$5000 brake job?

[David 70]

Originally Posted by JoeSR

TeJay,

Two questions:

1. What is your source for speed bleeders? I found Russell Speed Bleeders, but they list only cars and PUs.

2. How do you handle flushing the ABS?

Thanks

https://store-speedbleeder-com.3dcar...eders_c_7.html
Here is where I got mine. I took one out and measured the diameter and the thread pitch. 10125 means 10mm and 1.25 thread pitch.

[djnorton]

100K mile brake service:
New OE rotors
New loaded calipers W/OE pads
New flex lines

Brake fluid will flush adequately when bleeding out new calipers

Is this the first set of pads? If so, only put OE back on, you will never get the mileage out of them if you put on Aftermarket.

Calipers will start to hang and drag, how long do you expect that little square seal to last on the caliper pistons?

Use only high temp brake silicone on pad tabs & backs and caliper slides.

If using OE pads, do not burnish the brakes after install or noise and poor braking will develop. OE pads are fully cured at the factory, aftermarket pads are not and require burnishing.

[djnorton]

OE rotors have a high carbon content, that reduces brake noise, but makes the rotors wear faster, hence pads wear grooves into rotors now, has nothing to die with weight. North American cars & trucks have to meet a minimal brake stopping distance, aftermarket brakes do not...

[F4Flyer]

I've got a Ford F53 chassis and get all my chassis work done at the local ford dealer. Had a brake seize up needing rotor and all. Cost me alot less there.

[Dutchstar53]

Originally Posted by FredKate

Just got off the phone with repair shop and he is giving a $5000 ball park estimate for a brake job on my ACE. He says the left side (front and rear) is metal to metal but the right rear still had 50% left. Front right was in between. He states this indicates an issue with the brake lines. He recommends new brake lines, pads, rotors, and calipers all around. Does this sound reasonable?.

The coach has 96,500 miles but I have the brakes checked every year...or so I told the last mechanic to do so. I just started to hear some noise from the brakes on the way from Las Vegas to FL last month. The coach didn't seem to require more brake pedal pressure and it did seem to stop OK.

Just had the full works done on our 2002 Dutchstar with 200k miles, last Feb. $1500 with a couple other things done.

[BradTaylor]

Like many others comments, $5,000 is way out of line. Looking on Rock Auto, the front rotors, caliper's and brake pad kits run ~$520.00 + shipping. The brake hoses are ~$20.00 each. That's based on what i think is a Ford E-450 chassis. If drum brakes, they would cost less than the front. if disc, I would think about the same price. As for replacing the brake lines, I have never seen a brake line collapse not allowing the fluid to return to the master cylinder. I have seen brake hoses (~16-20") that swell and restrict the return of the fluid to the master cylinder. A fair price on the high end would be ~$2,500 (on the high end) for the job. I would treat it like a medical diagnosis, get a second opinion for sure, Good luck.

[bgkoontz1]

Fire your mechanic immediately. I think he is smoking crack. Any shop will be able to do the job for less than 1500

[jpuckett001]

I've noticed through the years that some mechanics don't like brake work, don't really have the proper tools, and charge high prices because they don't want to do it and wish people would take it somewhere else.

Perhaps it may be best to seek a place that specializes in brake work?

[F4Gary]

Originally Posted by jpuckett001

I've noticed through the years that some mechanics don't like brake work, don't really have the proper tools, and charge high prices because they don't want to do it and wish people would take it somewhere else.

Perhaps it may be best to seek a place that specializes in brake work?

This.

[Tlmr4784]

Sounds like CW estimate. Get a different opinion & estimate.
Apples for apples.

[arcaguy]

I've lived in Michigan pretty much my whole like and I have never seen an 8 year old vehicle that needs to have the metal brake lines replaced due to rust. Modern bake lines have a plastic coating on them that has pretty much eliminated rusting issues at all. I'd be looking for a new mechanic.

[davis2]

Originally Posted by FredKate

In FL now but have been in all 49 states. Not much driving on salty roads but a couple of times each year at the beach for days. Unfortunately, I have not had the brake fluid ever changed that I can recall. I have the coach now at a truck repair shop that had 7 RVs in the lot when I dropped mine off yesteray.

Find another shop, they're screwing you!

[Johnynorthla]

Originally Posted by FredKate

Just got off the phone with repair shop and he is giving a $5000 ball park estimate for a brake job on my ACE. He says the left side (front and rear) is metal to metal but the right rear still had 50% left. Front right was in between. He states this indicates an issue with the brake lines. He recommends new brake lines, pads, rotors, and calipers all around. Does this sound reasonable?.

The coach has 96,500 miles but I have the brakes checked every year...or so I told the last mechanic to do so. I just started to hear some noise from the brakes on the way from Las Vegas to FL last month. The coach didn't seem to require more brake pedal pressure and it did seem to stop OK.

I’m a former mechanic in my younger years. THATS A RIDICULOUSLY HIGH PRICE! I’d say he doubled it! And I’m being generous!

[davis2]

Originally Posted by TeJay

Not really understanding the idea of not wanting to machine rotors. Or at least the fact that nobody has responded or commented on the idea.

Back in about 1995 I bought a used (3,000 miles) Isuzu pickup truck. The guy bought it new got transfered to snow country and wanted a 4-wheel drive.

From the very beginning the rotors were warped so the steering wheel vibrated and the brake pedal pulsated when braking. I machined the rotors and removed maybe .005 from each rotor. I did that about every 10,000 to 15,000 miles until I sold the truck in 2006 my lasy year of teaching. Before I sold it I replaced the rotors.

I machined the rotors probably 4-6 times and the brakes worked fine. I replaced the rotors with 65,000 miles.

Machining rotors was ALWAYS recommended when changing pads. We always set them up on the lathe and checked for run-out and machined as little as needed. Also placed a non-directional finish (100 grit paper using a small circular grinder) on both surfaces of the rotors.

When pads are burnished (broken or worn in) some brake material is transfered to the rotor surface. When pads are changed the smooth embedded surface does not work well to assist in the burnishing process for the new metalic pads.

Proper burnishing requires about 200 starts and stops with proper cooling down. That is done by the owner under normal braking. According to the DOT full or 100% braking efficiency does not occur until the pads are properly burnished.

I realize few talk about this but you can do some research and read it for your self.

Most every time I replaced rotors I always set them up on the brake lathe (which was dialed in correctly) and 90% of them were out of specs for run out. Little material was removed but just enough to bring them back to specs. Why install rotors that have excessive or any run out??? Why replace rotors if they are still thick enough to allow machining?? To me that makes no sense.

Why is there a minimum thickness?? Brakes work by creating friction. The rotor acts as a heat sink to absorb and remove the heat away from the rotor and pad surface.
The thinner the rotor the less efficient at removing the heat so glazing may result.

Excessive heat creates glazing of the pads which affectively ruins them. The smoother the surface the less friction is created.

I'm sure one can get by without doing any of the stuff mentioned. You can replace good rotors but I'd prefer to save some $$$$$ if & when I can. I also know machining rotors is a perfectively legitimate repair technique. I did it for 35 years. I'll rest better knowing I did all that I could to perform the best brake job possible.

It's actually hard to find someone to turn rotors anymore!