I just had my 45k mile checkup done at Hodges subaru near detroit and they said my front brake pads were down to about 10%. They wanted to charge me about $200 to replace the pads and resurface the rotors.

 

I was wondering if a driveway mechanic like myself could do this without much trouble, or would it be better for the car if i just shelled out the cash to have the dealer do it. Are there any special tools needed for this? Could i get by without resurfacing the rotors if the pads never got worn down to the metal?

I just changed brake pads on all 4 wheels last weekend, and believe me--if I can do it anyone can! Not difficult at all. Find a Haynes manual, it has pictures and step-by-step instructions. Cost me about $95 for the pads.

 

As for the rotors, eyeball them and run your fingers across them. If they're deeply grooved and rough you might want to have them resurfaced (or even replace them with new) but I'll bet they're not too bad at 45k.

 

Ask questions here on the board if you're unsure.

 

Good luck.

It would probably cost less for you to do it with new rotors & pads. I did my rears this summer, never worked on discs before, only drums. 1st side took me about an hour (inlcudes finding tools) and the second side only about 20 minutes. Very easy, I don't think I'll ever pay to have brakes done again....

Yep, you can DIY it. I would recommend fitting new discs aswell as pads.

 

You'll need a big g-clamp to span the entire caliper before dis-assembly, to press the pistons back in. It's much easier to do this way, than mess about with it once the pads are out.

Remember to suck up some of the brake fluid in the reservoir to avoid overflow.

I don't go to dealers or chains for brakes, usually. An independent or DIY'er can buy top quality replacements. You can get Brembo disks for about $10 more than standard replacements.

 

An automotive machine shop can turn the rotors for you.

 

I used to photocopy the manual pages and tape them to the fender.