Brake Replacement

[DodgeViper01]

Hello:

I just went to have my car checked as per the 15,000 mile service and was told that I need new pads and roters (SP?). Not a bad way to spend $1200 ay? Now my question is, I only have 16,000 miles on the car. Is this unusual? I have not been driving hard or tracking the car. Seems weird. How often should the brakes be changed? How about the air filters (2)? Is there anything else I should be looking for as far as replacing soon?

 

[Chuck 98 RT/10]

They are screwing you. If you don't drive hard the pads will probably last 40K maybe more. As for the rotors, I have 93K on my original rotors. Do you think you drive harder than me? I doubt you need either and even if you did $1200 is outrageous.

 

[DodgeViper01]

Thanks Chuck. I figured as much. Stupid dealer. That is why I was going with a second opinion at Buhler.

 

[Gavin]

You need to talk to JONB at Partracks - If I recall a set of four rotors is about $400
AND
I agree w/Chuck - that dealer thinks you are blind, deaf and dumb.

 

[JWVIPER]

You drive a viper you can aford to pay $1200 for a brake job !

NOT !!.....these guys make me laugh, don't be taken, even if you had a major problem in the front I can't begin to imagine the rear rotors are gone, post from Chuck 98 says it well..............

 

[AviP]

Jack up the car and check for yourself. It's very easy. This is one of the standard rip-offs from the service shops. Don't do it. You should be good for at least 25K miles (more like 30K+) if you don't drive the card too hard.

 

[CitySnake]

Shame on you! You live in Tator country and you deal with some OTHER DEALER???!!!

Guess your getting the service you asked for.

 

[DodgeViper01]

Well the news is in. Took it to Buhler (one of the greatest Viper dealers in the US - Sell 50+ a year), and they confirmed! I need new brake pads and roters. Also another shock was that I need a new clutch. I think I asked for it. Now I am looking at a TON of money to fix the car. DAMN! This really stinks. Oh well, what can you do besides fix it. I had no idea this would happen so fast. I was told that because the car is driven a lot (16,400 miles) and mostly in the city, this is the reason. Any opinions?

 

[Chuck 98 RT/10]

Are you the original owner of the car? I know Buhler is a popular dealer but there is no fway you need new rotors after 16,400 miles unless you drive with a brick on the brake and have already gone through three sets of metallic pads!

Take it to Tator.

 

[Sam 01 RT10]

Just my .02... Learn/try to do some of the work yourself. Front rotors/pads on a Viper are very easy to change yourself, and a great learning experience in general.

If you do need a clutch, Roe sells 'em for $260 or so, and they can be had on Ebay for $200, you just need to borrow the proper tool. Even if you can't do the clutch yourself, buy the parts and then find a good performance shop or dealer to do the install.

 

[DodgeViper01]

I mean I do brake hard a lot but I do not know. I trust Buhler, they always know what they are talking about. I just do not understand how yours last so long Chuck. Tator is just too far; About 2 hours.

 

[DodgeViper01]

Sam:

I heard the clutch needs to be assembled? What is that all about. They were charging about $1000 for the clutch and $500 for labor.

 

[JWVIPER]

Sam:

I heard the clutch needs to be assembled? What is that all about. They were charging about $1000 for the clutch and $500 for labor.

Give chuck a call, 2 hours for me as well but for what you are looking at he will set you straight, he did my tranny under wty so cost was minimal but he changed clutch sinc we were there already and as someone else suggested he ordered the clutch kit from ROE saved me abucnh of bucks and I bleieve it had the throw out bearings where the DC kit doesn't for half the cost.

 

[DodgeViper01]

Cool. I just sent an e mail to him. These prices are crazy.

 

[Dimitrios]

when i first bought my viper and knew nothing of VCA and tators i sent my car to a local five star dealer with viper tech. $800 for pads. they also said i need new clutch 6k miles ago and price was $1800. no problems with clutch yet and juts had it at the track last weekend running 12.2's for the first time ever on track.

 

[ViperRay]

I agree with everyone else here. If you can't confirm it yourself, drive the 2 hours to Tators and have him check/repair it. You might need pads if you stand on the brakes a lot, but rotors??? You didn't tell the folks at Buhler that you were told you needed brakes/rotors I'm sure.

 

[DodgeViper01]

I was just thinking the same thing. I did tell them but you never think that the people you trust with about 4 or 5 Viper techs is going to screw you. Damn, I gotta be more careful now.

 

[DodgeViper01]

Now say the person did not replace the clutch and it "ran out," what would happen? Would the car just not move? I am sorry, I am not a knowledgeable owner.

 

[Dimitrios]

if the clutch goes you pretty much wont be able to move the car after a while. i had clutche on previous mustangs and what happens is you floor the gas and not really going anywhere. almost like being in neutral.

 

[DodgeViper01]

Ok I see. So now damage to the car at least.

 

[Chuck 98 RT/10]

I've used EBC greens for most of my 93K miles but the first 30K or so were stock pads.

I ran a 12.05 earlier this year on my original clutch.

I drive nearly two hours to have Larry Macedo work on the things I don't have time for.

Take it to Tator.

 

[CMilViper]

I agree. If I were only 2 hours away from Chuck Tator, I would take it to him in a heartbeat!

Good Luck

 

[Achilles99]

Brake job on Viper is cake. ChrisGTS and I have changed our pads and rotors several times (for track events and for simply trying out different compounds). It takes about 2 hours, including putting the car on jack stands. Brake pads are $100-300, depending on what you want. Do you feel a "lip" on your brake rotors? Are you getting vibrations when braking? If not, don't change the rotors. I agree with Chuck on this one.

Seriously, the brake job on a Viper is SOOO easy that I would even take it to a local shop to do if I couldn't do it myself. No special tools required.

As for a new clutch, why worry about that now? Is it slipping? If not, just drive it. When mine needed changing, I bought the Ebay clutch and then had Mike Robbins at Ringgold install it for around $300. That INCLUDED resurfacing the flywheel.

 

[AviP]

Save the money on the brakes and DIY. I'll even help you if you want. I'll be out Thu-Sun.

 

[DodgeViper01]

Yeah I was thinking the same thing. Maybe I will just buy the parts and have a body shop do the work. After talking with Chuck at Tator's, I will make my decision.

 

[Frank Parise]

Here are reasonable prices for parts and labor:

Brake rotors - $75 each X 4 = $300
Brake pads - $205 per axle set X 2 = $410
Clutch and pressure plate = $340
Labor on brake pads and rotors, bleed fluid - 1.5 hours
Labor on clutch and pressure plate - 2.5 hours (my guess)
At $65/hour labor, your total labor should not exceed $260 and your total parts should not exceed $1,050.

Unless your car has some really hard track miles on it, I am shocked that you would need any of the above, other than a good bleeding of your brake fluid.

 

[JWVIPER]

Keith was buzzing round ebay today and thought of you , check these 2 out

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=2479195330&category=33564


http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=2479320275&category=33564


amazing without the Viper tax direct .....

 

[AviP]

At $65/hour labor, your total labor should not exceed $260 and your total parts should not exceed $1,050.

$65/hour labor is wishful thinking in the North East. Try upwards of $90/hour.

 

[JWVIPER]

At $65/hour labor, your total labor should not exceed $260 and your total parts should not exceed $1,050.

$65/hour labor is wishful thinking in the North East. Try upwards of $90/hour.

You are right at say my local dodge dealer in here in LI they want 90 but I had work done at Chuck's and I think he was bit more than 65 but much less than $90, I will let him answer that one if he is reading ........

 

[DodgeViper01]

That sounds about right. Those prices should be reflected at the dealers but nope, they charge OUTRAGEOUS prices.