Rear Brakes. Dealer or private shop

Need rear brakes on my 2008 tundra DC. Undecided about cost at dealer and quality of work at independent shops. Looking for recommendations,
Thanks in advance.

 

By the way. New to me with 80k on it

 

A private shop should be capable. If just pads, it's not a real hard DIY. Youtube videos and/or maybe a handy friend can save some $$.

 

I just did mine Saturday and only took 45 minutes.
All you need is a 17mm wrench, flat head screw driver, and a C clamp.

 

I know it's easy. We sold our house and all of my stuff is in storage for a few months.

Dealer or independent shop? If independent, quality of parts?

 

This.

 

I’d think a independent shop with good reviews could handle it. I’m thinking about having an independent shop do my water pump.

 

You tell the shop what mfg parts you want or supply your own parts. Toyota pads are really good for normal duty.

 

Buy OEM parts online from the dealership, pick them up in person, deliver to the indy shop for install.
Or check to see if the dealership is running any specials on brake jobs. I see ads every now and then from my service dept for $$ or % off of basic jobs.

 

So you don't need to resurface the rotors?

 

As others said, I’d find a reputable independent shop and supply my own parts if they don’t use what you want. Dealers charge exorbitant amounts of money for labor.

 

I have done a lot of brakes and never have. I will run some 800 grit to remove glazing but not really necessary. The way I look at it if the rotors need to be turned there is a good chance they need to be replaced.

 

Good point. I was thinking the same thing. You would needed a micrometer to measure the disc rotor thickness. These days they seem to replace rotors. Not many cut rotors anymore.

 

DIY

 

Independent shop.

 

DIY. Not difficult.

 

The rears are a piece of cake. Get a complete kit, back off the rotors using the threaded holes, open your master cylinder, and use a clamp on the pistons to push them back in. The fronts are a little bit more involved but the rears are nothing to be afraid of.

 

It’s a simple job. Quality of work? I’m not sure how someone can screw up rear brake shoes. Go with a reputable shop that will let you use OEM shoes to save a few bucks. Time is money, I get it. Not something you want to waste your afternoon doing if you have more important things to do.

 

If the rotors need turning I would just replace them

 

Buy a few tools, you can save $$

 

This! This is the reason not to go to the stealership. They will insist on turning the rotors. Then they get thinner ever time and are then more prone to warping. Unless you ran the pads insanely low or got a rock stuck in there, they shouldn't need the resurface. I'd suggest OEM pads. You can borrow the tools from Auto Zone.

 

I got quoted 399.99 per axle at the stealership... I had to have them repeat it to make sure I heard correctly.... took it a reputable shop down the road for 300 for all 4 corners... mind you guys it was fwd and drums in the rear..

 

That is why we call them stealerships. They love to see women and the uniformed and rip them off

 

Since you are busy with the sale of your house the question is..... Do you have a good mechanic?

A mechanic that does good work, uses the parts you request and charges a fair price is VERY tough to find.

I can't tell you how many shops I have been through. Some are just butchers. On my Chevy one guy got the wrong tie-rod end and just shoved it up into the sleeve.
Another was excellent, but busy and got to be abusive and expensive. I'm paying you. Don't give me a hard time please.
I finally found a new shop owner. Purchased the place from a retiring mechanic. The guy is great.

 

I did it myself using OEM rotors and TRD pads front and back. Parts cost me $550 and a few hours of my time watching YouTube and doing it. Dealerships will charge you MSRP for parts and quote you on book time even if it doesn't take them that long. Independent shops may use aftermarket parts to quote a lower price but some will let you bring your own parts and they will charge you the labor but no warranty on the work.

 

I do not turn rotors anymore. I have read that taking metal off affects heat dissipation capabilities and just makes them more prone to deform in hard use later. Regardless of the extent to which that's true, I have found total prices to replace to be comparable to the labor of taking them off and going through the labor of grinding them down and getting them true so I don't find much or any savings in turning vs. replacing. I generally haven't needed brake work as often now that I do it this way, replacing and re setting the clock on everything at once. 3-5 years without worrying about it as opposed to dealing with it every 1.5-2 years. When I do brakes at either or both ends of the car if the rotors need any work at all they go in the trash.

The last time I needed a brake overhaul the chain by me that I revert to using once I get well out of the warranty period on my cars charged me in the neighborhood of half what the dealer wanted. They only have to make a profit on brake work. They do not need to inflate the price of my brake work to cover slim used and new car sales profit margins.

They get my business for brake work and oil changes. I do the dealer if I am throwing a transmission drain and fill in because I want to know the correct fluid is going in and they follow the Toyota procedure to the letter.

 

Open a beer, jack up the truck, remove wheel (5 nuts), remove brake pads (2 springs and two pins), remove caliper (2 bolts), remove rotor (persuader)
Now that u know the “How to”, yr next question would be “what do u guys recommend using?” Correct? Lol