Hello all, still new to this car and maintenance. Was looking for some advice. I have a rattling at the front right wheel. It stops when I hit the brakes, so I'm guessing that it's the brake pad thats loose. Long story short, I want to get it fixed before I damage the rotor. Should I do all the brakes, pads, and rotors? Should/Can I go to a shop, dealership, or a Midas? How much is the cost typically? I'm broke, but I typically would rather spend the dough and take it to the best place. Should I just do all this work myself? I would call myself a novice when it comes to working on my car. Don't typically do things like this, but would try if it weren't too difficult/expensive. Hope you all have a great 4th. I'm off to Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Thanks for the help/advice.
Brake Job Advice
- Thread starter BostonLS
- Start date
itsnotmydaddys
Dedicated LVC Member
No Midas What Ever U Do
If you think it is your brake pads loose or something along those lines take the tire off and do a visual inspection of the brakes. Wiggle them a bit and see if they are loose and look to see any defects with the brakes. Some people on here have had problems with Midas so I do not recomend taking it there. I have not changed the brakes on my LS yet but have changed them on others with rotors. If you are worried about price then you should do them yourself, they are not that hard when you have the right tools. Also you probably could get away with only doing both front brakes but I would check the back brakes to see how they are holding up. You will want to take your rotors to get them turned or buy new ones. It will be a lot cheaper if you do them yourself rather than taking it to the dealer. I'm sure someone else here can give you more detailed step by step instructions on how to change them. Good Luck.
2k2ls
Well-Known LVC Member
with basic hand tools you can do them yourself. If you think the pads are loose then the caliper piston may not be coming out all the way. either way its nothing any average weekend mechanic with a whole forum behind him couldnt tackle. oh and stay away from midas
tylers65
Active LVC Member
Dealer wants $700+ for all 4 corners and $350 is for the front. I did all 4 myself with EBC Redstuff pads and slotted/drilled rotors for less than they wanted to do one set of pads alone.
2k2ls
Well-Known LVC Member
good 'ol stealerships
Jim Henderson
Dedicated LVC Member
I have not done brakes on the LS yet so I am going off experience with my previous cars...
Some cars have anti Rattle clips on the pads. Check to see what is supposed to hold the pad in the piston and to the backing plate. If there is supposed to be a clip it might just be loose. On some cars the clip is just a small ear(1/4 inch of so) that is supposed to be bent down over the notch on the backing plate. Other cars have a spring that sits on the back of the pad and helps keep it under tension usually in the piston. There are probably other methods too.
Also you may have slider pins that need greasing. This is a maintenance item that almost nobody does. I did brakes for almost 30 years and never knew I was supposed to grease the sliders, duh. Use high temperature brake grease and lube the pins, if you have them, that the calipers slide on. Also lube the machined metal surfaces that they slide on. If you are not sure which surface needs grease just remember not to grease anything that actually touches the pad or rotor. Ask a friend who knows to show you or sit back and look at the mechanism and figure out how it works. Eventually you will see which surfaces slide against each other and need greasing. This should be done say every other oil change or so.
Rotating your tires is a good time to check your brakes, especially since you can compare the two sides to see if maybe a clip has fallen out.
Good Luck,
Jim Henderson
Some cars have anti Rattle clips on the pads. Check to see what is supposed to hold the pad in the piston and to the backing plate. If there is supposed to be a clip it might just be loose. On some cars the clip is just a small ear(1/4 inch of so) that is supposed to be bent down over the notch on the backing plate. Other cars have a spring that sits on the back of the pad and helps keep it under tension usually in the piston. There are probably other methods too.
Also you may have slider pins that need greasing. This is a maintenance item that almost nobody does. I did brakes for almost 30 years and never knew I was supposed to grease the sliders, duh. Use high temperature brake grease and lube the pins, if you have them, that the calipers slide on. Also lube the machined metal surfaces that they slide on. If you are not sure which surface needs grease just remember not to grease anything that actually touches the pad or rotor. Ask a friend who knows to show you or sit back and look at the mechanism and figure out how it works. Eventually you will see which surfaces slide against each other and need greasing. This should be done say every other oil change or so.
Rotating your tires is a good time to check your brakes, especially since you can compare the two sides to see if maybe a clip has fallen out.
Good Luck,
Jim Henderson
crazyman
Well-Known LVC Member
Don't automatically assume that a rattle is the brakes. When you stop, front end components like ball joints, etc. can be put into a sort of a bind, causing them to stop making noise. The first thing you sould do is jack it up, remove the wheels and try to find anything that is loose.If it is a brake pad, you can easily do it in your driveway with the help of a Haynes or Chilton's manual. And as Jim said, make sure the slides are lubed. I use anti-seize. Midas and dealers are almost always going to try to do more work than is necessary. Especially Midas. Most parts stores can turn rotors and front brakes are very easy, even for the most novice of mechanics.
tylers65
Active LVC Member
Ebay
