shudson

alright, so i've never had to touch brakes before by myself. i need to change the pads and rotors on my 92 sc400 BADLY. i wanted to see how much it would cost to get them replaced by a professional, and they are trying to charge me $705.00 obviously, quite a ridiculous over-quote.

anyway, i've decided the only way to ensure that i'm not getting ****ed over is to replace them myself (or with someone's help :] ) so what i'm really asking is if there's anyone in the columbia, mo area that would be willing to help a girl out. reimbursement would be in booze and/or food (i'm italian, so trust me when i say i can cook like none other).

if not, can anyone point me to a simple tutorial (pictures preferred) on how to go about replacing them myself? i've searched the forums and have found tutorials on how to replace the rotors on other models, but none on an early sc400.

quick side question: do i need to replace the hardware when i replace the rotor? i wasn't sure...

geko29

You don't need to replace the hardware, just the wear items (pads and rotors). I'd offer to help, but I'm about 6.5 hours from the Missouri border. Luckily, the process is fairly simple. There will be two caliper slides (bolts) holding the calipers to the carriers (brackets) that go in from the back. They'll be relatively long, and go through bushings that are usually rubber. Pull both of them out and you should be able to pull the caliper off.

From there, the pads will be very easy to remove, and the rotor should come off easily as well. If the carrier prevents them from coming off, then remove the carrier (should be two more bolts from the rear). Spray the new rotors liberally with brake cleaner, let them dry and then put them on.

Now you'll need a caliper compression tool, which you can rent for free from Autozone. Basically you buy it used for $35, and they give you 100% of your money back when you return it. Don't worry, this isn't being devious or anything, it's official store policy to "rent" tools in this manner. Take the cap off the brake fluid reservoir under the hood, then use the compression tool to force the piston all the way back into the caliper.

Next you put some brake lubricant on the back of the new pads then install them on the caliper. The piston-side pad will have several metal clips on the back that fit inside the piston. Once both pads are on the caliper, reinstall the caliper on the carrier. Put some more brake lube on the caliper slides--the bolts that mount the calipers to the carriers--then reinstall and tighten them down.

Once both sides are done, put the cover back on your brake fluid reservoir, start the engine, and press the brake pedal several times. It will be very soft and go to the floor the first few times. Once it's back to a normal firmness, take a short test drive to make sure everything's good.

Hope this helps...

shudson

i didn't know autozone rented tools like that. thanks so much!

anyone know of any picture write-ups/tutorials for this?

geko29

You can actually rent just about anything from Autozone. The caliper compression and OBD II scan tools were my most frequent, though I own both now.

I did find a DIY with pictures for brakes on an RX, but the process is basically the same on any car with disc brakes (I've done 6 so far), so your steps should be almost identical:

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sho...=brake+pad+DIY

shudson

do you think they'd rent a hydraulic jack? i always use my brothers, but i don't want to drive an hour with the brakes in the condition they are. and i'd also not like to spend twenty minutes lifting the car.

thanks so much with your help, seriously. i'm sure this seems like child's play to much of those who read it, but it's immensely helpful, and saving me about half a grand.

another question: i know they over-quoted me, but what wouldn't be an over-quote for a rotor and pad replacement?

geko29

Factory brake pads list for $59, aftermarkets should run about half that. A pair of good quality aftermarket brake rotors should go for about $70. So $100 for parts. Then an hour of labor at $85, round it out to $200. Using all factory parts, it'd be more like $405. Even still, I wouldn't pay over $300, no matter what parts they used.

I'm not sure if autozone rents jacks, they tend to focus on more "specialized tools" that are either very expensive or only used for one job. Since you can get a jack and two stands for $30 and they're required for most jobs, they may not qualify. In a pinch you could use your spare tire jack, but you have to be extra careful to never place any part of your body under part of the car.

Stonehenge

Hey can you give an update as to how it worked out for you ( you did the brake pads and rotors by yourself ). Just curious.. Stonehenge