Consider this: even a skilled automotive technician needs at least an hour to replace the braking rotors and pads on some cars. Brake pad repair could take several hours or longer for a person with little to no skill.
Learning the procedure, assembling the necessary supplies, carefully carrying out each step, and then putting everything back together again might easily take up a half-day of effort that may not be worthwhile in the end.
You might need to start over to fix the issue and correctly install the new brake pads if you complete the procedure only to discover that the brake pedal feels strange or that your brakes have begun to screech or grind. What a pain in the neck!
An easy approach that might ultimately save you time and money is to have a professional do your brake pad repair.
In This Article...
Can I change my own brake rotors?
A wonderful strategy to reduce the expense of brake replacement is to change your own brake pads and rotors. Not only is this a fantastic method to save money, but it’s also a reasonably simple task that a fairly skilled DIYer can complete in a few hours.
How much does rotor replacement labor cost?
Each rotor might cost anywhere from $30 to $75. For each axle, labor costs between $150 and $200 to replace the rotors and pads. The cost of brake pads and rotors per axle ranges from $250 to $500.
Is rotor replacement difficult?
I took my wife’s car for the first time in a while a few weeks ago. The steering wheel shook a lot as I used the brakes while traveling at a fast speed. I was aware that the rotors needed to be changed. She drives a 2007 Chevy Malibu with more than 113,000 miles on it, which is far more than the amount of time before a brake replacement is advised.
Brake pad and rotor replacement is a quick and simple DIY project. But it took a lot more time this time. I visited the neighborhood parts store and purchased two front rotors and brake pads. I brought them home, parked her car on jack stands, and began removing the previous tires. Because of the worn brake pads, the rotors were severely damaged. However, they hadn’t yet begun emitting that high-pitched metallic screech that occurs when you brake. I made the decision to rotate the tires while the automobile was supported by supports. What’s this? Even worse were the ones at the back. I visit the parts store once more as a result. Advice: Just go ahead and purchase all four rotors, pads, and the required tools if you decide to wait that long to replace your brake pads. You’ll gain time this way.
I removed the back ones when I got home. I wanted to compress the piston on the back calipers, so I grabbed my C-clamp (one with a straight handle) and twisted it on the first as I slowly moved the handle, which caused the piston to slowly revolve and allow me to step in. Not that horrible. When I got to the right rear, even after removing the brake line and draining the fluid from that caliper, my clamp wouldn’t crush the piston.
I returned to the parts store. I also got a bottle of brake fluid, a one-man bleeder kit, and a C-clamp with a “T” handle. Thinking there wouldn’t be much fluid left once it ran out, I purchased the tiny bottle of fluid. For the third time, I returned home, squeezed the piston with the 9-inch C-Clamp, and put everything back together. It’s time to take a spin. I drove the car to test the brakes, and everything was flawless. The tiny bottle of liquid, though, wasn’t enough. The brake light failed to turn on. Returning to the parts store I spent $250 on materials and labor for the entire repair, which was considerably less than the $750 my mechanic would have charged me.
What equipment is required to replace brakes and rotors?
- Start with the appropriate defense.
- Rotors and brake pads.
- Jack Stands with Jack.
- wheel nut wrench
- Tool for brake caliper pistons.
- Bleeder Wrench for brakes
- a set of allen keys
How do you know when new rotors are necessary?
The fact that your passengers will also see this warning sign makes it challenging to ignore. (With the rest of the motorists on the road!)
Rotors that are warped or worn can produce sound in a manner similar to that of a vinyl record.
Records include grooves that, when a needle is used, transfer the spinning motion into sound. Even though rotors might have grooves, it is the warping or wear of the rotors that causes this particular “song” to be heard when the braking system is applied.
The melody of a poor rotor is not pleasant. It’s frequently described as growling, shrieking, squealing, or grinding. If you hear that, get down to your neighborhood Tires Plus instead of partying!
Do brake pads and rotors need to be replaced at the same time?
Both the pads and the rotors must be replaced for a comprehensive braking service. While initially more expensive, replacing the pads and rotors at the same time will make both last longer and ultimately improve brake performance. Because there is less chance of warping or uneven wear, both of which can lessen stopping power, replacing the entire brake set is also typically safer.
Fortunately, new varieties of rotors are reasonably priced, especially when you consider the expense of milling your old rotors only to replace them once more later on. This may help to explain why more and more maintenance facilities advise replacing brake rotors rather than refinishing them.
How can I tell if my rotors are damaged?
Your rotors may be in jeopardy if you experience pulsating in the brake pedal and vibration in the steering wheel when you slow down. The rotors get very heated when you step on the brake and the brake pads press against them. Naturally, with time, this heat can lead to the rotors becoming worn, deformed, and uneven. Your braking and steering will feel rough because your brake pads will be pressed against an uneven surface. The outcome? a steering wheel that vibrates.
To change rotors, do you need a torque wrench?
To tighten nuts, you don’t need a torque wrench, and using a short allen key wrench has its limits. As you advised, tighten them evenly using a cross-bolt pattern. After that, check them occasionally to make sure the bolts haven’t become unfastened. Maybe someone has more information, but unless you use another tool for greater leverage, I doubt you can apply more force than about five pounds to a five-inch allen wrench.
Should brake fluid be changed when changing rotors?
Recently, I had my oil changed at a fast lube, and the mechanic advised me that I required a brake fluid flush. Never previously have I heard of that. Is that a proper auto repair? Is it necessary for me to replace the brake fluid?
Yes, cleansing or replacing your car’s braking fluid qualifies as preventive maintenance. When we’re replacing brake calipers, brake pads, or brake rotors, we frequently advise a brake fluid flush as well. Particularly on cars with anti-lock brakes (ABS) and traction control, filthy fluid must be drained from the brake lines.
What is the typical brake rotor lifespan?
Rotor lifespan should be at least 50,000 miles (80,467 km). A good set of rotors should last 30,000 to 70,000 miles on average (48,280 – 112,654 km). Although brake pads have a similarly long lifespan, it’s uncommon to get more than 70,000 miles out of a set of rotors and pads.
You need to brake anywhere from 20 to 55 times even on a little excursion to pick up a few odds and ends. So, visualize the damage that prolonged rush-hour driving causes to your brakes. Throughout the life of your car, the rotors need to be maintained and replaced because they are a key component of braking.
What occurs if brake fluid is not changed?
The brake reservoir, where the brake fluid is housed, will become contaminated with moisture if you don’t change your brake fluid as advised by the vehicle’s manufacturer.
Your braking fluid will inevitably become polluted with “debris buildup” as it ages. Your brake system’s many seals and hoses might gradually lose little amounts of rubber as they wear down. Additionally, rust particles may get up in your brake fluid as a result of metal components corroding and rusting due to moisture-rich brake fluid.
Your car’s ability to stop suffers substantially from not changing the brake fluid, which results in subpar braking performance. Most of the time, you can tell by pressing the brake pedal: if it feels excessively spongy, your brake fluid is probably about to fail. You may find that stopping your car requires more work and time, and in some situations, you may even need to pump the brakes in order to build up enough pressure for a secure stop.
If you’re moving at any speed, the uncomfortable idea that your brakes could completely fail is also a deadly one. This may occur if the boiling point of the braking fluid is reached while the vehicle is in motion, particularly if the boiling point was intentionally decreased due to moisture contamination.
How can air be removed from brakes without bleeding them?
1. Put the parking brake on and park your automobile on a level surface. To prevent rolling down the hill as you work on the issue, apply the parking or emergency brake.
2. Look for the master cylinder reservoir cap when you open the hood of your car. With an arrow directing to which wheel should be pumped first, it will be circular or octagonal (the right front wheel).
3. Turn the reservoir cover counterclockwise until it completely disengages, then remove it.
4. After cleaning, reinstall the cap on the reservoir. Verify that the arrow indicates which wheel needs to be pushed up first.
5. Carry out Step 3 for each additional wheel until each reservoir has a cap and an arrow pointing to it. Replace all of your car’s brake fluid if it’s low to prevent future issues with air bubbles. Then, you can fill each reservoir as full as you can (without getting any air into the system).
6. After you’ve disconnected each reservoir from the rest of the car, gently depress each brake pedal 20 times to make it firm once more (or until no more air comes out). By doing so, all extra air will be forced to one end or the other, which will facilitate bleeding later on. Placing a dry, clean washcloth beneath each brake pedal might be helpful.
7. After completing step 6, open the reservoir cover on one of the master cylinders and slowly pour fresh brake fluid into the tank until it is just below the brim. By tilting the container just enough to allow air bubbles to rise to the top, you can make sure the liquid is free of them. Air bubbles stand out against brake fluid’s clean tint.
8. If necessary, repeat Step 7 for all other master cylinders (if your car has four or six wheels). Always replenish after bleeding each tire to ensure that there is no more air between fills and to lessen the possibility of running out of braking fluid.
9. After filling the reservoirs with new brake fluid and bleeding each tire, replace the reservoir covers and take all equipment out from under the car.
10. To remove any extra air from the system, start your car’s engine and depress each brake pedal 20 times (it will take less effort than before because there is no more air in the lines). Put your car in neutral if it doesn’t have an automatic transmission so you can rev the engine a little without moving.
11. Follow Step 10 again until the brake pedals feel firm once again, and then turn off the engine. Now, your car should stop as smoothly as it did when its brakes were in good condition! If you want the computer in your car to know that you’ve closed all the windows and that the brake fluid is full, you might find it helpful to cycle the ignition a few times.
12. Drive around the block to check how well your brakes are functioning (but keep in mind that this is not a substitute for a proper test carried out at a mechanic’s shop using calibrated equipment). If everything looks good, you can proceed.