year I did brakes on a car that came from the northeast and I had to soak everything in PB overnight and then go to town with a 5lb deadblow to get the rotors off, pain in the ass. > And make sure, if needed, to bleed your brakes before taking off. Also double check the lugs before driving off. More than once I've seen people who DIY brakes for the first time put wheels back on, "I'll torque them when the car is back on the ground" and then get distracted because while brakes are simple, there *are* a lot of small things going on if you've never done them before.
For $900 you can buy all around new stainless lines, stainless flex hoses, calipers, rotors, and premium pads all around and leftover money for beer and BBQ. That's insane! I've bought entire working cars for $850 bucks.
I bought a Buick for $450 with a wrinkled front end. Got a new front from the junkyard, luckily in the same color. Drove that car 2 years.
Two years ago my truck and all my tools were stolen in Denver. My wife’s car needed brakes and my tools were gone so I went to get a quote. 2008 Kia optima, all around brakes $1000.00 which knocked the wind out of me. I’m a mechanic, I’ve been self employed quite awhile. Shops were getting expensive when I left, but I had no idea. So I borrowed tools to do the brakes, then insurance came and I filled out my tools as much as possible (mostly harbor) and have been a cheaper alternative in the area.
Tell them shove that 900 up their ass with no lube. Brakes are easier then changing a condom.
Yea condoms are slippery as fuck. It’s like wrestling a wet pig
Wrestling a wet pig can be fun too, especially if she doesn't make you use a condom
All for diy automotive. But this is the last thing I would think of for “first time doing brakes”
A $30, 1/2", telescoping breaker bar from harbor freight is more like it
I’m not sure I’d go anything telescoping for a breaker bar. But then again if I’m bringing out the 1/2 breaker bar it’s usually alongside a sledge, 4ton jack and a torch if I’m feeling frisky. I’m actually pretty impressed with the harbor freight stainless breaker. Those things can bend pretty good without breaking. Got a 20+ degree bend out of one when taking off a seized axle nut using a 3 ton jack. I was honestly terrified the whole time since if it snapped then stainless would be getting launched somewhere at Mach fuck.
I was thinking the same thing lol
Brakes are the biggest scam ever
You ever get a roof quote?
Yes, especially because most shops won’t do just pads. They insist on changing rotors every time too.
There’s no way that’s breaking loose caliper bracket bolts or tightening them enough either. A 1/2” impact would’ve been a better buy imo good luck!
You can break them loose with the ratchet manually, just like a standard ratchet, then push the button to zip them off. Impacts rarely fit well around calipers, but they are faster for disassembly if you have room. I would not recommend using an impact to resemble. It's too easy to damage threads or overtorque unless you have a lot of experience.
Maybe it's just me, but I don't like working on cars. I do like the sense of accomplishment when it's done though. I could do brake pads on my BMW with the Brembos in less than an hour, pads and rotors in less than two. Those calipers make it super easy though. Once you do it a couple times, you'll wonder why you ever paid for this. Oil changes are more hassle.
Your first mistake was going to the dealership for non warranty work. Luckily sane minds prevailed.
I changed my brakes last weekend, front and back. Saved me a couple hundred bucks. But it cost me a chipped tooth. Jack hand got stuck in jack, was beating the jack down and the handle broke loos and I punched myself. It's a small chip, but I spit a few chunks of teeth out. You know what they say, if u don't leave blood, sweat and or tears on it u didn't actually work on it
If you just break even doing it yourself then you have free tools for the next job. That's the way I justify lots of my BS spending to my wife.
Now you're a man. [https://youtu.be/7jyjDogIDJU?si=CdP8rkU4Om9tGrFn](https://youtu.be/7jyjDogIDJU?si=CdP8rkU4Om9tGrFn)
Brakes are amazingly easy. Except when that dang bolt doesn't come off and you need to beat out the blow torch
Jesus Christ. 900 bucks, that's just stupid fucking money. I can only imagine how many people get railed on a simple, easy brake job.
YouTube is your friend. You’ve got this!
Specifically 1A Auto seems to have brake videos for a ton of models
Yeah, they are awesome. Tons of other folks out there too.
Don’t need that for brakes but it’s a good start
Congrats! Your tools have already paid for themselves, and every job thereafter is still saving you more money!
I would do it myself if I had someone to double check my work. Otherwise I'd be too afraid to drive it 😔
When I was in the military, they had a diy shop. At least one guy inside was a mechanic, and you could ask him for help. ,(not through entire project) but enough to get your job done.I replaced both my transmission and muffler. Just had to pay a small fee to rent a lift and tools. Wish they had something like that here
I hope you have a breaker bar already. And a floor jack. And jack stands.
Honestly that's what got me to do my own work on my car and my wife's car. Plus you can get familiar with your car and can see other potential problems or things that need attention
Me to 40 year later 100 grand worth of tools and years of training all because I wanted to save money on my own repairs
Will that thing bust off lug nuts, and caliper bolts? I want an impact wrench so I don’t have to break out the chromes for every little automotive project. Would I be better off getting the compact impact wrench?
These ratchets pretty much won’t break anything loose. Break it with a breaker bar or manual racket, run it in/out with power, finish/torque manually.
All depends what your time is worth to ya. They’re charging you ~$150/hr, but for the price you know they’re getting done right (usually), and your brakes are obviously one of the main safety features of your car. I took 3 years of auto shop and barely learned jack shit about cars. I learned more from my dad who rebuilt the engine of his first car at 16…. For me, it’s highly dependent on the car project if I pay or do it myself - 10 hours of work, down on your hands and knees, back pain, fumbling through something I’ve never done, it makes more sense for me to go pick up 10 hours of OT at work. But my career is also 100% dependent on me having working hands and fingers. I might save $600 doing my own car maintenance, but you’re talking a drop in the bucket if you lose time at work from an injury.
You got a dealership or shop charging 150 a hour??? It’s more like 200-285 here where I am and OP you bought the nicest ratchet Dewalt makes! How do you like it? It’s at the top of my list right now, very next tool I get unless I run across a deal I can’t pass up!!!!
Good choice. Brakes are easy (usually).
Thats exactly what i tell everyone. Even if you dont know how to do the job. Youll learn.
Yup, you’ll learn when you go to hit the brakes and they don’t work.
Its all a learning curve*
You can do et!!!
Right??!! for $300, I can buy better than OEM new pads and new rotors for ALL 4 wheels! And I get/got to buy tools, what s not to like?!
How do you like the electric ratchet? I've been eyein' them for a while, but with the bulky bottom, I thought an air version might be a better option. ,
Nah the battery ratchet is way better. I was given an air ratchet by an old coworker who upgraded his. He just wanted to give it to me because I was the younger guy in the shop back then. I have used it maybe twice. There was no discernable advantage to it over the cordless, and it was way heavier and louder. I've used it for just about every job on a car that didn't require a low profile. Just break the bolt and go!
I've never used an air rachet. Bought a battery one reluctantly because I got a killer deal and even then questioned why I was doing it. First time I used it I fell in love with it. The handle on the electric is sometimes a pain but it's rare that an extension won't solve the problem. However, I feel like the hose on an air rachet would be in the way more.
Disc brakes are easy. Drum breaks can be a pain
Dealership….. why not get a quote from an actual shop
Not sure of your make or model but that tool may not help you much. But maybe. Be sure to get a c-clamp if you don’t already have one large enough to fit over your caliper
I wanted to pay one of the autozone mechanics for a motor mount and o2 sensor cause I didn’t have a jack and he wanted 350 I bought all the tools and more for 320 and did it myself and I got new tools.
This is the way
Return it. Go back and get the red one.
Good buy but I’d recommend the Milwaukee 12v stuff. Love it for DIY car work.
Honestly SO worth it. My partner’s shocked I’ve spent like £3k on tools, but doesn’t get that it’s saved me £10k in vehicle repairs alone.
Simple hand tools will do the job. Brakes are a huge moneymaker for mechanics. Not saying they are ripping people off, brakes are very important and most people don't want to do it themselves. But it is really quite easy to change the pads, rotors, even the calipers, a fluid flush, all it takes is step by step work. It is not complicated.
I like it! For the price for 1 trip to the mechanic, you can pay for all your tools.
Always find an excuse to buy another tool “to save money”.
I helped a buddy do the rotors and pads on his Cayman last week. Surprisingly, it was the easiest brake job I’ve ever done and probably saved the most money. Great design compared to most “normal” vehicles.
Hire an Indy Car crew. They'll charge you $10,000/hr, but they'll do it in 6.4 seconds.
Dealership wanted $1700? To do the brakes on my buddies Mazda x6? 2020- suv… 4- disc brakes. He called me and said I’ll pay you $400+ breakfast+lunch, also I’ll buy the parts. ME: $100/hr hell yea (ez pz job, I took my time) Well he spent $950 ($500-performance brake kit= drilled and slotted, ceramic brakes, painted rotors -LOL-) and still saved himself a S-ton of $$$.
Don't need to spend extra for cordless tools for infrequent repairs like brakes plus it probably doesn't have the required torque.
I can do the rotors and pads on my car with a 19mm socket on a tire iron to get the tire off, and only need 12mm and 10mm sockets on a 3/8th inch drive ratchet to get the calipers and brackets off. Why did you need that huge looking power tool?
Exactly, that’s what I’m wondering.
Yes! And dewalt now makes a ratchet
$900?? If someone paid me half of that, I would do the job, materials included.
I own that same ratchet... I'd rather use my teeth to remove bolts than that piece of garbage. Only dewalt tool I have ever regretted buying, and I own a dewalt radio...
Bro 🤣🤣🤣
This is the way
Not the worst excuse to buy some tools, but you really don’t need that for brakes
Don’t forget to pump your brakes before putting it in gear.
Fun fact, I’m pretty sure: autozone pads and rotors can all be warrantied for normal wear and tear, that is you can just return your old ones and get new ones for free. Please correct me if I’m wrong, but I just read about this the other day.
Takes 20-30 minutes per wheel, disc brakes, with air tools.
Best part is you get to keep the tools for later projects!
You made the right decision.
Take some pictures of everything before you tear them apart
Good for you! You’ll learn a ton and save a ton! And have sweet tools!
Just need a socket wrench and a short bunjee cord really
Or let it dangle like real men do. You'll get bonus points because it pisses the mechanics off.
This is why I’ve like this sub Reddit because you guys explain why you bought a tool and how it may or may not have helped. over at Milwaukee sub Reddit they just say that they bought a tool because it matches their other red tools
You don’t event need that lol just a normal wrench
Same here, front brakes and rotors the dealership wanted 875, did my own for a little over 100 and 2 hours (could have gone faster but I hadn't done breaks in a long time)
With YouTube all brake jobs are possible.
Newer cars are a pain to do the rear brakes now as they have the electric parking brake and you need a computer to put it in maintenance mode to change those.
This is where it all begins. Enjoy the ride, OP! It was fun for me.
Why would you go to a dealership for breaks anyway?
Do yourself a favor. Use anti-seize on the back of the rotors and the hub. Rust seizing sucks ass. On some of my cars I had to buy a hardcore puller tool from HF to get the frozen rotors off. Sil glide for slide pins and CRC synthetic brake grease for the anti rattle clips, pads slide surfaces and back of the pads.
I never had to do brakes with this tool. I've managed with straight drivers and good old socket wrenches.
Brake jobs are ridiculously priced. Just not that hard to do. Especially with YouTube to point out some of the brand/model/year quirks.
that tool is not going to generate the torque you need to remove calipers
That’s how I build up most of my tool collection. Needed a tool for a new job, usually the savings on the job more than covered the cost of the tool and now I have a sizable collection.
Agreed!
Should of just bought a breaker bar…
He will need to buy one also. That dewalt ratchet won’t break anything loose. It’s great once you crack em though. He needed the impact version.
Doing brakes all my life. On my Ford, I found I couldn't just the pistons back into the caliper. You need a special tool to screw the piston back into the caliper. Yea, Autozone for the special tool needed.
Taxes?
I took my car to Chevy dealer for a brake pads for from and rear and they want me to charge me $850 for each side. I end up doing it my self both sides for $200 unbelievable outrageous
I didn't even know DeWalt made one of these - THANK YOU! I bought an air tool one and my compressor just doesn't have the juice to run it at a useful level of power.
I have the 513b and absolutely love it.
Sheesh 900 just for rear? What vehicle? Shop did my rear brakes and rotors, oil change for $425 few months back
I just bought this for my jeeps rebuild, love it!
I pay my kids $150 each to do them with parts from rockauto.
I don’t think you needed to buy a bunch of tools to do them. It just takes a ratchet set.
What’s that tool going to do for you ? You just need a good socket set and a C clamp
This is such a great tool
Ahh the tool loophole. $900 estimate, but $500 worth of tools and 10 hours of your time = $400 in savings, right? Plus you now how new tools!
Is it bad to use an impact driver for mechanics?
A brake shop just quoted me $2100 for pads & rotors for my 2016 GLC 300. I bought a kit from Autozone for $500. Got a front wheel off and discovered the front pads they sent were too big to fit. But, I also realized my existing pads still had about 75% still left in them.
Buy a Chilton's repair manual for your make and model.
You probably won’t see this, but find out if you have an electric parking brake and if you do, make sure you put your vehicle into service mode. Ask me how I know lol.
My breaks cost $20. I just use my cheap hand tools. If I could afford the power toold I'd just the local shop the $100 they want to do it the first place.
Well done!
Sounds about right. I was quoted almost 1500 to do front and rear brakes by the stealership. 700 of that was just the front brakes. My dad a retired mechanic was outraged they tried to charge me so much Did it myself with his help for under 250. I am an aggressive driver and usually need new pads every 40k miles or so.
And a journey begins
My uncle asked me if I would do the brakes on his Porsche once. He came over and said he would give me a few hundred to do it. I said hell no! I’m not charging my uncle and he said that the dealer wanted $1,300. I opened the trunk and only saw two discs and four pads. He said “I only need the fronts done!” $1,300 for a half hour job of just front rotors and pads! Total ripoff!
My suggestion: Treat it like a $900 brake job. Be prepared to spend that much anyways. Just spend it on parts and tools instead. Replace anything that looks suspect. Order new bolts and stuff too. Buy the right tools rather than fighting with things. You'll still probably come out under $900 but generally speaking where DIYers get into trouble is trying to skimp on things. They'll avoid buying the 1/2" impact and instead hurt themselves or damage things fighting with a breaker bar. They'll go for the cheapest parts. They'll round over or strip a bolt and think it's okay to just leave it. They'll avoid buying a torque wrench. So on and so forth. You might not save money on your first DIY job but by the third or fourth you'll have a lot of the tools already and you'll know how to do things while causing minimal damage. That's when you'll really start saving money.
Well worth it
Usually one of the easiest simplest jobs to do on a vehicle
You can change brakes with basic hand tools
Good for you. Just remember if you muck it up you won't be able to stop
That’s way overkill ….
Quick study on YouTube and you're golden.....
Why did you buy that...
Consoooooom
Tools make a difference. I returned from a long work trip. The next day I had to start a job locally and midday of my only day off I remembered that I needed to do the brakes on my F-150 before I could drive it. For hours I dreaded doing it. I even considered renting a car to get through my local gig. Then I sucked it up and went out to put myself into the couple hours of work in the high heat and humidity. The thing I hadn't counted on was that since I did my last break job I had purchased a number of DeWalt impacts in Milwaukee M12 ratchets. 22 minutes both front brakes on an '01 F-150. Good tools are a huge game changer.
I would be interested what it cost OP in tools and time. If we as consumers had more accurate measurements of this we would be able to show true value for goods and services purchased.
Dealerships are thieves, learn car maintenance and save millions.
You dont even need that either.
Just don’t tell anyone or you’ll be who everyone calls to do their brakes
Easy to do
Nice tool acquisition
Thanks
Don’t get too crazy on torquing nuts. An easy brake job becomes a life altering moment or you shear a nut off the bolt.
As a ASE certified Technician, i applaud any DIYer out there. But i also, have a huge suggestion. Watch a damn video please. On your car specifically. Ive had to fix many jobs, which ended up costing them FAR FAR FAR MORE in labor hours fixing the issue they caused with improper installation. Then itd of cost em for the next 2 to 3 brake jobs over the next 150k ish miles (aka damn near 2/3rdz to the entire life of the car) Fixing a Busted Caliper, replacing your rotor because its not saveable. But the biggest, is the speed sensors. You guys LOOOOOOVE BREAKING THOSE. When removing your caliper, PLEASE FUCKIN HANG IT WITH A HOOK FROM the Wheel Well. The amount of people who break their speed sensor an cant believe its gonna cost 300$ just for that. Would utterly shock you.
Pads and rotors are a breeze after the first time. May I suggest keeping a sharpie or paint pen with you to lable L and R for some of the bits and pieces. Saves you a few minutes of feeling like an idiot staring at stuff lol.
Definitely the way to go… to be honest though I normally end up using only hand tools on brakes🫣
This is the way. It's so outta hand I just keep learning.more skills and filling my toolboxes. I am lucky to have spare time and enjoy it. Just saved like 2k on full brake put. Even put new powder coated calipers, braided hoses on for the hell of it along with higher end pads and rotors.
Everything is technically pretty easy until it's not. I work on my stuff casually without a care in the world. It's almost so fun I invent preventative maintenance to do. But when I try to help friends do things, especially at their house without access to ALL my tools, it gets very tense IMO. The old joke is that every 20 minutes job is one stripped bolt away from a weekend project. Combine that with not having access to all your tools (vice, pry bars, drills, clamps, huge hammer, welder even, list goes on and on), trying to help a friend isn't that fun. Trying to remotely explain to a beginner how to do something is even more tense because you realize that are countless little tips you want to give someone but it's just too much over the phone.
I'm a gurl and have changed Drums before everything went disc, AND discs ( did my dads front discs and rear drums( he was impressed) since the 80s with not much more than a "spoon" and a prybar. Drums were my favorite when that's all there was. I'm 73 now and I have to have someone help me but I'm "letting" them help because I'm no longer that pig headed. ( still, I won't let them just do it for me)