Time for new brakes

[vxaxv17]

I have a 02 sierra 2500hd 4x4. It has almost 70k miles on it and i will be needing to get new brakes soon. The dealer has quoted me somewhere around $1200 for replacement. This includes new rotors and pads. The claim that the HD rotors are bigger and are about $300 a piece. I really dont undertand this.

 

Anyway, im thinking about doing this myself. I have replaced many pads and some rotors before on other cars/trucks but not on this truck. Can anyone tell me just how much work this might be and if there is anything i should know before hand? This is my daily driver and i'd really like to NOT screw something up

 

Whats strange is checking online i believe i found the rotors for somewhere around $100:

 

Front ROTOR, All Models, 3/4 Ton, w/Heavy Duty 01-05 $144.89 $83.34

Rear ROTOR, All Models, 3/4 Ton 99-05 $227.51 $130.82

REAR PADS, All Models, 3/4 Ton 99-05 $137.00 $78.78

FRONT PADS, All Models, 3/4 Ton 99-04 $163.39 $93.96

 

First price is MSRP and second is retail. This was from partszoneonline.com. Does this seem right? Can i really get all 4 rotors and all pads for around $600 and do this myself? Something just doesnt seem right.

 

I assume somone out there has replaced their own pads/rotors on a similar truck before. What did you do in this case?

 

Thanks,

 

Jim

[Shaners]

I know that places like AutoZone and Advance Auto parts can hook you up with a non-GM rotor for a decent price.

[Haulin' 8.1]

The brakes on these trucks are not that difficult to replace. But it's my advice avoid the bargain Chinese parts. Is there any reason why your current rotors can't be resurfaced? Since Chinese rotors need surfacing out of the box why not just refinish yours and install good pads? If you do buy Chinese at least have the rotors turned before you use them. That way they will be flat and parallel. I have to do this at work to be able to warranty a brake job when I use them. They are not good off the steel ship, believe me. For a eye opening experience watch what happens on the first cut. Remove the rust and scale from the hub surfaces of old rotors before resurfacing to get a flat cut.

 

I would buy premium rotors and pads from NAPA, O'Rielly, or an equivalent supplier. Look for Raybestos, Wagner, Delco, etc. If I wanted to go all out it would be Raybestos Super Duty Rotors with directional cooling vanes and Napa Application Engineered Pads with the best materials and new hardware included. You might spend as much as dealer for parts but you'll be installing a superior part.

 

Do these things when replacing brakes, buy a tube of synthetic caliper grease and relubricate all the caliper slide pins. Clean the caliper brackets off with a wire brush where the pads ride to allow free movement of the new set and apply a thin coat of high temp anti-sieze. If there's any rust or scale on the rotor, wheel, and hub mating surfaces beyond light surface, use a wire brush (hard) or wheel (easyier) to remove it and smear a thin coat of high-temp anti-seize on them to prevent it from coming back during the life of the new brakes. The build up with cause distorted pad travel, warping, and noise. Whenever you get rotors turned you should spray the braking sufaces down with soapy water and wipe clean with a towel to remove microscopic metal chips. Make sure you use bailing wire to hang the calipers from the chassis when they are loose, do not let them drop or hang from the brake hoses. Hoses will often crack inside and cause stuck or unoperative brakes on the wheel attached. Examine the calipers closely for leaks or excess wear before reusing them. Use steel carpenters clamps or clamp type Vise-Grips to slowly push the pistons back into the calipers. Make sure the opposite side is clamped when doing a side to prevent it from being pushed out so you'll need two clamps. If you're going to open the bleeders to push out old fluid that's fine but I don't consider it a necessity and haven't had a problem. Just fill the master cylinder up and allow the calipers to gravity bleed for a minute once reassembled to purge out any air bubbles. Use blue Lock-Tite on the bolts and torque to specs.

 

This is what you have to do to ensure a professional style brake job that will stop great and remain quite for last as long as possible. And this is the main reason (I hope) that the dealer is charging you so much. That's what I do but for less. They would rather just pull new Delco rotors out of the box and save the time to refurbish them correctly. I would also but we consider cost and what our customer wants or can afford.

 

Vernon

[vxaxv17]

Thanks for all the tips guys. I dont really want to buy cheap parts, im perfectly willing to buy something of quality. I was more interested in the process itself and if there would be any hangups. I cant have the old rotors cut because they are so destroyed already. With all the salt and the weather of the northern climates i guess they just rotted out too much. Plus we had a ton of flooding this past summer and i was routinely driving through a foot of salt water just to get to my job. It was interesting.

 

Anyway..they need to be replaced. I was thinking for the price that the dealer wants to charge me for the oem parts, i could get something much better and install it myself. I'll have to check out the parts you mentioned above.

[etex211]

With all the salt and the weather of the northern climates i guess they just rotted out too much.  Plus we had a ton of flooding this past summer and i was routinely driving through a foot of salt water just to get to my job.

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If you are going to subject the new parts to similar abuse, I wouldn't suggest "premium" parts. I would go cheap, because the elements will probably kill the parts before wear does.

 

My $.02

[GetMore]

I was just talking to one of my coworkers yesterday about brakes for my truck. He used to work for a dealership, and he said that the prices GM charges for rotors and pads is outrageous. He said he wouldn't bother putting them on his vehicles, due to the high cost.

 

One thing you may (probably will) have a problem with is removing the rotors. The inside of the "hat" tends to rust, and that buildup can keep the rotors from coming off the hub. He said they have pounded the snot out of some rotors to get them off.

Also, the bolts holding the caliper carriers on will need a lot of effort to break free. I was told a breaker bar and a pipe extension will be required, but once they are free it should be easy.

[AmericanTowman]

trinet motor sports in southern cal...http://www.trinetmotorsports.com/

 

I got a set of 4 rotors that are cross drilled, slotted, and zinc plated with pads for my 2002 sierra 2500 HD for around 450.00 Im am very pleased with the results so far. Good luck

[THE BIGPUNN]

i think wagner thermo quiet pads are some of the best for the $$$.

[jbone]

Definitely dont go with some cheap no-name brand for pads/rotors. If you actually use your truck for its intended purpose (towing/hauling) the cheap stuff will fail much more prematurely under heavy braking. Ive seen it happen. So.... the elements will not get to them before wear does. From what I understand about resurfacing is that it cost nearly the same for a new pair of rotors. (I could be wrong) even if they are a little more money big deal! Brakes are a lot more important than people think theyre worth.

[vxaxv17]

trinet motor sports in southern cal...http://www.trinetmotorsports.com/

 

I got a set of 4 rotors that are cross drilled, slotted, and zinc plated with pads for my 2002 sierra 2500 HD for around 450.00 Im am very pleased with the results so far. Good luck

 

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I think i will have to check this out. Did you do the replacement yourself? How was it? Are there any issues with aftermarket parts and the ABS sensors or is it a direct replacement?

 

Thanks again guys.

 

Jim

[asilverblazer]

I did all four wheels of my truck in 4 hours, definately use a breaker bar on the caliper braket bolts. Rotors slid off no problems.

[gmcjoe]

Personally, I would go with OEM parts from www.partszoneonline.com or try www.buybrakes.com - I recently used them to buy powerslot rotors and HAWK pads for my 2000 GMC Z71

[AmericanTowman]

Yes I did the work myself. Realy easy rotors slide right off. Worst part is the caliper bolts with the torx head. GM uses yellow Locktight at the factory and the north east winter just ate everything so that took some creative thinking, replaced the bolts with the hex heads from NAPA and it has worked great. All Aftermarket parts (pads and rotors) fit right up first try with no issues.

[Freyguy]

I just had to replace my rears at about 105k. The fronts are still original. I went with the Powerslot Cryro rotors. Guys on the diesel webpage swear by them. They aren't supposed to warp ever. I also went with Hawk pads. I did the rears with no problem at all. Hardest part was getting the right rotors. For mine there were two size openings for the axle. Mine was the bigger of the two options. 4.8" or something. The front is just as easy. Some of the bolts might need some penetrating oil, thats about it.

[vxaxv17]

I just had to replace my rears at about 105k.  The fronts are still original.  I went with the Powerslot Cryro rotors.  Guys on the diesel webpage swear by them.  They aren't supposed to warp ever.  I also went with Hawk pads.  I did the rears with no problem at all.  Hardest part was getting the right rotors.  For mine there were two size openings for the axle.  Mine was the bigger of the two options.  4.8" or something.  The front is just as easy.  Some of the bolts might need some penetrating oil, thats about it.

 

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I've noticed the size differences also when i tried to find the correct rotors. How did you know which ones were correct for your truck? I have no idea what size i need for my HD. Most websites list 2 different sizes when i put 2002 gmc sierra 2500HD in the search field. Can i just pop the tire off and measure the rotor itself?

 

thanks again.