Need New Brake Pads! aghh!!!!!! How much is this gunna cost me?

[Shaftatplanetquake]

I need new brake pads (my front driver side's pad is worn out) for a '94 Mazda 626.

How much would the pads be, and how much can I expect to pay for labor?

 

[ohtwell]

My mechanic usually charges $70 - $80 to change my pads. He usually charges a few dollars to turn the roters but to have them replaced
is $12 a piece.

Don't go to Midas though. They tried to charge me $179 to change the pads and roters on my car. :frown:

<---- Not a great speller sometimes!

 

[Shaftatplanetquake]

Where did you go for the $70-$80 charge?

My parents seem to think im looking @ ~ $300.

I think that is rediculus and I'll go buy the pads myself and (attempt to) do it myself.

 

[pyonir]

<< I'm usually charged $70 - $80 got mine to get changed.

Don't go to Midas though. They tried to charge me $179 to change the pads and rotters on my car. :frown: >>


i think you mean rotors. but yeah anywhere between 70 and 100 bucks should be about right...

 

[Evadman]

Drive it to my house and I will charge ya $20 plus parts.

 

[Capn]

do it yourself, replacing pads on disk brakes is insanely easy. If you need to get your rotors turned you can get a shop to do it for less than $20, so all told you can get out with only $40 spent (for cheap pads) and it won't take ya too long. Just make sure you don't turn em down too far if there's a need.

 

[ohtwell]

<< Where did you go for the $70-$80 charge?

My parents seem to think im looking @ ~ $300.

I think that is rediculus and I'll go buy the pads myself and (attempt to) do it myself. >>




I go to a local mechanic where I live.

I'm not sure how much the pads themselves cost.
You could check an online auto parts store like Auto Zone to see how much they charge.

 

[Shaftatplanetquake]

Any good resources online I could find for a way to change the brake pads?

Or is it in the owner's manual?

 

[Capn]

losen lug nuts a little
jack up car
put jack stands under car
remove wheels
remove master cylinder, use rope to tie off to something so you don't let it hang by the hose
remove old brake pads
put brake grease on back of new pads
insert pads
use C-clamp and wooden board to push back the piston portion of the master cylinder
put master cylinder assembly back on
put wheel on
put lugnuts back on
remove jack stands
torque wheels to spec
then retorque after you've driven around a bit

I think that's about it, let me know if I missed a step.

 

[ohtwell]

<< Any good resources online I could find for a way to change the brake pads?

Or is it in the owner's manual? >>



You can buy a book at most auto parts stores that will tell you how to do that.

The book tells you how to do almost anything yourself.

I have one for my '98 Chevy Cavalier and it is ver helpful.

 

[notfred]

Front brake pads shouldn't cost more than $50. It takes about half an hour to change them. Requires 1 wrench and the spare tire jack.

 

[SCSIfreek]

all cars have the same type of brake pads? or are they all different?


--Scsi

 

[Thegonagle]

For safety's sake, do not rely on the spare tire jack to hold up the car. Most are quite weak and very unstable. Invest in some decent jack stands.

Capn is right about the procedure, but he refers to the "master cylinder," when he means "wheel cylinder/caliper assembly."

Get the book at the auto parts store to be sure.

As for tools, Craftsman is totally decent if you're starting out. A complete set of metric wrenches should be about $20-25, or you can buy only the size(s) you need for a few bucks each.

 

[ohtwell]

<< all cars have the same type of brake pads? or are they all different?


--Scsi >>



They are different.


Garfang is right. It is better to use jackstands when working on something like this.

 

[Thegonagle]

<< all cars have the same type of brake pads? or are they all different?


--Scsi >>

The mechanical concept and friction friction materials are similar on many cars, but each model of car uses different sizes and shapes for the pads.

 

[beat mania]

<< For safety's sake, do not rely on the spare tire jack to hold up the car. Most are quite weak and very unstable. Invest in some decent jack stands.

Capn is right about the procedure, but he refers to the "master cylinder," when he means "wheel cylinder/caliper assembly."

Get the book at the auto parts store to be sure.

As for tools, Craftsman is totally decent if you're starting out. A complete set of metric wrenches should be about $20-25, or you can buy only the size(s) you need for a few bucks each. >>



yes, don't remove your master cylinder to change your brake pads!

 

[notfred]

I Wouldn't worry to much about the safety concerns of a spare tire jack to change brake pads. The reason they say not to work on a car on a jack is so that it can't fall and crush you while you're under it. You never need to go underneath the car to change the brake pads. However, a nice jackstand would probably be a good idea in case you don't want to drop your car on the cement

 

[VTBigBear]

man..
should I change my own brake pads too???


hmmm

 

[toant103]

you have to put grease on the brake pad?

 

[FrustratedUser]

Buy them and replace them yourself. Piece of cake.
I saw the figure $300 mentioned in this thread. Whatever you do don't spend that kind of money!

 

[Michael1897]

if you go to a mechanic you are going to get screwed. you can get the pads for under 50
if you don't know how to change them get a friend to do - buy him a 12 pack or something.
it takes maybe 30 minutes max.

 

[flavio]

If you don't want to buy jackstands you can always put something else under there once you jack it up.

 

[Cyberian]

<< if you go to a mechanic you are going to get screwed. you can get the pads for under 50
if you don't know how to change them get a friend to do - buy him a 12 pack or something.
it takes maybe 30 minutes max. >>

Ding Ding!! We have a winner!!
$10 for a 12-pack and you don't even have to get dirty!!

 

[notfred]

<< you have to put grease on the brake pad? >>



no, but you do put "anti-squeal compund" on the BACK (side that goes AWAY from the rotor) of them.

It's kinda like rubber cement.

 

[toph99]

if you don't wanna buy a car stand(though it's recommended) stick the wheel that you take off under the frame, that way if the jack gives out the car will land on the rim, instead of smashing the rotor, bumper etc. on the concrete. Though, depending on how much your rims were, it may be cheaper to let the car fall