Need an education... now with another question ;)

CHNDROSE · Post by **CHNDROSE** » Sat Oct 28, 2006 6:13 pm

At 54K miles my baby (05 Reno) definately needs the brakes worked on and I want to take it somewhere next week. However, I have had trouble with the locals trying to rip me off. I would take a guy friend but then I typically get ignored even though it is my car.

What typically happens when brakes are changed? To the rotors? Any particual parts that you can suggest that I should look out for? What should I expect for a price range for just the front or just the back?

I did do a few web searches and did not really have any luck there.

Thanks in advance.

Post by **PrecisionBoost** » Sat Oct 28, 2006 7:08 pm

CHNDROSE wrote:At 54K miles my baby (05 Reno) definately needs the brakes worked on and I want to take it somewhere next week. However, I have had trouble with the locals trying to rip me off. I would take a guy friend but then I typically get ignored even though it is my car.

What typically happens when brakes are changed? To the rotors? Any particual parts that you can suggest that I should look out for? What should I expect for a price range for just the front or just the back?

I did do a few web searches and did not really have any luck there.

Thanks in advance.

Don't you normally take it to your Suzuki dealer?

They should have a very specific "brake service" with a set cost.

When they do a "brake job" it's usually a very simply process of pulling off the old pads and installing new ones.

I normally do this myself.... and I use a better brake pad than the crappy ones the dealer with throw on.

Sometimes a dealer will want to "resurface the rotors" and in most cases it's not really neccissary.

Then there is the fluid.... they might tell you it's "dirty" and want to charge you a few hundred dollars to "bleed the system" and install new fluid.

Honestly...... brakes are very easy.... are you sure you wouldn't want to try it yourself with a "guy friend" as backup in case you need help???

It's not hard.... shouldn't take more than an hour.

Personally..... if it were me and my rotors were slightly warped.... I'd get new "performance" rotors and a set of decent performance pads.... then it becomes a very simple process.

Where abouts do you live again???

Chris

CHNDROSE · Post by **CHNDROSE** » Sat Oct 28, 2006 7:14 pm

Thanks for the reply. I talked to the guys in service once at the dealer and I was not overly impressed with them at all. They are on my list of ones to call though.

What exactly would be needed for one to work on the brakes? What sort of time is involved? Any particular parts that one would recommend?

As for my location, I am in the southeast, USA.

Post by **PrecisionBoost** » Sat Oct 28, 2006 7:28 pm

Well.... it's not that much....

--something to jack up the car ( factory tire jack will work )
--something to secure the vehicle such as jack stands
--flat head screw driver
--ratchet wrench with an assortment of metric sockets
--phillips screw driver (ideally type that attaches to ratchet wrench)

Optional... but a good idea.... torque wrench

That's it..... there isn't much to it.... if your really interested I could probably do a quick "how to" on the subject of Reno/Forenza/Optra/Optra5 brakes (if there isn't one allready )

Perhaps you should check the "how to" section..... I'm sure there is something on brakes..... probably for a lanos... but the concept is very similar.

What makes you think your Reno need brake work??

CHNDROSE · Post by **CHNDROSE** » Sun Oct 29, 2006 1:03 am

This AM I noticed a slight grinding like noise when I applied the brakes. I have been driving the car practically non-stop. While there are a lot of highway miles in which the brakes had never been stepped on, lately I have been staying closer to home and doing a lot of the ole stop and go.

There is a how to on the front brake pads. Are the rear ones much different? What should I look for when examining the rotors?

What would be a nice upgrade on the brakes and the rotors? I have an Advanced Auto near where I am staying right now.

Thanks again.

Rose

Post by **PrecisionBoost** » Sun Oct 29, 2006 6:26 am

Tom (GsiTurbo) was going to send you some info... I dropped by his place tonight.

Kinkyllama would be a good person to talk to about the brake stuff.... he might even have some for sale... you should PM him about options.

Chris

CHNDROSE · Post by **CHNDROSE** » Sun Oct 29, 2006 7:15 am

Thanks Chris.

Tom did indeed sent me some great info to go through and also gave me a few pointers. It is all very much appreciated. I cannot believe that I went from asking about how much I was going to spend to trying to do this myself. Guess all that is left is to decide on the parts to buy. Will try and slip down to a local chain auto store later today.

This is why I love stopping in here. I can ask a question and get the information that I need without being talked down to.

Y'all are aces in my book.

MMamdouh · Post by **MMamdouh** » Sun Oct 29, 2006 10:23 am

their is a how to topic on pads change... ok it is for a lanos but brakes are a simple system where 99% of the procedure applies for all cars.

MMamdouh

Post by **PrecisionBoost** » Sun Oct 29, 2006 4:27 pm

Trust me when I say there are lots of people.... guys and girls.... that haven't a clue about how to work on their own vehicles.

Even if you decide not to do it youself.... you will have all the info required to know what needs to be done so that you can protect yourself against bad shops overcharging.

There is allways a certain level of pride involved when you do something yourself..... that's why I don't take any of my project cars to local tuner shops.... I prefer to do everything myself so that I can look at the car and say " I did that "

Of course the downfall with someone like me is that I have an extreemly busy life so it takes months and years to get things done

but in the end it's all worth it.

CHNDROSE · Post by **CHNDROSE** » Sun Oct 29, 2006 5:12 pm

I am almost completely clueless when it comes to the mechanical things with the car but I am willing to learn. I thought I was going to do everything today but decided to just relax today and call in sick tomorrow.

I did see the how to for the lanos but being as new as I am I was not going to assume anything about what might be the same or similar or whatever. So I made my request for information and received a great education on how to do what needs to be done.

Right now I am a bit nervous about doing the work but once it is done I will be very happy with myself and have another way to save money. Guess I should work on doing my own oil changes next but the prices are so cheap here that I am not sure I will actually save much money.

Chris, I can definately relate to the busy life comment. I am on the move constantly and today is the first day I have been able to just sit on a couch and relax in a long time. It will be awhile longer before I will be able to do so again.

CHNDROSE · Post by **CHNDROSE** » Sun Oct 29, 2006 6:22 pm

Another question. LOL

Local chain store has Raybestos PG Plus Ceramic brake pads at a price I can definately afford and not to much over the price of Wearever semi-metallic pads. The only rotors they have (may not need to buy but looking just in case) are Raybestos and those are $53.

Are ceramic pads a lot better and worth the extra $12?

I calculated the costs and for what a local place was going to charge me for just a basic front brake job is about the same as my paying for the rotors (providing there are two in that box for $53, forgot to ask) and pads on my own. Other than the satisfaction of doing it myself I have no idea what their "value" pads are like.

Thanks in advance.

Post by **PrecisionBoost** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 3:54 am

If you have a digital camera....

Loosen the front driverside wheel nuts 1/4 turn each while on the ground

Jack up the car and completely remove the wheel nuts... and then remove the tire.

Take a few nice photos of the rotor surface and post them here.

That way we can look at it and see if the rotor needs to be "turned"

While your at it..... take a picture of the caliper and try and get the pads in there.... that will give us an idea of how much life you have left on the pads.

Then throw the wheel back on.... install the nuts... tighten them up a bit... let the car down and then tighten each one.

The correct method of tightening would be to start with the top right nut.... then bottom left ... then top left.... then bottom right.... then top right again... bottom left again....top left again.... and finally bottom right again.

Chris

CHNDROSE · Post by **CHNDROSE** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 1:42 pm

Thanks. I looked around and the place where I am at now does not have any cameras (and no, none on the cell phone, LOL). I knew I should have packed my equipment with me before I left home last week. I know what both are supposed to look like new and will try to guage from there. If I end up stumbling across something, I shall post pics.

Thanks Chris, the info is much appreciated.

Off to get a shower and look and see what tools might be laying about.

CHNDROSE · Post by **CHNDROSE** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 4:07 pm

OK it took a lot of hunting and even being bit by something (still not sure what it was or where it went) but I found the tools at the place I am holed up at the moment. It took about an hour to dig through and find everything. The 14mm wrench did great for the lower caliper bolt on the retaining frame. However, it absolutely refused to swing all of the way up. It would go only about a fifth of the way and then get hung up. I could not get it to go beyond that point. So I replaced the bolt and then loosened the one on top and took both out. Still would not go past that point.

Any advice on that?

The passenger front brake shoes and rotor looks fine and there is at least 7mm or so of pad left. However, that is a rough estimate given the lack of accurate tools on hand at the time. It falls within 6-9mm and by the directions 7mm is enough but borderline.

I have not tackled the driver's side as of yet, wanted to ask about getting the housing to swing the rest of the way up and post what I have found.

Except for that sticking point, this is far easier than what I had expected. then again I have not really done much yet except get cut, get greasy, and even swore once.

CHNDROSE · Post by **CHNDROSE** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 7:10 pm

Found the culprit. Driver's side rear pads are about 1/4 of the width as the front pads or IOW, very very thin. I will be sure to pick up some new pads and then try my hand at actually replacing them this week. Since I did not have pads already purchased (good thing as it would have been the front and not the back) I did not try removing the pads.

The rear caliper housing swung upwards without any problems at all. The front ones though would only go up a bit and then stopped, making removal of the pads impossible. I though I knew what it was but I was wrong or looking in the wrong place (likely).

Again thank you Chris and Tom for your help, I never would have set out to do this on my own without the information and encouragement.

I do have questions though (LOL).

There seems to be a metal frame clipped into place around the brake pads. Will the pads slide out of this or does it have to be popped out along with the pads and then both snapped back into place? Still mystified on why the front housing will not freely swing up, any ideas?

Thanks bunches.

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Need an education... now with another question ;)

Need an education... now with another question ;)

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