Howdy, all. Was getting the tires rotated yesterday on my '02. The tire tech said I should be starting to think about a brake job as the fronts were down to 20% life left. I have been noticing them squeak a little lately. Anyways, they want to do a complete front brake job, which includes new pads, remanufactured/rebuilt calipers, resurfacing the rotors, and flushing/bleeding the whole system. I had new rotors installed in May of 08, @ 66k miles, and the car has 88k miles on it now, so the rotors should be good, right? I asked if they could just replace the pads and their policy requires them to change the calipers at the same time. I am wondering if the calipers are shot at 88k/7 years? No other signs of other brake problems (pulling/dragging/grinding/pulsing). Car is driven about 50/50 city/hwy miles. Also, I know its all subjective, but how long do you think 20% gives me? I was going to be getting the timing belt done in March (from an independent mechanic), and was wondering if it would be best to have it all done at once? It's been about 2 1/2 years since the last fluid flush & fill so maybe I should just have them do the complete job anyways? Thanks for your input.

 

Did you have new pads installed when the rotors were replaced?

 

I've never heard of people just replacing calipers for the hell of it. If they leak or seize, yeah replace them. Sounds like that shop is trying to fool you into spending more.

Here's what I would do:
- Front pads
- NEW front rotors
- Brake fluid flush (typically should be done ever 2-3 years, brake fluid absorbs water over time, which causes corrosion and possible fluid boiling under heavy braking.

 

PA Honda: nope, just had the rotors replaced. I bought the vehicle with a little over 30k miles on it, so I am assuming that the pads and calipers on it now are all factory originals. The original rotors were warping, and I had them resurfaced once around 50k miles, then replaced @ 66k.

Finch: The company is called Les Schwab Tires. Mostly throughout the west. They are actually a very, very good company, and have purchased multiple sets of wheels/tires/batteries through out my 25+ years of driving. Top notch customer service, second to none, IMHO. Check out http://www.lesschwab.com/brakes/front_service.asp for info about their brake service. They do offer a 25k mile replacement warranty on parts and labor on their brake service...maybe that's why they replace the calipers.

I am curious as why the recommendation for new rotors. Do you think they are bad w/ only 22k miles on them? I have no pulsing, or anything indicating warpage.

 

The rotors aren't that old, so I would resurface them.

I agree with finch on the calipers, if they are sticking, then replace them. It sounds like the pads have lasted a long time, so I would assume the calipers are ok.

My car is at 230K miles and still have the original calipers.

 

^ Same here. 213k on my current Accord, 233k on my last, both had original calipers.

Bigdawg: Just because they're a good company doesn't mean they won't upsell you parts and services if they can, it's more money in their pockets.

 

Brakes are funny things. You can do a real nice brake job while keeping the old calipers, but what happens when that caliiper eventually fails? Joe customer isn't gonna believe when you say the failure isn't related to the work they did last year.

SO... it seems to me that 25k mile warranty IS the reason why they insist on making everything new.

If you don't want to replace everything ($$$) then you probably have to find a different shop that will talk with you & do what you want.

 

With only 22k on the rotors, I would not put new ones on. Resurface. They could have become warped due to not replacing the pads when you replaced the rotors.
The shop is trying to pull one over on you by insisting to install new calipers. that is ridiculous.
I would put on new pads and resurface the rotors.
Pads are an easy DIY job if you have a car jack and simple hand tools. if you have a spare car to drive you could also take off your rotors and take them somewhere to be resurfaced (I believe O'reiley's here will do it if you bring them in.)
There should be brake pad DIY's in the DIY section. If you can't find it, email or PM me and I can send you a link that has the whole job with pictures and everything.

 

get away from this shop ASAP.........they are trying to force you into buying things that you do not need................

ask them WHY calipers need to be replaced......are they leaking ??
i have done hundreds and hundreds of brake jobs and cannot even count on my fingers the need to replace calipers ,,,
A lot of these tire shops ( brake shops ) like to oversell brake jobs,,(and struts,,),,,,,,,,when all you might need is jut pads ,,,,,,,
I would have a second opinion from a shop that specializes on Hondas

 

At the Honda Dealer I worked at the policy was if the rotors are not warped or too thin they just replaced the pads. If they are warped and able to be cut they did the front ones on the car. Back drum or rotors were never cut and just replaced if need be and rarely did they need be. We also had a Mercedes dealer also and they didn't cut the rotors. Their policy was warped rotors get replaced and other than that just replace the pads. I can’t remember any Honda Calipers being replaced when I worked there .The important part is to flush the brake fluid. Unless the dust boot on the caliper tears they should last the life of the car with brake fluid flushes. Honda front rotors do warp often but you get a better job being cut on the car.