[puddlesplasher]

Today was a revelation regarding the varying prices a garage will charge (never mind a stealership) to replace front pads and discs.

I was experiencing a slight judder when braking, similar to ABS being active. Time to investigate and repair/replace the front brakes.

The actual cost from a Motor Factor was £107 including tax for all parts. Fitted for free as I was under instruction on what to do. It was so easy.

Keep in mind that had my mate been doing this for a customer it was a 50% markup price on parts and £50 per hour labour. That's a whopping £210. Don't think I am not being appreciative of rent, rates, utilities, equipment, skill etc.

The garage next door to him charges £10 mark up fee and £40 for a cost of £157.

It was interesting to find that my inner pad on the drivers side (right side when facing the front) appeared to be binding at the bottom yet the slider pin was loose and slippy when everything was disconnected.

The Jeep has did 57,500 miles and I was sure the mate had already changed the pads previously. Nope!!! original Mopar pads were in my hands with only about 1/4 wear on them. Therefore in my mind that's been a great job from Jeep and another reason to love them.

On the drive home, the juddering when braking was now eliminated. All that for £107 but it could have been even lower had I only went for a set of pads at £19 plus tax for a cost of around £25.

Have faith in Baby Jeep all the doubters

 

[ceemarie38]

My 2018 cost $219.99 for front brakes and resurface rotors. Dealerships wanted $490 upto $850. Ridiculous

 

[puddlesplasher]

@Cee, I hadn't realised how simple it was to change them, (naturally with the correct gear) but to realise how much profit a company can make from doing small brake refit jobs was an eye opener.

As that was the first in almost 7 years my brakes had been replaced I can only hope for similar in the future.

May I ask, why do people get the disc/rotor reskimmed? Is it not cheaper to buy a set that are new? How much more distance you get from having them skimmed?

 

[luckydog]

The rotors need to be turned, or cut (reskimmed) to true them up and remove the hardened or glazed surface. This prepares them to mate with the new pads. They will always somewhat less than smooth from use. Failing to true them before installing new brake pads can cause that brake shutter you mentioned. Many people also feel that even new rotors need to be turned before use. Many rotors nowadays are not designed to be cut, only replaced.

 

[puddlesplasher]

@Lucky, here in the UK it is cheaper to buy a new pair of discs than it is to have a single unit skimmed. That's my point. Why do people want to have them skimmed if it's cheaper to buy them new?

The stutter I mentioned was only a recent incident and the brakes were fine for almost 7 years. I think that the bottom of the pad had binded to the disc or the disc was slightly warped.

I am not saying it's wrong but in 40 years of driving in the UK I have never heard of anyone buying new discs and immediately going to get them skimmed. It's simply unheard of as the discs are the equivalent of a kids PC parts nowadays, ie plug and play or in the Jeep install and tighten up.

However I do take note that you mention, people feel rotors need turned but then you say, rotors are not designed to be cut.

An interesting conundrum.

 

[Bill Door]

Just about to do my rear pads, which I suspect have died early after just 15,000 miles and found this thread.

Interesting point re skimming. Re-skimming discs isn't a thing here in the UK, and shouldn't really be any more in the USA either, but it's a good cash cow.
Back in the day, discs would warp out of shape with heat cycling and had to be skimmed to restore them. But modern materials (last 40 years) made that redundant.

Scoring and scratching actually makes very little difference as the pad will simply take the shape of the grooves anyway.