LR3 Parking Brake Backer Plates

[whydahdvr]

Hi all. My 2008 LR3 HSE with about 140k miles on it has lost the parking brakes. The back plates rotted off, probably from the Summer's on Martha's Vineyard and the Winter's here on the New England mainland....
I took it to my local tire and brake shop, they do have someone who used to work at LR that can do the job.
The assessment is expensive - around $4k - and requires replacing the parking brake assembly, back plates, new parking brakes, pulling the wheel hubs and repacking the bearings, new brake calipers as some of the parking brake has fallen into that and damaged the rear brakes....
Hopefully nothing else comes up. I'm leaning towards getting this last hurrah done so it's mobile, usable, and I can move it on, eventually, to it's next home.

Has anyone done that job, replacing the parking brake assembly because the backer plates rusted off? Does anyone have experience with that job, other potential pitfalls, etc? The rest of the LR3, such as the interior, is in great shape. Just the road salt kills undercarriage metal.

Thanks in advance for good advice.

 

[Houm_WA]

Sounds like bullsh!t to me, but I have no real experience in that. On the other hand, you'll have a lot of shiny new parts, so....there's that.

 

[whydahdvr]

What does the parking brake attach to in the rear? Some assembly?
I can appreciate your skepticism but this is a reputable shop I've been taking my vehicles to for almost 20 years. I'm probably not explaining it clearly or accurately. Part of the explanation I got was that the wheels and hubs need to be removed to get to the parking brake itself, not the cable. And it sounds like the parking brake pads have disintegrated and damaged the rotors. So, need new rotors, the parking brake assembly is about $1500+ (the BS I call is if it's only available from the dealer), and when you pull the hubs off you end up needing to repack the rear wheel bearings.... Anyway, balance of getting it drivable without investing a ****-ton more and then use it for a while until I sell it. The only option is to tow it about 20-30 miles through Boston to an independent shop (skeptical on their reputation from past experience - although now one of the techs is running his own business) or tow it about 10 miles to a dealer..... And get dealer prices.

 

[Houm_WA]

Well, please let us know how it turns out. I suppose if there were cascading effects and other damage occurred, that price could be in the right ballpark.

 

[whydahdvr]

Yeah. I suspect there's a myriad of problems. A lot stemming from all the effing salt used on the roads here in the Winter. We just go two light dusting, barely hiding the grass, and the city has coated the roads in rock salt the size of a pinky nail. They throw it so far it hits our houses and bounces almost all the way up our driveway. Then it sits there, eating away all Winter.....
Thanks.

 

[Houm_WA]

Yeah that would suck. I'm glad that up here in Western WA, it takes a dang blizzard before they treat the roads and when they do, they mostly use sand and then some de-icer on the hills. I can plan around that, and it's only for a few days. After that I can power-wash it.

 

[remember5]

OMG. Another incredibly complicated system for such a simple task. Attached is the section of the manual describing the parking brake system. If the actuator is working this could still be an expensive job. It almost looks like finding a rear axle assembly from a wrecked LR3 might be cheaper, there is one for $120 on ebay. If it includes the hub assemblies you would be money ahead.

 

[zulu]

Is getting a second opinion/quote an option?

 

[whydahdvr]

Thanks Zulu, I'm contemplating that. I just spoke to the shop and sounds like the damage is even worse, so they're thinking above that $4k.... I'm reaching out to another independent Rover shop. I would love an option that is more affordable and keeps the vehicle for longer, just not sure if that exists in the Boston, MA area......
I could take it to another repair shop I know but I've had minimal success getting a response from them in the past. It sounds like the vehicle operates just fine otherwise. The parking brakes are shot. I never used the damn thing anyway!

 

[zulu]

Get a 6x6 piece of wood and cut a wedge out it and jam it under the wheel. Not **** but effective and alot cheaper...