Wagner rotors and severe duty pads?

fj12ryder wrote:
You don't say how many miles you have on the truck. Why change the rotors if they are within their service limits, and not warped? A good set of brake pads can be had for around $50. And I wouldn't mess with the rears if there is 50 percent life. I certainly wouldn't pay to have the rotors turned.

Brake jobs are an easy job, and easy money for a shop. $700 is nuts, but $500 is probably what a decent shop will charge you. Just figure you're spending about $300 for the labor.

I'm too frugal to needlessly spend money just for the sake of spending money.

fj12ryder wrote:
I wouldn't use emery paper but if the rotors are really shiny I might use a coarse ScotchBright pad. I suppose 400 grit emery would work okay, but the ScotchBright pads are easier to find, and cheaper. Personally I've never used anything, but that's me.

fj12ryder wrote:

rhagfo wrote:
Interesting that in four pages of discussion of about brakes, rotors and pads, no one has mentioned replacing or rebuilding the calipers!
The one time I didn’t rebuild the calipers (I was young and cash short) later one caliper froze up. I have with that exception always rebuilt the calipers quick and easy.
Always replace or turn rotors and because I open the system for the caliper rebuild, flush the fluid.
It amazes me the many post just put in new pads and call it good! Brakes are a life and death function on your TV, why cheap out!

To the OP: if your brakes are shot at 45K miles, you best flush the fluid as has likely been cooked many times.
Our 79 F250 got over 80k miles brakes, DW 91 Ranger got over 100K on OEM brakes.

No one mentioned it because it needs to done rarely. Definitely falls under the heading of "if it ain't broke don't fix it".

"why cheap out". Why spend money unnecessarily? It's not being cheap it's being sensible. If you have lots and lots of disposable income and need to find someplace to spend it, then replace all parts with new every time, but it usually just isn't necessary.

:h

Fj12ryder, to me and I am sure many others doing a complete brake service rather than just replacing a set of pads is cheap insurance. I have made some interesting finds when rebuilding my calipers over the years, mostly that dried brake fluid on the part of the piston that has passed beyond the piston seal, this is even when the outside seals were in good shape.So if all you do is compress the pistons back through the seals, you can create leaks.
The most interesting thing I found was a cylinder bore that had a fairly large burr in it making a deep scratch in the piston. I simply ground down the burr and replaced the piston.
No don't have a lot of disposable income, but when I work on a system like brakes I do spend what is necessary to do a complete and safe job.

The OP should be a bit concerned as having brakes needing replacing at 45K miles now days is a pretty short life. Could be the load he is carrying or bad driving habits. either way, likely best to replace the rotors, pads, rebuild calipers and flush the system.