Rotors +Pads= ?

[Jehu]

I have four new Brembo vented rotors and fr/rear Akebono ceramic pads in hand but being in a pinch with no good place or really the time to do my first brake job i have an option tomorrow of bringing the parts to a local Truck Tire place who will do work with parts i supply which most places won't.As this is not a BMW specialist shop but fairly competant guys with good heads and good attitudes i want to know if there is anything that especially comes to mind that i might want to impress on these guys if they can do the job tomorrow?I hate being a pushy, bothersome customer but i also don't want to die when i go up onto the nearest highway to bed the pads.From what I've read the only thing that could really be done badly is bleeding the lines and I'm not even sure they'd do that which raises another point. Being mainly a Tire shop and a Truck tire shop at that, read that tractor trucks,can the job be done right without doing anything to the fluid and lines? Can they just remove the old rotors and pads and refit the new pads and rotors or will invariably there need to be at least some replacement of brake fluid after working with the piston to fit the new pads? I should probably grab some brake fluid at the Stealership on the way by then.

[Denton]

Nothing to contribute except that I ordered Akebono Euro ceramics due to the recommendatioons of this board. :)

[BillionPa]

personally, i would bleed the system partially before (to get fluid out of the caliper) and fully after (to replace all the fluid in the system

you can bleed the brakes without even putting the car on ramps or anything if you have nimble hands and speed bleeders.

the only thing they might run into is the torque specs on bolts... DO NOT use an air wrench to get them back on. air wrench to get em off should be fine though.

[632 Regal]

just ask them to file the hub surface flat prior to putting the new rotors on, also ask them to put some grease between them too. This will prevent any rusting between brake services. do the flush later when you have time.


I have four new Brembo vented rotors and fr/rear Akebono ceramic pads in hand but being in a pinch with no good place or really the time to do my first brake job i have an option tomorrow of bringing the parts to a local Truck Tire place who will do work with parts i supply which most places won't.As this is not a BMW specialist shop but fairly competant guys with good heads and good attitudes i want to know if there is anything that especially comes to mind that i might want to impress on these guys if they can do the job tomorrow?I hate being a pushy, bothersome customer but i also don't want to die when i go up onto the nearest highway to bed the pads.From what I've read the only thing that could really be done badly is bleeding the lines and I'm not even sure they'd do that which raises another point. Being mainly a Tire shop and a Truck tire shop at that, read that tractor trucks,can the job be done right without doing anything to the fluid and lines? Can they just remove the old rotors and pads and refit the new pads and rotors or will invariably there need to be at least some replacement of brake fluid after working with the piston to fit the new pads? I should probably grab some brake fluid at the Stealership on the way by then.

[John in CT]

was to use a turkey baster or some such thing to remove about half the brake fluid reservoir contents before starting. When you compress the calipers to accomadate the new thicker pads the brake fluid has to go somewhere, in my case it overflowed and got all over the engine bay,

Good luck,

John
1995 525i 5 speed

[Jehu]

Well at the idea of taking it in to a place possibly unprepared to do the job as it needs to be done I called the local BMW Dealership and they'll throw my rotors and pads on and at least i'll know its been done correctly.Quoted $380.00 labor.

[632 Regal]

not bad for a half hour worth of work.

Well at the idea of taking it in to a place possibly unprepared to do the job as it needs to be done I called the local BMW Dealership and they'll throw my rotors and pads on and at least i'll know its been done correctly.Quoted $380.00 labor.

[Jehu]

I actually stopped in to that Tire Shop and talked with them and they assured me or convinced me they could do the job properly and completely for....... $60.00 :)

[Bill R.]

too high and that ones too low, you need to find the one thats just right.

Nobody in their right mind would remove/replace/clean the hubs/clean the new rotors/antiseize compound the hub to rotor surface, assemble and test drive for 60. Walk away from that one also. I myself who is much cheaper than most shops at 35 hour would charge around 90 to 100 to change all four, rotors pads, check calipers, hubs etc assemble and test drive.





I actually stopped in to that Tire Shop and talked with them and they assured me or convinced me they could do the job properly and completely for....... $60.00 :)

[Jehu]

well if i tell them all these steps must be completed and they up the price and to be fair they did say "around $60.00", to $100.00 I'll be content as i am out of shops i know will install my parts and do it for a reasonable price a.s.ap.There is another BMW Indy shop nearish but getting in there may take a few days and that's around $90.00 /hr.

If i bring a list of the things you mention to do and they can accomplish them i suppose there's no harm letting them do it.The braking shudder is really that bad now and i need the car .i am concerned the upper control arm bushings i had installed a few months ago may be junk already from the degree of judder.I have some wire brushes for power drills they can use to clean the hubs but i am aware they may not be in the habit of taking these steps. I mean should i bring them the box of latex surgical gloves i have in my van for them to wear ?The rotors i am getting from a shop who worked them, slotted the new Brembos so i can clean them myself before i give them to the shop. You mean with brake cleaning fluid ,right?I am hoping i guess that being told what i want done and having the tools they can accomplish the job right.I mean they did change a ball joint on my Chevy Express G3500. :(

[632 Regal]

these bushings couldnt possibly be them cheap aftermarket parts we keep warning you about that bust as soon as you get the car on the ground could they?
r.
The braking shudder is really that bad now and i need the car .i am concerned the upper control arm bushings i had installed a few months ago may be junk already from the degree of judder. :(

[632 Regal]

your thrust arm bushings are wasted dude! I wish you would tell the whole story so people could actually help you instead of surfing through the BS..

http://www.bimmer.info/forum/showthread.php?p=222686#post222686

[Jehu]

If they are i would be shocked and suprised as i had them installed at the one BMW Indy shop everybody considers THE place to bring your BMW.They always make a point of saying they use only OEM parts and I did tell him i wanted Boge 750i bushings used which he agreed were the right parts so i have to believe they are what he used untill i can look and see otherwise.I have seen the green plastic clip but as far as seeing a brand stamped nothing yet. I may just be thinking of anything that could go wrong but i'll sure see after the rotors are on .

[Jehu]

your thrust arm bushings are wasted dude! I wish you would tell the whole story so people could actually help you instead of surfing through the BS..

http://www.bimmer.info/forum/showthread.php?p=222686#post222686
BS,huh?As i said below i have every reason to think the shop installed Boge 750i bushings when they put in new arms just a couple of months ago.The brake judder wasn't so bad after that but has now gotten worse and can only speculate about their condition until i have the new rotors on Thursday.

[632 Regal]

good luck, your symptoms are a wasted thrust arm bushing. maybe they can try to inspect them if they put it up in the air.

I dont think you needed rotors at all.

[Jehu]

good luck, your symptoms are a wasted thrust arm bushing. maybe they can try to inspect them if they put it up in the air.

I dont think you needed rotors at all.

When the arms and bushings went on here (http://www.3dautoworks.com/), the front end was quiet except for a minor vibration when braking which the shop said was the rotors. That got gradually worse and only happens under braking and not necessarily every time which leads me to believe it is the uneven rotor surface. The rotors did pass inspection 6 months ago so they weren't worn thin but unless these bushing split in just this relatively brief duration the only other detail of which i am aware is a bent right rear wheel as per the Tire shop who put the new tires on last week.The reason i didn't suspect that is if i remember the pot hole,of which i posted pics as you've seen, the shudder was in evidence before i hit it albeit less than it has become.I've put about 23,000 miles on the car since i bought it and have no information from the PO about the last date of the rotors replacement .Sure they could have replaced them just before selling it but regardless ,i bought the rotors and pads and if the shudder is still the same after they go on ,I'll take it back to the shop who installed them and ask them to do it again under warranty.The reason for my resistance to the idea that the bushings are at fault and the rotors are fine is this.If after getting the upper control arms and bushings replaced with good,OEM 750I bushings while the rotors were not contributing to any adverse forces in the front end,what else is there to cause the practically new bushings to croak?If the rotors are good then the bushings should still be good,right? I gather there exist some problematic brands that just rapidly give out in normal operating conditions and i suppose this shop owner who put them in could be a simpleton who believes his parts supplier when he tells him he's getting OEM parts and takes his word and leaves me with knock off crap at top dollar but that remains at least till tomorrow morning ,to be seen.


::UPDATE:: Score one for me.The new rotors yield smooth braking.That's one on the plus side.Took the Tire Shop guys 90 minutes and charged me $97.50.