Shocks/Strut/Brake Replacement Advice

[mchestnut]

Hi All -

I apologize in advance if this question is exhaustively covered, and I didn't find it in the last 15 minutes of looking around. I am not a mechanic or a 'car guy,' although I aspire to do what you guys do someday. All I know is that every time I take my car in for work, I'm somehow getting screwed so trying to avoid that with your help!

Pretty sure this is a softball compared to the stuff you guys are doing, so here it goes. I have an '07 Limited at 95k currently. Was doing some routine small time service at a nearby japanese specialty shop, and they blew the whistle on my brakes and shocks/struts, saying that all of the above should be replaced within the next 3 months. Took it to Les Schwab for a 2nd opinion (didn't tell them anything), and they came back with the same recommendations (and better pricing - $700 for strut/shocks installed, $1k for brakes installed). All of the above are original, and have not been replaced/serviced previously.

I use my T4R for hauling the kids around, snow skiing, and mountain biking in the greater Seattle area. My ambitions with the repair are to get everything back to 100% good to go and potentially 'upgrade' any of above items requiring repair. I would appreciate your thoughts/recommendations.

Thanks in advance, I have listed the Les Schwab work order below if it helps.

- Matt

Les Schwab Shock/Strut replacement:

* Strut assembly install package (2)
* 341340 Excel Strut (2)
* Strut assm labor (2)
* Shock installation package (2)
* 344410 excel shock (2)
* Shock labor (2)
* AL3 thrust alignment
* Thrust angle alignment

Total for above = $718

Les Schwab Brake/Rotor Replacement:

* BJ126 Front Disc brake repair (1)
* Brake labor (1)
* Caliper (2)
* RC11550 Raybestos remanufactured caliper (1)
* RC11549 Raybestos remanufactured caliper (1)
* BJ28 rear disc brake repair (1)
* Brake labor (1)
* Caliper (2)
* RC11555 Raybestos remanufactured caliper (1)
* RC11556 Raybestos remanufactured caliper (1)
* 980161 Brake rotor (2)
* 96929 Brake rotor (2)

Total for Brake work above: $1,011

Grand total - just over $1700. Seems like alot...worth it?

 

[heiser]

This was my first "big" repair/service when I bought mine a while back. If it's worth taking a day, learning, and doing it yourself, then you could save some money. Also, you could get better shocks and still pay less.

What I paid:
4 bilstein shocks (used) ~ 120
front calipers (2) ~ 130
front rotors (2) ~75
front brake pads (4) ~ 30
alignment at local shop ~ 50

total ~405

 

[46runner]

Pricing seems in line. For what it's worth I did all those things myself as two projects. Links to full write up with pics in my signature. If you have some basic tools, and time, materials will probably run you $600-$700.

 

[DisguisedRope]

Check out this link for your suspension questions.

As to the brakes, you may need a new caliper or two if you have stuck pistons in them, but I doubt you need to replace all four at once. Your gas mileage and braking would be horrendous if all four corners were stuck. A set of new pads and rotors can be had under $300 for good quality components and they are easy to replace yourself. If you need to replace the calipers, you are looking at around $120 for a reman unit at napa or the like. They aren't terribly difficult to replace, but will require bleeding your brakes. Also not hard, but more involved then turning a few bolts.

 

[verman84]

The brakes are relatively easy, they just take time, tools and space. You can cut the price of the brakes in half by doing them yourself. I went with centric calipers and rotors from rock auto due to their reputation. If replacing calipers, spend the extra cash and buy pre painted calipers. The extra $20 is worth the rust prevention. I believe I spent around $550 for all 4 new calipers, pads and rotors. So far is the best money I've put into mine.

If you don't have a garage space to work in or don't feel comfortable doing it then the price isn't bad.

I also went with 5th Gen calipers due to the notorious reputation of the 4th Gen calipers. Stuck calipers don't seem to plague the 5th Gen calipers. Since you have a limited (and assuming 17 inch wheels) they bolt right on without any modification. Search for the 5th Gen caliper thread for more info. Hopefully your truck being from Seattle doesn't have the rust and corrosion that mine did before I moved to here from Chicago. That slowed me down the most. Rust is the biggest pain.

I live near northgate/greenwood if you're interested in doing it yourself, want a hand, I've got the tools and stuff, just not the space. Unfortunately my garage barely fits my 4 runner and is currently being used as storage.

I haven't done the suspension/lift yet but it's on my list for the spring and I plan to do it myself as well when the time comes.

 

[mchestnut]

Thanks all for the great feedback. The write ups are awesome 46runner, and making me reconsider my ability to take on at least part of this myself. Heiser your feedback is also great, gives me more confidence. DisguisedRope thanks for the great link!

Verman84 thanks for the offer, I will potentially reach out and take you up on that offer!

 

[mchestnut]

46runner -

Impressive write ups, thanks for laying out the groundwork so well. A couple questions for you regarding brakes/rotors:

* Rotors - how often do you replace, and is it just a 'rule of thumb' that if you are replacing your own brakes, you do rotors at the same time? Difference being that the majority of us don't have a rotor repair machine? Or is there more reasoning?
* Lines - flexible and fixed - did you decide to replace yours based on the poor condition that you encountered during the brake/rotor job, or what led you to do those as well as brakes/rotors?
* Calipers - is this also a 'rule of thumb' given the poor quality of the OEM components that these should be replaced before they go out? Or is there more reasoning there?

My greatest concern with the brake/rotor/caliper/line phase of the work I need done is that if I take it to Les Schwab, they give me a sub-par setup with 'remanufactured calipers' which just don't sound legit. Again I could be wrong, but compared to brand new calipers, remanufactured just sounds cheap?

 

[46runner]

46runner -

Impressive write ups, thanks for laying out the groundwork so well. A couple questions for you regarding brakes/rotors:

* Rotors - how often do you replace, and is it just a 'rule of thumb' that if you are replacing your own brakes, you do rotors at the same time? Difference being that the majority of us don't have a rotor repair machine? Or is there more reasoning?

I bought my T4R used. It was ten years old. I wasn't sure of the brake history. I replaced the rear calipers earlier due to the left rear caliper being frozen. After driving a while. I measured the temp of each caliper/rotor with a laser temperature gauge. The rear left was hotter than the other three. As a result I had planned to replace the front calipers along with the pads which were worn. I figured since I had it apart I'd replace the rotors too. I guess I could have had them resurfaced, but I got new. My next brake job, when the time comes, will likely be just to replace the pads and lube the pins.

* Lines - flexible and fixed - did you decide to replace yours based on the poor condition that you encountered during the brake/rotor job, or what led you to do those as well as brakes/rotors?

Again, after ten years, I figured it wouldn't hurt to replace the flex lines. It turned out to be a bit more complicated when the flex line would not easily disconnect from the hard line segments. The old flex lines were in pretty good shape though, so replacement was not necessary in hindsight.

* Calipers - is this also a 'rule of thumb' given the poor quality of the OEM components that these should be replaced before they go out? Or is there more reasoning there?

The pistons and the pins on the front calipers were pretty rusty. They definitely needed attention. And frozen calipers are common on the T4R. I could have gotten a rebuild kit for less money but it would have taken more time than just swapping out with new. Besides, the NAPA calipers have a lifetime warranty which was a nice bonus.

My greatest concern with the brake/rotor/caliper/line phase of the work I need done is that if I take it to Les Schwab, they give me a sub-par setup with 'remanufactured calipers' which just don't sound legit. Again I could be wrong, but compared to brand new calipers, remanufactured just sounds cheap?

The NAPAs I used are remans. It's not uncommon. They replace all the wear parts with new and clean/paint the caliper. Bring the old ones in and they'll refund your core charge.