I ordered replacement brake rotors for my 2006 dodge 1500 SLT crew cab truck to get rid of the ones that have been machined once already (2 years ago) and that have again started to cause brake chattering from warping. What would be a fair price for installing them?
You have to do what is called ’ call for estimate ’ because it all depends on where you are and who does it.
Do you realize that furnishing your own parts the mechanic will not give a warranty?
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Unlike many of the members here, I am not a shadetree or actual mechanic. However, I watched my mechanic remove and then replace the brake rotors on my Highlander a few weeks ago. Took him under five minutes once the vehicle was up on the lift and the tire had been removed. I was the easiest thing I ever saw done to a car. This might be a great job to ask a friend for help with. Maybe another member can shed some light on a pickup rotor replacement specifically and give us a time estimate. Here is a story from our partner site on rotors if interested.
Warped rotors cause pulsation, not chattering.
Figure roughly an hour of labor time times the shop’s labor rate. However, you are likely to be urged to replace the pads, too. That will obviously drive up the cost considerably. Do NOT settle for cheap brake pads.
I always replace the pads and rotors at the same time, and do both sides on the front or rear at the same time.
Thanks for your reply V70… I understand what is missing when I furnish the parts. One reason I do this is because I do some things myself…for example the mechanics shop wanted $145 to replace the struts that hold the hood open on my truck. I ordered the parts on line ($25.80 for the pair) and removed the old struts and installed the new ones, in about 10 minutes, while my wife held the hood up for me. Same with the electric window opener motor on our Azera… I saved $75 on the parts and paid $100 for installation labor only.
We are retired and are on a budget, so it all helps.
If you have a jack and jackstands (NEVER work under a car with jack-only!!) swapping rotors isn’t hard. If you own the aforementioned plus a 1/2 socket set and breaker bar, you can do it yourself. A wire or coathanger to hang the caliper and bracket so you don’t put load on the brake hose is helpful.
Use a big C-clamp to push back the pads a little so you can get it over the new rotors. Remove the 2 bolts holding the caliper bracket to the knuckle. They are tight! And you should put a dab of blue threadlocker on the bolt threads when you bolt them back on. Once that stuff is off, the rotor should slide right off. May take a bit (or a LOT) of hammering if rust is involved. Clean the surface with a wire brush and reverse everything you’ve removed.
I’m getting the feeling OP is not comfortable working on the car. Maybe they don’t even have the tools. For that matter, I’m not even sure if they’re healthy enough to do it
I assume you’re talking about the front rotors. What about the rear brakes?
Cost will vary based on locale and how closely the shop sticks to a labor GUIDE. Remember that the guide is just that and is not etched in stone.
There’s also the issues of brake pads, servicing of caliper slides, whether or not the caliper itself is sticking, and so on.
There’s multiple configurations of your truck but assuming you don’t have dualie rear wheels w/the 4.7 engine, replacing the rotors looks to be a pretty simple job. I see no time estimate. The only thing I see is a parts price, ranging from $134 to $190 per rotor. It appears to be maybe a 15 minute per wheel job from what I see. Maybe they just charge by the actual times it takes, b/c sometime removing a rotor is easy, and sometimes very difficult b/c they are rusted to the hub.
It depends on which type of brakes you have. Some are an open design where you only need to remove the caliper to replace the rotor, and others are a closed design where you also have to remove the fixture the caliper is mounted on. If you have to remove the fixture, I would suggest a piece of pipe to put over your ratchet or breaker bar.
Chrysler has used both types in the past, sometimes on the same make and year.