Servicing & Inspecting Brakes

[byez]

If you took your car to a competent mechanic, what would you expect that mechanic to do within a thorough brake job & inspection?

I ask as I do the brakes on my vehicle myself. I usually do a brake bleed every two years. I sand down the rotor hub where it meets the wheels, i sand down the pads till new pad material is visible, i lube the slider pins, i clean the brake pad shims with a wire brush, i check for cracks in the rotor.

Am I missing anything?

 

[cmhj]

I never sand down my pads. Other than that when can you service my brakes?

 

[The_Jeff]

I would spin each wheel and make sure the drag is okay.

Should get a little with discs (couple revolutions then stop) and drums should, imo, go bzzt-(quiet)-bzzt-(quiet).

If you really want to go whole hog, drive a while then shoot each disc with an IR heat gun, and each drum. Each disc, inside and out, on the same axle should be nearly the same temperature. How close is a matter of your own paranoia.

I think you have the jump on most mechanics, as it is your own car and you sound fastidious about it.

Also inspect the hydraulics thoroughly for rusted pipes and bad hoses.

 

[mechtech2]

Don't waste your time sanding pads that are bedded in.
Lube is always a good idea, as is bleeding.
And of course, improper torque procedures can warp a rotor after a while.

 

[JTK]

Originally Posted By: byez
If you took your car to a competent mechanic, what would you expect that mechanic to do within a thorough brake job & inspection?


Replace the rotors/drums, pads/shoes, Remove,clean and re-lube the caliper pins, make sure pin boots are sealed and clean any slide points. Replace frozen calipers or wheel cylinders where necessary (seldom). In my area, a good independent shop charges ~$250 an axle for new rotors/pads. Dealerships are more than twice that.

Joel

 

[byez]

How often should calipers be rebuilt? How do you test for a frozen caliper?

Should grease be applied to the exterior of the piston boot? To the exterior of the slider pin boot?

Is brake cleaner necessary? I usually only use brake cleaner when installing new rotors.

 

[Kestas]

Pad wear gives you a clue whether the calipers are functioning properly. If the pads don't wear evenly together, or wear parallel to the backing, it's time to either clean up and lube, or replace the caliper. I believe the caliper should only be replaced if there is bad corrosion in the piston bore or if it is leaking.

Silicone grease may spill over onto the boots, but there's no need to apply them to the boot exterior. Make sure the grease can't reach the pads.

I never use brake cleaner. My work habits don't require it, I'm too cheap to buy it, and it's not environmentally friendly.

One good tip I got from labman is to butter the caliper piston bore with silicone grease before installing the piston and seals. This should help keep moisture away from the critical sealing areas.