disc brake repair/replacement??

[greg faughnan]

Hi Guys and Gals:

Here's an easy one: my daughter owns a new Range Rover. New as in one year old, with 30,000 miles (city driving). She says she has to get new pads and, I assume, discs. She said the bill would be about $1,500.

My question is, is it necessary to even touch the discs? Can't you just replace the pads and be done with it? Why would the discs need any attention at this point, it's only 30,000 miles. Let me know whta you folks think, ok? Thank you. Greg.

 

[roverman]

All city driving, discs are possible but not likely. It is much more likely that the dealer just wants the extra dough. Why don't you be a good dad and save her $1300 and do the pads yourself

 

[Disco Mike]

As her Dad, do you live close to her, how mechanical are you.
Good pads are less then $100 and real easy to replace. Rover rotors are thin to start with, but as long as they are not warped, I wouldn't replace them, unless you are doing the job, then maybe, here again, they are inexpensive and easy to replace.
By the way, they can not be resurfaced.

 

[mustbeaudi]

Even if you can't or won't DIY, a Rover/LR3/ whatever brake job is no mystery and any good, trusted independent can swap on new pads for you. Buy new good ones, save hundreds on labor. Rotors only bad if close to or below spec on thickness or are out of round. Once doing pads, rotors don't add relatively much labor. Fronts anywhere other than dealer should easily be half that cost with rotors. Ferodo makes Rover pads, you can source locally. Try Rockauto.com for parts that you get installed by another, or use a local indy shop and specify a top line pad from an OE vendor like Bendix (NOT Midas junk with the lifetime replacement) and she'll be fine. If she has a RSS (you don't say for sure) then search her for posts on how to brake job with specifications as the LR3 is the same basic car.

 

[greg faughnan]

disc brake repair/replacemnt??

Thanks Guys! This is what I'm thinking!! I used to do this all the time, back in the day. Can still handle it, in a pinch! Thanks again for the info. I will send this over. Greg.

 

[mustbeaudi]

Again, there's a procedure with tools list and specifications that I found and reposted here - not my creation. Easily searched.

 

[greg faughnan]

procedure reposted?

Again, there's a procedure with tools list and specifications that I found and reposted here - not my creation. Easily searched.

Hi. thanks for the info. You say reposted. I didn't see where you reposted. I'm out the door now. I'll check this weekend or Monday. Greg.

 

[nwoods]

I am not certain this is good advice given so far. In past threads, the average life of the pads is about 15,000-20,000 miles, and discs are common at about 30,000 miles. With a heavy full size Range Rover, in stop and go city driving, I would not at all be surprised if new rotors were required.

Here is the good news, the brakes are easy to do, requiring no special tools, just normal automotive repair tools. Make sure you have brush-on brake anti-squeak compound though! Because the brakes are common, you can get them done anywhere if you don't want to do it yourself. Pads only will cost you about $400, and discs and pads range from $800-$1200 generally, at independent shops.

You will also need brake sensors, which are inexpensive and easy to install, cost about $15 each and you need two (I think).

RoversNorth or Atlantic British have decent prices on parts.

 

[GrahamWelland]

Not exactly the same but I just had my LR3 HSE brakes rejuvenated - Ferodo pads & Brembo rotors ~ $1100 plus labour with an independent Rover shop.

I got 83k out of my rotors but they were toast and at minimum spec and basically on life support. If I recall correctly though this was only the second set of pads too and I hadn't hit the warning sensors but it was darned close and they replaced them anyway - $18 each.

Driving style is trails, long freeway and general domestic travel. I don't do the commute thing with lots of stop/go traffic and my race car days actually taught me to be pretty gentle with the brakes and mechanics so maybe my experience is atypical

 

[Houm_WA]

I think your experience is indeed atypical. Mine is too....I commute to work but it's still mostly freeway. When I'm not on an interstate I'm either in Sport Mode or Command Shift so that saves some of the brakes....plus I try not to use 'em!

I have 66,000+ miles and so far I've only replaced the rears (pads only).