New Brakes and possible High Flow Cat.

Hippofish · 05-09-2008

Where do you get brakes done? Everywhere I call around to is like $60 just for an INSPECTION! Hell I know I need new brake pads and rotors, I don't need an inspection to tell me that. On top of having to pay for an inspection, a lot of the places say they don't install customer parts. What should I do? Where should I go that will be reasonable in price and will install my rotors and pads.

I bought Brembo slotted and vented rotors and Satisfied Ceramic pads. I don't want to replace my pads and rotors with cheapy OEM stuff that brake shops give you.

I would do this myself, but a "Friend" of mine stole a few of my tools and my jack and jack stands before be moved to Wyoming. It's very hard to get any work done on my car now.

Thanks for any advice or directions to places that can work on my car.

I would like to have my High Flow Cat installed also, but I know that certain places won't touch stuff like that.

Another thing to get done is adjust play in my shifter. Ever since last year when the pin came out on my shift linkage while driving down the freeway, it has had extra play in the shifter. Not really sure how to describe it better than it just moves around more before it goes into gear or comes out of gear. Before it seemed to be more stable when it was in gear. I might be explaining this wrong, but hopefully others know what I am talking about.

Thanks again for everyone that helped me with my clutch pedal problem. The Master Cylinder I got from O'Reilly fixed my problem, thanks again.

Michael

**Kracka** · 05-09-2008

Have MAP install the parts for you.

polishmafia · 05-09-2008

x2 on map. probably get a better price on just the install.

i just think its weird. my shop never charges for an inspection. we do free brake checks *shrug*

xveganxcowboyx · 05-09-2008

Or buy new tools. For what you need to do brakes you could get all the tools for the cost of having a shop do it.

iceminion · 05-10-2008

Get a quote from a shop, ill do it for 1/2 that.

Hippofish · 05-11-2008

Thanks for all of the information. I went out and bought some new tools to work with. Now I find that the rotor is stuck to the hub with rust or something cause it is NOT COMING OFF AT ALL. I mean it is sledgehammer stuck on there. I have used PB Blaster and tons of 409 to get it loose but it won't budge. I should have figured that anything I try and do for myself with this car ends up being a complete cluster fuck.

I got quoted a price of $110 an hour for install from a place right down the road from me. I think that's a ridiculous price if you ask me. Just last year I got my Underdrive Pulley installed at another shop my father used to go to for years at $45 an hour. Now that's a realistic price.

I also found the rotors on my car aren't as bad as I first thought. I might just put the new ceramic brake pads on my car and drive the fucking thing. I am sick of missing prime driving weather cause of dumb luck. I need to get those rotors off however and I have tried just about everything. But missing more nice weather is not worth it to me if the car fucking stops.

I am not a speed freak so stopping isn't an issue for me. I like to cruise around the lakes and listen to the radio, not speed around and high speed brake or anything so I might be reaching to high with the brembo rotors. I am going for the look though. You know how it is? Everyone on this site has cool looking cars and I was just trying to add to the coolness factor with some nice looking rotors along with painting my calipers red. I should have realized it would all go wrong before it even started.

The silly thing is I replaced the rotors and pads on my friends 1995 escort (same year as mine) and I got the job done in like 45 minutes. Leave to my DSM to fuck my life up with impossible bolts and a stuck rotor. GO DSM!!!!

Michael

**Kracka** · 05-11-2008

Its pretty common for rust to freeze the rotors on. Just keep pounding away with a sledge hammer, or hit them with a torch if you have one.

mdost03 · 05-11-2008

Rotors have a spot where you can screw in a bolt also to pop it loose. Check and see how those threads are and that will work good if they are still there.

xveganxcowboyx · 05-11-2008

Don't be shy. You've got to smack those bitches!

tim · 05-11-2008

If you cant do the job yourself dont be a cheap ass. 110 an hour isnt that bad to have a professional shop do the work. Especially when you are using your own parts, shops make money off parts too ya know.

Good luck, keep hammering away, it will come off.

If you have a compressor and an air hammer it will make things easy. Just put the flat hammer in and hit the face of the rotor hat(between the wheel studs) and it should knock the rust loose. You can do it with a BFH but make for sure you dont hit the studs.

sleepydsm · 05-11-2008

ill do it for cheap

Hippofish · 05-11-2008

I have a torch but with all the PB Blaster I put on them it might go up in flames. I don't want to do a Michael Jackson to myself just to put rotors on my car.

....half a day later....

I put the ceramic pads on my car and it works just fine. Thanks for all the advice and someday I will attempt, AGAIN, to get the rotors off the car. Right now it doesn't look like fortune is favoring anything like that happening in the near future. Especially since I won't be trying anytime soon. It's a good thing the rotors weren't gouged or pitted, they were in pretty good shape actually.

As for the High Flow Catalytic converter that is another day all together. Those exhaust bolts will obviously be a SUPER BITCH if the brakes were that difficult.

I know it seems like I am a glass is half empty kind of person, but actually I am usually very optimistic in just about everything besides my DSM, which always lets me down. Yee Haw!!!

Again thanks for the advice. I'm going out for a drive. See ya.

Michael