question. my front break pads are gone. I did the usual, bought the pads and got ready for the task. My wife told me to just take it to a shop. The shop said it would be 225.00
I figure the breaks are 60.00 for the top of the line. Maybe 1.5 hrs labor at 70.00
per hr? last time I did replace the pads and it took me about 15 minutes max. it really took me 10 min it took more time to find my jack stands etc.o you guy

now the shop says that the calipers are loaded?
total is 600.00
I took the car out and I'll change the break pads myself.
do you guys know what is a loaded caliper?
sounds to me some sort of scam. I may be wrong.

Brake calipers come "loaded" and "unloaded or bare". A "loaded" caliper already includes the 2 brake pads (inner and outer) so if you buy a "loaded" caliper you do not need to buy brake pads separately. A "bare(unloaded)" caliper is the caliper only and you need to buy the brake pads separately. If you are changing only one caliper it is cheaper to buy one "bare" caliper and a set of brake pads. If you are changing calipers on both sides it is cheaper to buy only 2 "loaded" calipers.

Loaded calipers typically mean calipers which have the pads, pins, springs, shims, etc. Everything is assembled and ready to be installed.

Loaded does NOT mean the calipers are damaged. (i.e., "loaded calipers" is not the same as "seized engine."). You may have misunderstood the tech.

If they want to replace your calipers, it is almost a guaranteed ripoff. Calipers are almost ALWAYS rebuilt (using an inexpensive seal kit) versus replaced, which, they are an expensive part.

IT'S BRAKES! BRAKES, MAN!

Holy crap! TWO helpful responses to a question on FFXU. That has got to be a record.

Brakes can wait. There is a great sale on custom rims at Llantas Usadas in Manassas.

FFXU rocks

thanks a lot. I felt the rip of as soon as he wrote in big letters "no safe to drive"

he tried to tell myin wife that I will kill my kids if I dont just get 600 worth of break job done. that is usually a bad sign.

thanks again.

Hey how about we make it a trifecta and you tell us which shithole shop this was so we don't go there either?

probably midas

Merchants Burke. they would not let me have my car keys.
I just garbed my keys and left.

robonscwDEDFanner Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> do you guys know what is a loaded caliper?

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=loaded+caliper


"the wisdom of the wise will perish, the intelligence of the intelligent will vanish."

I thought this was going to be about a car break-in you heard on the scanner.

If you haven't been using the brakes with worn out pads for an extended time, you don't need to replace the calipers. At most, they may be scarred which will jack up the labor cost because they need to be resurfaced.

Sounds like the dealership is trying to get one over on you. If they tell you the calipers need to be replaced, ask them to physically show you exactly why they are worn out.


EDIT: My mistake, I was thinking of rotors, not calipers.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/05/2010 09:41PM by eesh.

eesh Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> If they tell you the calipers need to
> be replaced, ask them to physically show you
> exactly why they are worn out.

and then when they are under the car bind them the the hydraulic and lower the lift onto them!

wait, this topic is about how to get away with murder, right?


"the wisdom of the wise will perish, the intelligence of the intelligent will vanish."

eesh Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> If you haven't been using the brakes with worn out
> pads for an extended time, you don't need to
> replace the calipers. At most, they may be scarred
> which will jack up the labor cost because they
> need to be resurfaced.
>
> Sounds like the dealership is trying to get one
> over on you. If they tell you the calipers need to
> be replaced, ask them to physically show you
> exactly why they are worn out.


not rotors, calipers

oops
Attachments:

robonscwDEDFanner Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> question. my front break pads are gone. I did the
> usual, bought the pads and got ready for the task.
> My wife told me to just take it to a shop. The
> shop said it would be 225.00
> I figure the breaks are 60.00 for the top of the
> line. Maybe 1.5 hrs labor at 70.00
> per hr? last time I did replace the pads and it
> took me about 15 minutes max. it really took me 10
> min it took more time to find my jack stands
> etc.o you guy
>
> now the shop says that the calipers are loaded?
> total is 600.00
> I took the car out and I'll change the break pads
> myself.
> do you guys know what is a loaded caliper?
> sounds to me some sort of scam. I may be wrong.


When you wear your brakes down past 20%, your calipers can become perma-locked and they do need replaciung after this. I learned this the hard way.

robonscanner Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Merchants Burke. they would not let me have my car
> keys.
> I just garbed my keys and left.


I always have my brakes worked on at the same shop that we've used for 30+ years. Dranesville Auto, they're good, and honest. I've seen some shops be real rip-offs, charging flat labor rates of $85.00 an hour (Which is complete BS). The guy I know charges different rates based upon the difficulty of the work involved, with something simple maybe costing $20.00 an hour, whereas more intensive engine work is the most expensive at around $85.00 or so.

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"And if any women or children get their legs torn off, or faces caved in, well, it's tough shit for them." -2LT. Bert Stiles, 505th, 339th (On Berlin Bombardier Mission, 1944).