Notch in the belt: brake pads

Last Friday, I took the car in to get the tires balanced, and the guy at Firestone told me that I needed some brake work. Specifically, 1) my brake pads needed replacing, 2) I was getting uneven wear, and 3) the rotors were near the minimum thickness. The solution to those three points is 1) replace the pads, 2) replace the calipers, and 3) replace the rotors. For a total cost of over $550.

I could have had them do it that same day, but I was in a bit of sticker shock, so I decided to think on it over the weekend. I've done a little mechanic work on my own cars, but nothing to do with brakes. So I spoke with my older brother, who has done a lot more of his own car repair, including brakes. He told me Firestone was a scam, and that I should look at the condition of my brakes myself.

I priced out all the parts, and found out that the parts weren't nearly as expensive as I expected. So yesterday, after the kids were in bed, I headed off to Autozone for a set of brake pads and a pair of jack stands. I figured this: it's easy (or so I heard) to replace brake pads, and they're cheap. As I replace them, I can verify for myself the condition of my rotors and calipers, and if they really do need replacing, I can then go get those parts as well. If, on the other hand, the rotors are all that need fixing, then I'll replace them and call it a day.

The whole process took me about two hours. That includes the trip to Autozone, several rookie mistakes (like forgetting to loosen the lug nuts before jacking up the car), and a trip to Lowes at 8:59 to get a big enough C-clamp to depress the piston in the caliper. When I finished up, everything worked fine, and a test drive around the neighborhood confirmed that I hadn't loused anything up.

The verdict on the calipers and rotors? I couldn't find any markings to see what the minimum is, but they did not appear worn (compared to the unworn areas of the disc). As for the uneven wear, the pads on the left front wheel were slightly unevenly worn. So when I was told to replace the calipers, they were slightly exaggerating. Sure, only a slight exaggeration, but one which would have cost me a couple hundred bucks.

I think I'll stick to my free rotation and balances, and my lifetime alignment, when I go to Firestone next time.