O.T. Brake Pad Replacement - Old Rotors

Re: O.T. Brake Pad Replacement - Old Rotors

Mike L

Depends on the shape of the Rotors. Are they warped rusted grooved? Rotors are cheap enough I would not even think of having them turned anymore. Check Summit Racing and Rockauto for the cheapest price. I am a firm believer in always having good brakes and tires no mater what I am driving, even if only a 1000 miles a year.

Re: O.T. Brake Pad Replacement - Old Rotors

Stuart Johnson

Okay, say they are warped, rusted and grooved does that affect the stopping ability or just the life of the pads? If it makes any difference 900 of the 1000 miles is at 40 - 45 mph.

Re: O.T. Brake Pad Replacement - Old Rotors

Jack Guzman from Maine

Depends on the condition of the rotors. If it's only because the surface isn't smooth,you will just wear out the pads sooner. If the rotors are in bad shape,replace them. even a short drive can be deadly if you can't stop.

Re: O.T. Brake Pad Replacement - Old Rotors

Bill Howatt

You might want to check the price of the rotors and hopefully they are the cheap and easy to replace vintage. Friend had a slightly older Dodge truck and the rotors and wheel hub were all one piece and they were very expensive.

For your driving style, unless the rotors are really warped (pedal pulsing) or are suffering some other serious problem you would be fine without replacing them but there is also a lot of good advice in saying you should always have good, well-maintained brakes. It only takes one emergency stop requirement in that 100 out of the 1000 miles where you could wish they were better.

I had a similar situation with my 2005 Caravan. I elected to go with the full job but using the cheaper line of parts rather than the "premium" which did save a good amount of money.

Bill

Re: O.T. Brake Pad Replacement - Old Rotors

Don Stephan

Surprised that no has asked, what is the chance someone else important to you might be riding along? Your decision might change if a family member even occasionally is in the vehicle with you, or might need to borrow the vehicle.

1000 miles does not matter, only the last 1'

Re: O.T. Brake Pad Replacement - Old Rotors

David Yoho

Assuming you have a ram 1500 the price for rotors all the way around from the place I like online is only $162. That's cheap in my book and what I did on my previous 2002 Ram 1500 when I replaced the pads. Now my son has the truck and I sleep well knowing the brakes are good to go.

Also depends on if you haul stuff

Dick Coers

Heavy truck, with another 2,000 pounds in it requires a good set of brakes. Jus use it like a car, different story. But normally I'm not a big fan of replacing the rotors. I have replaced a few that were a mess, but the majority are just replace the pads.

Dad always told us...

Stuart Hough

Moving is good...stopping is GREAT! If you can't stop when you want to, you won't be moving for very long!

Re: Also depends on if you haul stuff

John K Jordan

I often haul a heavy trailer with diesel truck with 3-4 tons of hay, sometimes the tractor or 6000 lb bobcat, on curvy roads mountain roads and interstate. I appreciate good brakes on both the truck and the trailer. And good tires. I drive with care.

JKJ

That load needs a bigger truck

Kneale Brownson

You need a dually

Re: O.T. Brake Pad Replacement - Old Rotors

Larry Clinton At Frankfort, (Central) Indiana

The answers above are correct, however I just searched part prices for a complete set of pads and rotors for a 1998 Dodge 1/2 ton (yours may vary) and they ranged from about $65 up!

At that price I would not even think twice, I would replace.

I have told my children when they started to drive to be damXXd sure their vehicle will whoa, If it don't go its an annoyance. If it don't whoa it can be death. I think they told their children the same thing!

Re: That load needs a bigger truck

John K Jordan

>>>You need a dually

That opinion is common but research showed me it is not needed. I read a report on professional hay and horse haulers and most did not use a dually.

There is the safety aspect of handling a rear tire blowout but those are uncommon with today's tires. And dual rear wheels do not help with the front tires. I use quality tires and check them often.

There is the traction aspect of the extra drive tires. This might be useful on occasion in mud but that doesn't help with the front wheels, powered or not. I don't haul in the rain or worse.

I don't know any farmers around here who drive a dually pickup - some have flat bed trucks with dual wheels. I used this '75 Chevy 1-ton until I got the '99 Dodge diesel:

JKJ

Re: That load needs a bigger truck

John in NM

3-4 tons is definitely not out of line for a trailer behind that truck. My old jeep wagon would have pulled the low end of that.

I always thought duals were for high loads on the axle, to better distribute the weight on the pavement, thus prolonging the life of the pavement and to some extent the wheel bearings. Pulling a trailer on a conventional ball hitch you don't need dual wheels, just a way of selling people more expensive trucks.

I had a horrible old Dodge D500 that looked a bit like your older truck.

Re: O.T. Brake Pad Replacement - Old Rotors

Stuart Johnson

I have next to no mechanical talent so buying parts and doing the job myself isn't going to happen. Having just the pads replaced is around $100. One place quoted pads and rotors at over $300. This is what brought up the question about just replacing the pads. With the annual mileage I'm not concerned about early wear but do want the truck to stop.

Re: O.T. Brake Pad Replacement - Old Rotors

Mark Nowicki

A garage will not add to their overhead head costs and provide free labor to save you the cost of new disks. The final cost will be six or half a dozen.

Re: O.T. Brake Pad Replacement - Old Rotors

AZ in Colorado Springs

The shop is not going to go to the discount vendors on line and get the least expensive parts. They're getting them from the Napa warehouse or some other local jobber and then putting on their markup to your final retail price. They're not necessarily screwing you, but they're not going to get you the cheapest deal, either.

I gave up on working on my cars a while back, other than changing the oil and burned out light bulbs. I go to the same shop and even with turnover among the mechanics they have records in the computer and that's helped me on lifetime warranty parts: "That's under warranty" ... ""Don't think it is" ... "Search further back in the maintenance history" ... "Oh, there it is."

Re: O.T. Brake Pad Replacement - Old Rotors

TomD

I don't know what they "should" charge you, but these days the rotors are a lot less trouble than the pads. In some cases, if they aren't seized, the rotors are just 10 seconds more. And on an F-150 you can get a set of pads and rotors for 2 wheels for 100.

My truck before, the rotors where integrated into the axle bearings, so you had to do that and the grease at the same time, and removal was not like switching out a 10 pound tire. And 5 years before that you had to turn the discs, and the parts were made in the US. But today, It is not a big deal. But if you go to NAPA (canadian prices), you can shell out 100 for the pads. It all just depends.