I need to get my rear pads and rotors replaced ASAP (grinding noise....), I just got the car a few weeks ago knowing that it was going to need them soon but not quite this soon, hence me letting them get this bad. I have been calling around and most places have been telling me upwards of $400 just for the rears and that the rotors alone are $100+/each. One shop I called told me that the rotors have an ABS ring around them which is not available on the aftermarkert rotors....there is not a dealer locally so I am in a bit of a quandry. Also I am really not willing to spend over around $250 for parts and labor, even that seems high. I can get some better pads and ATE rotors off of Purems for a lot cheaper, but I dont really know if I can wait. I guess I am really just looking for some suggestions as to what to do. How bad is it to be driving with them grinding? Can damage be done to any other components of the car?

 

just get everything from ecs-tuning....

you need a special tool that turns and compresses the piston at the same time (40)

you can get mintex red box brake pads (50)

and you can get the two rear rotors (100)

so, the parts'll cost ya 190, but it is a pretty easy DIY, pluy you'll have the compressor forever!

alright, well, take care

for future reference, we need to know what kind of car you have....

I am just guessing that you have a 1998 A4 2.8l tiptronic quattro...but it's just a guess

post up your info...you can definately do the install yourself, just buy the parts

gl!

a shop will charge you for 2 hours of labor on top of parts...if you did take your car to a shop expect to pay at least 320 or so...gl!

 

Woops forgot to post my stats 1996 2.8 manual, FWD I would love to do it myself but I don't have jacks/jackstands and I have a gravel driveway / no room in the garage....Im also afraid that once i get everything apart I won't be able to do it and will get stuck and be screwed

 

cbg, it's really worth the effort to try to find someone who can help you out. Shops really rip you off; upwards $400 for the rear is an insane price for something so low-quality. You can get four-piston Porsche calipers, stainless steel lines, A8 rotors, and the best quality brake pads for something close to $800 -- for all four. That, relative to them resurfacing your rotors (which is bad for your rotors anyways) and doing the pads and calipers for the same price? It's bullshit. You're better off with the extra effort of doing it yourself.

 

I'm sure you'll get many opinions on this one, but you can buy the pads at AutoZone, turn the piston in with needle nose pliers (maybe duct taped to match the dimples distance), and just run the old rotors until you want to upgrade later, and get out for $30 total at this point.

 

well are your rotors really that bad, if not just get the pads, changing them is litteraly and hour job if your inexperieced, the callpier is held on by 2 bolts and thats about it. just compress the piston with the special tool and pop in the new pads. the rotors if needed to be replaced come right off after you remove 2 more bolts on teh caliper bracket.

 

Yeah Im just gonna end up doing the pads, they were tryin gto tell me its gonna be ******* $120 per rotor for bullshit ones, when I can get slotted and cross drilled rotors for less. I really want to get mintex pads but I need them ASAP as I'm goin on a 400 mile trip on Monday...wish I couldve gotten them earlier but didnt get paid until yesterday.

 

wow they are ripping you off just like the stealership haha. autozone has pretty good prices on brakes.

 

Yeah Im gonna go with Autozone for the pads but Im gonna get rotors from ECS and do them when I get a chance, gotta learn sometime I guess

 

I had the same problem a couple months ago...crazy grinding (thought it was a bad wheel bearing at first). I ended p getting the Mintex red box pads but like you said you need them ASAP so AutoZone will do you right. You can rent the caliper compression tool from AutoZone too..it's like 10 bucks to rent...just be sure you have that before you attempt the job! My buddies dad who only works on American cars was like "oh I just use a C Clamp and it works fine!" No..it doesnt!...the piston has to spin as it compresses. So my friend had to give me a ride to autozone to rent the little tool. This was my first time doing the brakes...first one took like and hour and a half (from all the dicking around with the C clamp idea...ugh..) and the second one took literally 10 minutes.

and about the gravel driveway and having no jack...Go to a buddies house or something...or next to the curb in front of your house. and as for a jack...doesnt your car have jack in the trunk with the spare tire? That'll work fine...just be sure you put some wedges (or bricks or whatevs) around the front wheels because the p-brake has to be off.

here's a link to the DIY I followed

good luck!