DIY Brake Servicing?

[JAFO]

How difficult is it to service the brake rotors and pads yourself? I am on a tight budget right now and the dealership wants $300 for the front only. A local shade tree machanic wants $250 again just for the front.

I have done the brakes before on my 1980 RX-7 and they were a peice of cake. But I heard that the front rotors on the VX are hard to remove. Any thoughts?

[driver3]

You have to repack the wheel bearings to do the front brakes, you can do a search on that, there will be the instructions for that job on this site. The rears are easy.

http://www.planetisuzoo.com/articles.htm/56

[VehiGAZ]

Not to argue, driver3, but I don't think that's true...

My Isuzu dealer resurfaced my front rotors and replaced the pads without repacking the bearings (although they were repacked in a service visit about a month prior), and I am 110% that they would not pass up on the opportunity to charge me for the work! :-)

I haven't brake work on the VX myself, so I can't say anything with 100% certainty, but like I said, my Isuzu dealer didn't do it that way.

[Chopper]

Brake service does not require repacking of the wheel bearings.

[creeg]

I dont think you need to repack the bearings everytime, but if youve got the brakes off, and the bearings are right there (which I beleive they are- as is the case for most cars), it doesnt hurt to repack them. Plus, you can do a visual inspection to make sure they are still good.

Just some good preventative measures...

[driver3]

my error.. You may be able to take the rotor off the hub... I broke one othe bolts holding it on and had to take the whole hub off to fix it... I replace rotors, no resurfacing.. they are pretty cheap.. and I can do it.. I don't have the lathe to do the resurfacing