BOSCH Brake Pads - Upto $25 Savings from Amazon

Quote from blahblahyoutoo : $10 more, also at Amazon? Installing pads is one of the easiest DIY maintenance on cars, next to oil change IMO. Remove wheel, take off calipers, remove pad, replace with new pad, reverse. The biggest problem with rotors is if the car is old and the rotors have rusted onto the wheel hub.

Also at Amazon. Installing pads is not hard. Installing them twice because they squeak is a pain in the ass. 3 times really since you have to determine if it's caused by the pads or the rotors.

Quote from shane.kelly55 : Ceramic and Carbon Fibre technology has come down in price enough to make me think twice at asbestos or semi-mets anymore. This is a good price though and i heard Bosch does make quality parts.

Bosch makes pretty much half of VAG's brakes in general. Brembo does most of the other half.

If you bring these in to a mechanic to install, what's a reasonable price to get charged for a front brake pads install?

Although I'm reading they are easy to install, I don't have the proper tools and equipment to do it. Plus I don't want to be the guinea pig for my first brake pad install.

Quote from Slickdeezee : If you bring these in to a mechanic to install, what's a reasonable price to get charged for a front brake pads install? Although I'm reading they are easy to install, I don't have the proper tools and equipment to do it. Plus I don't want to be the guinea pig for my first brake pad install.

"Reasonable" price? Your question is hard to answer for MANY reasons unfortunately... What kind of mechanic? A place like Pep Boys for example, an independent shop, or someone you know? And then it depends on what part of the country you're in. Labor costs vary across the country...


I charge people $50 to install, front or back, $100 for both. But I do brakes for friends/family, I'm not looking to make big bucks. You can expect to pay around $120 for front brakes (including pads) at a Pep Boys in the NorthEast for example... And I doubt the pads would be as good as these Bosch pads...


Brakes, specifically DISC brakes, are CAKE dude, very easy to do, and hard to fúck up... As a previous poster described, in basic terms the process is as follows:

Car up
Wheel off
Caliper swings up
Pads out
Pads in
Caliper down and tightened
Wheel on
FINISHED :-).
*(At "Pads out", use caliper tool to gently and EVENLY force piston back in to caliper to make space for new, thicker pads. If you don't apply the force perpendicular to the place of the pads, you risk scratching the piston housing with the piston... Not a big deal. Just find a good YouTube tutorial, there are several good ones in 720/1080 resolution.)


I use a torque wrench for EVERYTHING (lug nuts are specially important).


Good tools will cost you about $100 (I'm rounding up generously).
Tools:
$30 Socket Set (To install pads, to loosen one side of caliper and swing up)
$20 Breaker bar + wheel socket to remove lug nuts
$50 Torque wrench (there are torque specs for a reason, one reason: safety).


I"m assuming you have a jack + at least one jack stand for safety...




Anyway dude, if you're considering doing it, I say do it. There are 1,000 tutorials on the internet, you can buy a Haynes manual for $20, and it's really cake.


Sure you'll pay up front for the tools, but if you plan on doing this in the future it will pay for itself in $$$ and convenience:


$$$: Zero labor cost to you
Convenience: Change your brakes when and where you feel like it, no appointments, no waiting in a waiting room, etc.
Quality: The quality of the job is 100% dependent on you baby. No need to worry about some mechanic f*cking up your car :-) (it happens, I've seen it, I used to work as a mechanic).

The time factor is one of the things I love about doing all of my own car work. For example: My starter died a few Saturdays ago on my 2002 Camry with ~135,000 miles on it... I had a friend pick me up, I bought the starter, installed it, and was good to go. In a matter of hours I was driving again, on a Saturday no less... I didn't have to rent a car (I was moving that weekend!!!!!), find a mechanic, make an appointment, wait in line, pay a markup on parts, pay some individual to install it...


Same day service baby, I paid myself...


Had it been a Sunday I'd have been f*cked, because I wanted the Toyota part, but that's another story... :-).

Quote from _A2 : Good tools will cost you about $100 (I'm rounding up generously). Tools: $30 Socket Set (To install pads, to loosen one side of caliper and swing up) $20 Breaker bar + wheel socket to remove lug nuts $50 Torque wrench (there are torque specs for a reason, one reason: safety). I"m assuming you have a jack + at least one jack stand for safety...

socket set, everyone should have a ratchet and common sockets. if not, borrow from a friend. doesn't pep boys and the like rent them for free too?
breaker bar is unnecessary, to remove wheel lugs?
i've done brake jobs without a torque wrench before. just tighten by feel.

the only thing I'll add is get a C clamp for $5 and a wood block to compress the piston.

QUOTE=_A2;54609420]"Reasonable" price? Your question is hard to answer for MANY reasons unfortunately... What kind of mechanic? A place like Pep Boys for example, an independent shop, or someone you know? And then it depends on what part of the country you're in. Labor costs vary across the country...


I charge people $50 to install, front or back, $100 for both. But I do brakes for friends/family, I'm not looking to make big bucks. You can expect to pay around $120 for front brakes (including pads) at a Pep Boys in the NorthEast for example... And I doubt the pads would be as good as these Bosch pads...


Brakes, specifically DISC brakes, are CAKE dude, very easy to do, and hard to fúck up... As a previous poster described, in basic terms the process is as follows:

Car up
Wheel off
Caliper swings up
Pads out
Pads in
Caliper down and tightened
Wheel on
FINISHED :-).
*(At "Pads out", use caliper tool to gently and EVENLY force piston back in to caliper to make space for new, thicker pads. If you don't apply the force perpendicular to the place of the pads, you risk scratching the piston housing with the piston... Not a big deal. Just find a good YouTube tutorial, there are several good ones in 720/1080 resolution.)


I use a torque wrench for EVERYTHING (lug nuts are specially important).


Good tools will cost you about $100 (I'm rounding up generously).
Tools:
$30 Socket Set (To install pads, to loosen one side of caliper and swing up)
$20 Breaker bar + wheel socket to remove lug nuts
$50 Torque wrench (there are torque specs for a reason, one reason: safety).


I"m assuming you have a jack + at least one jack stand for safety...




Anyway dude, if you're considering doing it, I say do it. There are 1,000 tutorials on the internet, you can buy a Haynes manual for $20, and it's really cake.


Sure you'll pay up front for the tools, but if you plan on doing this in the future it will pay for itself in $$$ and convenience:


$$$: Zero labor cost to you
Convenience: Change your brakes when and where you feel like it, no appointments, no waiting in a waiting room, etc.
Quality: The quality of the job is 100% dependent on you baby. No need to worry about some mechanic f*cking up your car :-) (it happens, I've seen it, I used to work as a mechanic).

The time factor is one of the things I love about doing all of my own car work. For example: My starter died a few Saturdays ago on my 2002 Camry with ~135,000 miles on it... I had a friend pick me up, I bought the starter, installed it, and was good to go. In a matter of hours I was driving again, on a Saturday no less... I didn't have to rent a car (I was moving that weekend!!!!!), find a mechanic, make an appointment, wait in line, pay a markup on parts, pay some individual to install it...


Same day service baby, I paid myself...


Had it been a Sunday I'd have been f*cked, because I wanted the Toyota part, but that's another story... :-).[/QUOTE]

Well, there's also dealing with rusty calipers and stuck pistons, and maybe having to turn the rotor. Simple, but not quite so simple.

Also, on your Toyota next time look into replacing just the starter contacts. If you can do brakes, you can do that. It's one of the few cars that can readily be done on and it gives the whole thing another new life - good for, yes, 130k.

I don't trust Bosch for their oem components...they always fail early on most euro cars. (alternator fail,spark plugs fail,pulleys fail, o2 sensor fail,coil pack fail right when your warranty runs out!) The reviews seem good but still hesitant. Monroe/bendix/oem/hawk/ebc are for sure better for normal driving.

As for changing your brakes it is very easy...you can find tutorials on youtube. A quick example would be a honda civic or toyota camry:

Tools:
Lug nut breaker bar ($0 included in your trunk)
Jack ($0 included in your trunk)
Size 14mm and 17mm wrench ($5 or more depending on quality of wrench)
Large mouth plier ($5)

Total cost: Price of pads+$10

Time: 1 minute to remove lug nuts, 1 minute to jack up car, 30 seconds remove tire, 1 minute to remove 1 or 2 bolts and pads, 1 minute to reset piston and install new pads, 1 minute to reinstall bolt/s and tire, 1 minute to torque lug nuts and remove jack.

Total Time is 6 minutes 30 seconds per side for front on most cars. Rears may be more difficult if they are drum. Time will be a lot faster with power tools and a lift or better equipment.

You can change your front pads in under 15 minutes for the cost of only the pads. Most of the time if you are not a crazy driver, you do not need to replace your rotor unless they are warped or under spec.

With all that said, challenge yourself to do it yourself but don't risk it if you don't feel comfortable. Don't hate on mechanics either as they need to make a living also (dealerships can goto hell). Average price for brake change should be about 70-120 per axle.

Knowledge is power and "the power is yours!" - *cues captain planet music*

Quote from BigTymer1 : cheaper to use the coupon codes from advanced auto....

You have to make a post and help others instead of just making a easy comment on this thread

Quote from Slickdeezee : If you bring these in to a mechanic to install, what's a reasonable price to get charged for a front brake pads install? Although I'm reading they are easy to install, I don't have the proper tools and equipment to do it. Plus I don't want to be the guinea pig for my first brake pad install.

Around $60 to $100.

I agree with you....if you have NEVER done it and do not have any tools, do not do it.

Get someone to do them for you, and if possible, take careful note and watch them do it first. Then, if you ever do obtain the tools necessary, go ahead and try the next time.

My mechanic charges $90 for installing front or rear pads. He also turned the rotors as he always recommends to do it when changing the pads. I got Akebono ProACT for my Accord last time. It's quiet and has no dust. Performance is almost same as OEM.

My rear brakes are at 3/32 bonded, so I'll probably need new ones to pass inspection. I'm not a car guy, so does that mean just replace the pads or will I need rotors?

Quote from mcb247 : My rear brakes are at 3/32 bonded, so I'll probably need new ones to pass inspection. I'm not a car guy, so does that mean just replace the pads or will I need rotors?

I wanna say that that means you have like 3/32" of the brake pad left but I am not sure. That basically means youre really close to the metal backing and when you brake you probably hear grinding. I could be totally off.

I have a 2009 Accord LX that needs front rotors and pads. How are the Bosch rotors?

QQ:
I looked up my model and the image does not show wear sensors or mentions this specifically. For those with wear sensors are you concerened they might come without these wires?