Jesus! I just got a voicemail as I typed the previous post from a car dealership I emailed just for giggles as I wanted to see if this other poster on another forum was for real on brake pads.

Ladies and gentlemen of SL: the going price for front brake pad replacement and cutting the rotors smooth is $287!!!!

I thought this other dude was joking and laughed at him earlier today. Scion dealership is serious business. But hey, I'm also the guy that wound up spending over $300 at a dealership for a FREE recall a few years ago. I even made a thread on here.

I stink lol.

 

No need to cut the rotors unless your having problems.

 

Stock jack and cheap-o jack stands. Literally a bag of latex gloves costs more than the Harbor Freight stands I use most of the time. If your car is like most of ours a jack will not fit under the car. What do you need tire holders for?

To put it in perspective when I pulled the motor and repaired my truck after a wreck a couple of years ago I spent maybe 500 bucks. I pulled the motor with a chain slung over a tree tied off to another trucks hitch, frame was pulled straight using chain and another trucks hitch (and lots of math), all parts were from a junkyard or Keystone, and work was done by me using a Chilton's manual.

You can always get out cheaper if you use creative thinking and your own hands.

 

I was going to get this jack:

http://www.amazon.com/Torin-T83006-T...1457282&sr=8-6

I know it says for SUV but it is rated at 3 tons. I try to be safety first haha. The tire holders are so the car doesn't roll when I'm working on the brakes haha. Is that not needed? I was going to just get 2 bricks from Home Depot instead.

You probably are shaking your head at how much of a noob I am lol

I just don't want the car to come down on the axel when I got it in the air. I think I'd crap in my pants if that happened.

 

Don't get that one. You don't want that red rod sticking up. It would be a huge pain. Get something with a flat lift like this.


Even better if you ever go low.

 

it is quite easy once you have the tools, yeah the jobs is simple. it's getting to that point. look at it this way, once you get the right tools/jacks/etc, they will pay for themselves over time with the money you're going to save doing it yourself in the future (oil changes, brakes, suspension, etc)

wasn't there someone on here earlier in the thread saying they'd help you out? Someone local? That could be beneficial for you, they get to show you how it's done and then next time you can just do it yourself. That way if you're unsure you have someone experienced to help out. Sorry I'm not closer I'd help ya out too, yeah I'm serious. Why not? Why let a tC be destroyed by some uncaring mechanic who probably isn't really caring about their job. I've seen some crazy stuff with my tC, with other mechanics, luckily I was watching. One guy was ready to use a floor jack to raise my car by the DRIVESHAFT!! (axle), i nearly tackled him. never went back there.

another thing I've used in the brakes, but people will tell you that you dont need it, is a good torque wrench when tightening all the bolts, but usually good n tight is sufficient.

also.. the dealer is a joke, close to $300 to turn rotors/discs? yeah insane isn't it? A set of brembo oem-type rotors are like $60 a piece for the front, $40 for the rear. so for $200 you have brand new rotors/discs not some old turned rotor prone to warping since you took some of the material away.

I'll conclude with this. the tC is the EASIEST car I've ever worked on, ever! I gotta give props to the packaging engineers at Toyota. This car was made to work on in your own driveway! Even some of the service manual stuff shows a floor jack, not a lift like at the dealer! if that isn't a clue to what they really designed it for!

 

^^ Well said... Especially the last paragraph

 

Just think. You can buy a jack, stands, pads and a case of miller and still be under the price they would charge for a mechanics shop to do it.

 

With all OE parts full rotors all around and pads is like 80 bucks, lol. Brembos are like 80 front 50 rear, EBC are ~120 front 100 rear, and Stoptech is 250 front 200 rear. EBC red stuff is 160 for all around, Hawks are 150-200 for all around, and Stoptech pads are 100 for all around

 

I dont know why people insist on throwing money away.
OEM front pads only 42 bucks
http://www.trdsparks.com/displaypart...&parts_id=3466

 

Ok, you guys got me convinced. I will start buying parts this week and hopefully get a good weekend either this coming weekend or next weekend. In the Pittsburgh area it snows a lot (like today) but I want to try some performance brake pads. I think the ones Midas gives me are made to fail fast. I remember how happy I was to get some Nitto wide tires and not those cheap POS that the car shops usually give and charge $100/tire + installation.

I'm thinking this is what I will need to get:

Floor Jack: $40-60 (one of the ones recommended above)
C-Clamp: $5
Torque wrench: $? (so I know I am not over tightening bolts - always had this fear of having the tires come off while driving from not torquing them to spec)
Floor Stand: $10
Gloves: $2
Nice Brake Pads from TRDSparks or Dezod: ~$100

Plus I want to clean the caliper a little. I will post photos when I get my supplies and see what you all think.

SL turned another member into a DIY mechanic!

Oh and Midas still hasn't called and Monro never called yesterday. Screw that. I got a new air filter and Chevron fuel injector cleaner yesterday from Advance Auto Parts. Soon I will be a pro!

 

Torque wrenches are a lot of money. Mine was like 120 and my flex one was like 75. Still don't think you need a jack or a C-clamp. If you want upgraded brakes on the cheap StopTechs are pretty nice, you could always get one of those staged upgrades that Dezod sells. Still might wanna try to ebay ninja your way to get premium parts for cheap; you can always shop around and find a deal

 

Ok, no torque wrench for me then lol. I will just do it tight. I will get a C-clamp since they are cheap and it is what the DIY guide says to do lol. I'm thinking of just getting the stock OEM pads from TRDSparks for now just so I can see the difference between those and the used ones I have. Then next time I will take a risk and go for premium pads. Should I get new rotors too? I think it would be easier to get new rotors since I won't be able to resurface the ones I have. Plus I am already saving money by doing it myself.

 

Watched another video and now I think I understand more.

1. To replace the rotors on top of pads, just disconnect caliper assembly and move to the side. The rotors are freely rotating.

2. Rotors aren't really connected to anything until you put the tire on. The lug nuts go through the tire and connect to the rotors. The rotors and the tires are one. It makes sense since when you slow the rotor down, the tire slows down too.

3. When replacing rotors, you need to wipe off the grease for obvious reasons.

4. The part that rusts on the rotors is the center piece. This can be changed by getting a rotors with a black center piece the has rust prevention.

5. The guy in the video didn't use a torque wrench, he just tightened everything real tight.

Learned a lot this week!

 

You need a torque wrench for your tires. Putting them "real tight" is asking for trouble.

 

thank you!

 

1- i use a couple of zip ties together thru the caliper opening to the spring (above the strut). you can never let a brake caliper hang by the brake hose, it'll usually strain it and you'll have leaks.

2-the rotors on our car are what's called "floating" but you do have to take off the bracket on the backside that holds the caliper on. Then the rotors should slide right off, if not you can screw a bolt into the stock rotors (two bolts) to push it off the hub, which is usually rusted in place. I never like what I've seen at tire shops some gorilla slamming it with a sledgehammer! OUCH!

2a- make sure to use brake cleaner to clean the hub of all rust and dust to make a nice clean mating surface for the new rotor


2b- when you put the rotors on, usually they match up and run "true" which is no wobbling back n forth. I know I'm throwing more parts at ya, but I went to Harbor Freight got a "mechanics dial gauge" and the mounting apparatus for like $20... i'll go get the link, awesome deal. but i got it because it measure the run-out of the rotor while moving on the hub. you position it 10mm from the edge of the rotor, then with two lug nuts holding the rotor on you spin the rotor watching the gauge, each hash mark is 0.001" I like to get it almost zero. How do you get it to zero, you ask? easy. if one position isn't correct, move it one lug hole back or forward and re-measure that way you'll have perfectly balanced rotors, no vibration when spinning or braking

ok here's the link for the gauge. oops it went up in price, but still cheap. sears wanted $92 for the same thing.. no thanks sears!

http://www.harborfreight.com/1-inch-...cator-623.html

this is the base to hold it-
http://www.harborfreight.com/multipo...ment-5645.html

it's how i got my brakes perfectly installed.


3- yes get some brake cleaner to spray off the rotor's surface, some rotors come with a grease coating that needs to be removed before using.

4- yes i wish i got that center black piece too, but you're right that will stop that ugly look.

5- Usually you can tell when tightening something that it gets tight and you make sure its snug, dont keep forcing it after that it usually will snap.

The torque wrenches I've seen and I have one from Harbor Freight, but it was made in taiwan not china. the taiwan ones are good, i've tested it out and it's really close +- 2% or so of the dialed in value.
this link is for a 3/8" drive that will be good for 3/8" sockets that you can tighten the caliper down to the bracket.
http://www.harborfreight.com/3-8-eig...rench-807.html

and the next one is a 1/2" drive (fits 1/2" sockets) that you'll need to tighten larger things like the bolts that hold the caliper bracket on the steering knuckle/suspension. also to tighten your lug nuts when you're done.

now I know the harbor freight units aren't perfect but I feel they're good for the occasional use like what you're doing. and the price is not bad at all!
http://www.harborfreight.com/1-2-hal...rench-239.html

I did get one from Home Depot, but returned it like 3 times so far to get replaced under warrany, was skipping gears in the teeth, so far the harbor freight ones are working great! and the price of home depot? $80! ouch.

6- C clamp? nope.. I used this guy, worked really well
http://www.harborfreight.com/disc-br...sor-34304.html

6a- when pushing the piston back in, there's 2 schools of thought, one says the abs module doesn't like pressure going backwards which is what you do when you push the piston back in, and others who say to open up the bleeder screw and let the excess fluid go out that way. so far people here have done both ways and no problems so just letting ya know the info well because i know

7- gloves.. i like the nitrile gloves at harbor freight, get a box of 100, and they last awhile. I dont like latex they never seem to have good grip like the nitrile ones. here's another link and yes I seem to live at harbor freight!
http://www.harborfreight.com/pack-of...ves-97583.html

they come in small,medium, large, x-large.

8- greasing up the sliding pins on the tC, it requires a "Lithium soap base glycol grease" Rubber Grease
Toyota p/n: 08887-01206 it's about $10-15 a toothpaste tube size. I've tried silicone grease and it gummed all the pins up, had to use this instead. its what toyota recommends. and i now believe them. take that part number to a dealer they'll order it up, bet they dont even know what it is! no dealer i've seen ever used the right stuff.

9- if you turn out to have squealing brakes I found that using Napa's ceramic solids brake grease works great its made by permatex. Permatex's brand calls it Ceramic Extreme Brake Parts Lubricant (purple), to apply it to the inside of the "fingers" that goes over the outside brake pad, that's the part that you see from looking at the car.

hope that helps there ya go, and i know when you get done and everything you'll be like.. wow, car is great now! yup and next time you need it, no spending $300, just parts and go! you'll still have all this grease left over from last time.

 

Thanks man! This is my list so far from Amazon:

Torin 2 Ton Stands: 19.99
Torin Safety Chock = 2.99
Torin Pro Series Jack = 113.22

I feel sorry for the shippers since those 3 alone weight almost 100lbs and I get free shipping haha! I remember when I ordered a 60lbs kettlebell on the internet and I got a kettlebell with a box decorated around it. Let's just say the box was not looking too good haha.

Still looking for torque wrench. Amazon seems to have some but not really good reviews. I like the ones at Harbor Freight. There is also one near by about 18 miles away. I might just get it from there.

I like those gloves too and the C-clamp replacement.

Quick questions:

On torque, I know the torque for the lug nuts is 76 ft-lb. What is the torque for the bolts around the caliper?

Regarding torque wrenches, will one work for all applications? Or do I need to get a different torque wrench for the lug nuts and a different one for the caliper bolts?


So far I think I can get this brake job done myself for around $200 which is still cheaper than Midas and way cheaper than the dealership. And I get to keep all the parts! I should have done this long time ago haha!

 

the bracket that holds the entire caliper to the steering knuckle (two big bolts backside) are 79ft-lbs.. the bolts that hold the caliper onto the assembly are 25 ft-lbs. Make sure you have a wrench HOLDING the sliding pin hex head when you torque down the outer bolt of the caliper otherwise you twist the bushing/seal the pin sits in.. This will become quite clear when you get in there and look at it.

yes I've had to get 2 torque wrenches, because the range isn't the same for both. the small one is good for the 25 ft-lbs, because you never use a torque wrench at the lower or upper limit, the accuracy of a torque wrench is 80% of the middle range. The larger torque wrench is good for the 50-100ft-lbs range, think the lug nuts, the rear bracket on the caliper.

 

you dont need a torque wrench, the tool in your trunk to remove the lug nuts is designed (length and angle wise) to provide the torque needed to safely fasten your lugs. just dont crank down on the tool with your feet, apply as much pressure as you can with your hands/arms till it is tight

i tried that technique and then checked with a tq wrench and it came out to around 75-80 ft/lbs