Replacing Car Brakes BY YOURSELF

roddydogs

Some cars (ie Punto) you have to take the rear axel bearings off to do the rear brakes, and the self adjusting thingys are a B***** to do, i definlty would not do the rears myself.

LandyAndy

Although changing brake componenets is (or was when I used to do it) straightforward the problem you have is that, because it is straightforward, the labour content of having it done professionally is relatively small. Therefore, to make significant savings you also need to source the parts at a discount to what you would be charged by a garage.

stef73

£150 for for pads for 2001 Astra is that main dealer ?.Just paid small garage by my house (who MOT my car and wifes car) £45 cash saturday morning for 2005 C-Max front pads . I dont mind getting hands dirty used to all the time with past cars but for £45 supplied and fitted cant be bothered (they can get pads cheaper than me anyway)

catflea

Sod any savings that might be made, I want to know my brakes have been done correctly. Therefore I do them myself.

If a jobs worth doing.......

bosseyed

I've changed mine on my old car with my mechanic brother in law overseeing and advising - one thing that seemed to be quite important that I wouldn't have thought of was the torque values for tightening all the nuts and bolts. Seemed to be the case that 'as tight as you can do it' wasn't always the best way.

missile

Last time I let the "profesionals" replace my brake pads @ a Ford main dealer>

A few days later the warning light came on, whilst I went to work.
Phoned to complain
That will be the brake pad low warning sensor. Don't worry, we shall book it in next Wednesday.
Two days later, I have no brakes. Found out fluid had been leaking from the flexi cable to calliper joint.
Phoned and asked to speak to service manager. He asked if I had been "meddling" with the brakes? :mad:


I was very pleased when Cordiners went into receivership.

altin_2

Surprise Surprise.
My car passed the MOT(didn't change brake pads) from the main dealer.
Not sure how as I check the thickness(very thin) and have started to make this eeeek noise when brake.

anewman

altin wrote: »

Surprise Surprise.
My car passed the MOT(didn't change brake pads) from the main dealer.
Not sure how as I check the thickness(very thin) and have started to make this eeeek noise when brake.

The pads can be difficult to see with wheels on. The Mot is a visual inspection only, the wheel is not removed. Steel wheels and back splash plates can make assessing the thickness left difficult. Your pads could be bald, but so long as it passed the braking efficiency test you'd have a pass. The Mot isn't really as strict as most people imagine, you can quite easily drive away with a pass certificate in a death trap.

Squeak noises can often be reduced by applying copper grease to the back of brake pads (ensuring none touches the braking surface or disc). If the noise is due to the pad thinness expect more money to fly out of your wallet for new discs.

catflea

If you know how to play the game with the MOT, its possible to get some right sheds of cars through it!

Snakeeyes21

Wig wrote: »

a big hammer,

Anything can be fixed with a big hammer