Brakes and Calipers

[GeekOKent]

Took the 120 into Mr. T to get it serviced ( thought might as well get it looked at properly before I start taking it apart myself ) - MOT passed as is, but the service manager there is insisting the front brake disks are 'getting closer to legal limit, and is also saying the calipers need to be replaced , they are starting to get stuck and says this is typical for a lc5 120 at 100k'ish.

The quoted price of £1230 for the front brake work also seems a bit expensive, but then I guess saving money is good, but being able to stop is better.

thoughts ?

 

[Simon5030]

Took the 120 into Mr. T to get it serviced ( thought might as well get it looked at properly before I start taking it apart myself ) - MOT passed as is, but the service manager there is insisting the front brake disks are 'getting closer to legal limit, and is also saying the calipers need to be replaced , they are starting to get stuck and says this is typical for a lc5 120 at 100k'ish.

The quoted price of £1230 for the front brake work also seems a bit expensive, but then I guess saving money is good, but being able to stop is better.

thoughts ?

Hi
Just bought a 120 on Sun with 70k on clock the dealers had replaced both front discs, pads and calipers, they said it cost them about £800 if that helps?

Regards
Simon

 

[Rob Cowell]

It's not a terrible job to strip the calipers, and so long as you can polish out any rust on the cylinders / pistons reassemble with new seals and grease for about 20 quid a caliper. Seized pistons can be forced out. Just wedge the other pistons in place with a bit of wood, g-clamp etc and press the brake pedal! Having removed pads and taking caliper away from disc.

To replace calipers and disks is very simple though. Brakeparts.co.uk have all the parts for about £250 including pads. I reckon well under 3 hours to change them, including tea breaks - a proper mechanic a good deal quicker. So £1230 seems crazy money. Just be careful not to let the fluid reservoir run dry when bleeding. I did on my LC3 and noticed it needed a special electrical control tool to get the LC5 (and I think LC4) primed again.

 

[Chris]

Please please please what ever you decide, don't let the main dealer do this work. They don't deserve your money. OK OK they have to use genuine parts and follow the manual and the charge rates. But it's robbery. You want brakes to be right. Wrong means very bad day on a hill. But this is not difficult work for most places. If you were round the corner I'd help you. If you got replacements from someone like Roughtrax, Brakeparts etc it's about as easy as it gets. Yes I free up old calires and yes I rebuild them but taking an old one off and putitng a new one on is so easy it's worth the time saving. Then just the bleed to do and you're as good as new.

 

[yogi]

Please please please what ever you decide, don't let the main dealer do this work. They don't deserve your money. OK OK they have to use genuine parts and follow the manual and the charge rates. But it's robbery. You want brakes to be right. Wrong means very bad day on a hill. But this is not difficult work for most places. If you were round the corner I'd help you. If you got replacements from someone like Roughtrax, Brakeparts etc it's about as easy as it gets. Yes I free up old calires and yes I rebuild them but taking an old one off and putitng a new one on is so easy it's worth the time saving. Then just the bleed to do and you're as good as new.

I totally agree.

Perhaps for a Maserati that would be a reasonable quote, but for a mass produced SUV that is insane money. Please don't even contemplate it.

 

[Shayne]

You can have them refurbished and a Maserati badge added to them cheaper than that http://www.brakecaliperrefurbs.co.uk/

 

[GeekOKent]

Please please please what ever you decide, don't let the main dealer do this work. They don't deserve your money. OK OK they have to use genuine parts and follow the manual and the charge rates. But it's robbery. You want brakes to be right. Wrong means very bad day on a hill. But this is not difficult work for most places. If you were round the corner I'd help you. If you got replacements from someone like Roughtrax, Brakeparts etc it's about as easy as it gets. Yes I free up old calires and yes I rebuild them but taking an old one off and putitng a new one on is so easy it's worth the time saving. Then just the bleed to do and you're as good as new.

Got into the dealers on the way back home and had a look, the disc's arent in nearly as bad a state as the guy claimed - decided to bring her home; will stock up and have a go at trying to free them up myself. I mean, whats the worse that could happen ?

 

[yogi]

You can have them refurbished and a Maserati badge added to them cheaper than that http://www.brakecaliperrefurbs.co.uk/

 

[Crispin]

The seal kit for the calipers is about £20 IIRC and as has been said, it's easy to do yourself or find someone cheaper to do it. You do not need new calipers.

If you want a seal kit then speak to Simon a call.

 

[Crispin]

The seal kit for the calipers is about £20 IIRC and as has been said, it's easy to do yourself or find someone cheaper to do it. You do not need new calipers.
Pistons were about £15-£20 a piston. I needed 2 I think when mine seized.

If you want a seal kit then speak to Simon a call.

 

[fast but dim]

I got a set from http://www.brakesint.co.uk/shop.html , cannot remember the price for for new calipers ( you send yours back exchange), but it wasn't too bad! IIRC i bought new discs too. a few other forum members have used them too.
I can dig through my reciepts folder tomorrow and have a look ( but i am pretty sure there's a thread here about it).

 

[Gary Stockton]

Good grief. Mr T getting a bit carried away there. As has been said - calliper service kit required - one per side - has all you need, including the unicorn tears grease. Part number is 04478-60050 for front and 04479-60030 for the rear ones. Will be doing mine next week now I'm on hols

 

[Graham]

I have a kit that I didn't use in the end.

The kit is complete and unopened.

Actually, I have two kits, -- 1 kit for each front wheel.

If your interested, let me know.

Gra.

 

[GeekOKent]

Graham, thanks for the offer - working with a mate we got the whole thing stripped back and found no problem whatsoever. Even got the handbrake fixed up a bit. Fairly sure they were pushing their luck.

further interesting, I'd gotten a full-service, which as far as i can tell means that the engine coolant would have been tested and topped up, turns out they missed that. They were to also 'check' the diff oils, forgot that as well. Best of all, the engine oil filter is still the same old one that was in there...

Am more than a bit upset with the level of service and exacty wtf Mr. T is on about here. Going to chase down the official Toyota complaints line and make as much noise as I can.

In the mean time, can someone recommend a garage with clue in the east kent area ? or well, south east london.

 

[Rob Cowell]

Not sure what you mean by a full service, but on a 20K mile service they should be replacing diff oils, not just (forgetting to) check it. Check would be for the transfer box oil.

 

[GeekOKent]

hi Rob,

The diff oils were changed ~ 15k miles back. I had asked them to go ahead and change them, and was told that they would 'check' first. the gearbox oil has been changed, or so i am told. At this point, i think its a bit of a guess as to what has and hasent been done.

 

[Animal Mother]

I've just had new front calipers fitted. Is there a way to prevent them seizing in the future?

N.B. The same piston, the inboard lower, seized on both the NS and OS calipers.

 

[Crispin]

They seized due to design flaw. That has since been rectified so should not happen again. IIRC it was the boots which pulled off due to dodgy rings holding them in.

Dose of red grease will also help.

 

[Animal Mother]

I was thinking of sticking some red grease in there. Good to have that confirmed. Ta.

 

[Crispin]

Not that much that it causes it to compress and squeeze out.