Increase in pad slaps

[Andyd95]

Anyone else notice an increase in people wanting to just pad slap cars? Average RO is up but when it comes to brakes people are cheapening out

Honestly for the rears on some of the newer stuff has been fine - newer Audi, BMW, Mini, especially when the cars are sub 50k miles

 

[rijndael]

Customers wanting to do it or shops wanting to do it?

Customers? Yes, I get it. It's cheaper in a time when everything is expensive.

 

[zzyzzx]

Really nothing wrong with pad slapping. I do it all the time (not a mechanic). IMO mechanics love to change rotors so that they can upcharge you on what's most likely an unnecessary item.

 

[JavierH19]

Majority of the time the rotor is still plenty thick and can take at least another pad slap sometimes 2 more but the shop will ask because it's free to ask. At best the customer says yes if they frightened them with alarmist lies making them think they'll die if they don't pay them to change the rotors and at worst they still do a pad slap anyway. Costs them nothing to attempt to get more money cost them nothing if they don't. My daughter was told her brakes were low and unsafe to drive and they wanted to charge her for both pads and rotors but she declined thankfully and called me. I told her to come in the weekend so I can do it myself and the pads still had almost 40% life left and the rotors were almost new in thickness. I changed the pads anyway since I already got them for her and she already drove. I didn't get the rotors because I expected them to be good for one more run and they were easily good for two.

 

[rijndael]

If I a shop owner, I'd push them because I think a fresh rotor surface increases the chance of a happy customer.

You eliminate things like rust ridges rubbing a new pad (with a slightly different dimension) creating a comeback for excessive noise.

 

[CKN]

Anyone else notice an increase in people wanting to just pad slap cars? Average RO is up but when it comes to brakes people are cheapening out

Honestly for the rears on some of the newer stuff has been fine - newer Audi, BMW, Mini, especially when the cars are sub 50k miles

Probably has to do with the fact brake jobs with new rotors (per axle) are $500.00 or more. At least around here.

 

[rijndael]

My neighbor was quoted $1800 at the Ford dealer, for his F150.

 

[wavinwayne]

Probably has to do with the fact brake jobs with new rotors (per axle) are $500.00 or more. At least around here.

Accurate price for anything non-luxury. Had my son's Jeep Renegade front pads and rotors done last year due to some deep grooves developing, and it was $500 at my trusted local shop that I use for my kids' cars.

 

[JavierH19]

My neighbor was quoted $1800 at the Ford dealer, for his F150.

This is why I have no mercy for stealers and tell people to patch something up that needs thousands in repairs and dump at their lots.

 

[nthach]

I’ll do a pad slap with OEM only if I had to. Besides money and labor rates - I live in a HCOL area and even Firestone is charging $250/hr. The problem with machining rotors is you don’t know if that lathe is maintained well - the arbor having as little play as possible, sharp tooling and the person doing the machining is taking pride in their work.

I’ve had rotors come back with more slop for run-out than what I’ve measured before.

 

[JeffKeryk]

I often pad slap or shoe slap rear axle brake jobs, if everything looks ok. So far so good...
I machined the front rotors on our Tundra when I got it. Has 220K on the clock now. Rotors next time.

 

[Andyd95]

Probably has to do with the fact brake jobs with new rotors (per axle) are $500.00 or more. At least around here.

I’m normally $400 an axle here with just pads, sometimes more.

 

[Andyd95]

If I a shop owner, I'd push them because I think a fresh rotor surface increases the chance of a happy customer.

You eliminate things like rust ridges rubbing a new pad (with a slightly different dimension) creating a comeback for excessive noise.

Customers are shown the rotors and explained if there is any noise, pulsation, or other abnormalities we are not responsible.

 

[rijndael]

Nothing says happy customer like having to caveat your work ...

FWIW: I did work at a shop in the late 90s, so this isn't totally foreign to me.

 

[nthach]

I didn't get the rotors because I expected them to be good for one more run and they were easily good for two.

I think GM put out a TSB saying if the rotors still fall within spec and there’s no excessive run-out, a pad slap is OK. Toyota and Honda also say rotors can be reused - they also want them machined if they are within spec using an on-car lathe. The Germans want new rotors every time, they use semi-metallic pads but they are starting to use Euro-tweaked “ceramic” pads now.

FWIW, I recall pad slapping an old Accord. Raybestos from Kragen before the O’Reilly days. They were noisy a few days later after bedding in. I took those out and installed a set of Monroe ceramics, much better.

I’ve pad slapped my Prius - rotors still were within Toyota specs. Used OE Toyota “warranty” pads, not the TCMC “service” pads with a xxxxx-AZ1xx part number. No issues. The problem with pad slapping is that the friction material will be different. OE “ceramic” will be chemically different than aftermarket.

 

[IndyIan]

I measure the rotors, and none have actually worn to thin.... I think I had one warped so I replaced the pair. I did put rotors on the front of the Outback at 90k miles as they had a raised lip from rust swelling, but they had worn like 1mm with 3 or 4 more to go before they would be out of spec.

 

[Sequoiasoon]

Just pad slapped the rear on wife's Pilot today. Rotors were still fine, pads at about 30% but I'm planning on towing trailer 1k miles and then road trips. I used Duralast Elite this time. The Raybestos Element 3's were at the 30% at about 20k miles. The Raybestos have been quite a disappointment on multiple vehicles lately.

Pad slapped the front of my son's Forte a couple weeks ago because he's moving 8 hours away. It had the Duralast Elite at just under 50%. Autozone swapped them out no issue. I ordered from RA a Powerstop kit of rotors/pads and a caliper that I think is sticking. Those will be done very soon. I cleaned up and greased the rears as I was checking everything.

Co-worker got an $899 quote a couple days ago for front rotors and pads on his wife's Kia Sorrento at the dealer. His local shop quoted $499 for the same.

 

[CKN]

My neighbor was quoted $1800 at the Ford dealer, for his F150.

What did that include? 4 axles? Pads/rotors, fluid flush and?

 

[CKN]

Just pad slapped the rear on wife's Pilot today. Rotors were still fine, pads at about 30% but I'm planning on towing trailer 1k miles and then road trips. I used Duralast Elite this time. The Raybestos Element 3's were at the 30% at about 20k miles. The Raybestos have been quite a disappointment on multiple vehicles lately.

Pad slapped the front of my son's Forte a couple weeks ago because he's moving 8 hours away. It had the Duralast Elite at just under 50%. Autozone swapped them out no issue. I ordered from RA a Powerstop kit of rotors/pads and a caliper that I think is sticking. Those will be done very soon. I cleaned up and greased the rears as I was checking everything.

Co-worker got an $899 quote a couple days ago for front rotors and pads on his wife's Kia Sorrento at the dealer. His local shop quoted $499 for the same.

$499.00/axle is a competitive price.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

Rarely can get by here with a pad slap. You always end up having a caliper drag after.