Rear brakes replacement and cost

[MazdaDriverNJ]

Hi guys,
I haven't been here in a while... I guess it's good that there weren't any car issues or questions.. but missed the forum.

I am at almost 51K miles, and I am told (by 3 different places) that rear brakes need to be replaced. No noise or squeaking so I am hoping rotors are still good.

For those of you who have already replaced your rear brakes, how much did you pay?

Thanks in advance!

 

[MikeM.]

Hi guys,
I haven't been here in a while... I guess it's good that there weren't any car issues or questions.. but missed the forum.

I am at almost 51K miles, and I am told (by 3 different places) that rear brakes need to be replaced. No noise or squeaking so I am hoping rotors are still good.

For those of you who have already replaced your rear brakes, how much did you pay?

Welcome back!

I haven't needed brakes yet (only 26,000 miles) but new OEM pads can be had for about $70 (both brakes), aftermarket pads are less. I like the OEM brake performance (especially the consistency in the wet) and I don't want to dink around so that's what I'll be using. Installation should be the same as any other normal car with rear discs, I'll probably do it myself but it should be under an hour of labor. Someone with recent experience can probably chime in with the standard book time.

 

[cybercruiser]

[IMHO]
If you can do your own brakes, or have friends that will help you with them for the price of a 6-pack of cold ones, when you go to Auto-Zone, Advanced, NAPA or Oreilly's(spelling??). You tell them what vehicle you have, and they will typically have "Good", "Better" and "Best", with prices varying accordingly.

Good = minimum to be legal, or OEM
Better = OEM or a little better than OEM
Best = usually an upgrade, better than OEM.
[/IMHO]

 

[CX5-SO]

This is the DIY route I went with recently and am totally happy with the performance. If you have a shop do the work you can probably tack an extra 100$ (more or less) on for the job.

PADS: $26.24/SET
https://www.amazon.com/dp/ (commissions earned)

ROTORS: $24.35/EACH
https://www.amazon.com/dp/ (commissions earned)

LUBE: $4.09
https://www.amazon.com/dp/ (commissions earned)

TOOL: $11.56
https://www.amazon.com/dp/ (commissions earned)

HOW TO: GRATIS
http://www.paulstravelpictures.com/Mazda-CX-5-Rear-Disc-Brake-Pads-Replacement-Guide/index.html

ONE BIG NOTE on the rear piston: Make absolutely sure that the piston is in position shown in the following image after it's spun back into the caliper and make absolutely sure that after install complete, you pump your brake pedal to push the pistons back out before ever pulling the park brake. The pads have a pin on their back bottom that must align with a void in X pattern of the face of the piston.

 

[jjp735i]

Just wanted to chime in on the type of pads you get. I know tons of people like ceramic pads. Owning BMW's for many years and still owning one. I've read so many many threads on pads it's mind numbing, but from everything I've read ceramics are harder on the disc then regular pads. Just something to keep in mind.

Please anyone chime in if you think different. Most the time I've always gone with OE pads. the cost is about the same or just slightly more. I'm not sure what Mazda's use, 1st time owner and it's new so won't need to tackle this project for while. YEAH!

I think what is listed above is good, but I'd probably use different pads, but it's just my choose.

Some people like changing rotors with new pads, I've always had good luck getting 2 pad life to one rotor. A lot has to do with driving style, but rears wear less then front in most cars.

The last pads I used were Wagner Thermoquiet on a 2003 325xi and was very pleased with performance.

 

[MikeM.]

Good = minimum to be legal, or OEM
Better = OEM or a little better than OEM
Best = usually an upgrade, better than OEM.

If AutoZone really is marketing brake pads in this manner they think their customers are ignorant and it's a marketing plan designed to increase profitability. I suspect their highest mark-up is on the "better" and "best" pads.

I say this because all brake pads are a compromise of characteristics. A brake pad that was excellent at rally driving would be a terrible compromise for commuting. OEM pads are generally some of the highest quality pads you can get and they are tailored to street use. This means they have consistent and progressive bite, they bite quickly even when cold/wet (require no pre-heating), can do a high speed emergency stop without glazing/burning or excessive fade and are not overly aggressive on the discs. Unless you have unique needs, it's hard to get a pad that has this kind of balanced performance (and very easy to buy pads that completely fail in one or more of these areas).

 

[CX-5um]

If AutoZone really is marketing brake pads in this manner they think their customers are ignorant and it's a marketing plan designed to increase profitability. I suspect their highest mark-up is on the "better" and "best" pads.

I say this because all brake pads are a compromise of characteristics. A brake pad that was excellent at rally driving would be a terrible compromise for commuting. OEM pads are generally some of the highest quality pads you can get and they are tailored to street use. This means they have consistent and progressive bite, they bite quickly even when cold/wet (require no pre-heating), can do a high speed emergency stop without glazing/burning or excessive fade and are not overly aggressive on the discs. Unless you have unique needs, it's hard to get a pad that has this kind of balanced performance (and very easy to buy pads that completely fail in one or more of these areas).

I know OEM BMW pads were really good in stopping but equally really dirty/dusty. I guess that's one trade off?

 

[MikeM.]

I know OEM BMW pads were really good in stopping but equally really dirty/dusty. I guess that's one trade off?

True, you can buy pads that create less dust but they will likely under-perform in one or more areas of higher consequence.

Manufacturers want to provide the best overall performance because they know they will never be successfully sued for dusty wheels.

 

[MazdaDriverNJ]

Wow you guys are really informative. Thank you.
Unfortunately doing this myself was out of question as I draw the line on my ability to be handy.. the line is somewhere after changing cabin/engine air filter and installing wind deflectors So I took the car to a shop recommended by a friend. Paid $175 total. Dealer quoted $275.

However, talking to my dad, and thinking about this myself, I was wondering why did the rear break pads had to be replaced first. I am not a heavy-foot driver, and I use cruise control a lot. Usually front goes first... Has anyone else had this happen to them?

 

[piotrek91]

However, talking to my dad, and thinking about this myself, I was wondering why did the rear break pads had to be replaced first. I am not a heavy-foot driver, and I use cruise control a lot. Usually front goes first... Has anyone else had this happen to them?

The CX-5 has electronic brake force distribution (EBD). On cars without EBD the rear brakes always only do less than 1/3 or so of the braking, so the rear pads last a long time.

On the CX-5 with EBD, the rear brakes provide more than half of the stopping power until rear wheel slip is detected.
When rear wheel slip is detected some of the braking force from the rear is transferred to the front, but with "light footed" driving that doesn't happen, so the rear brakes end up doing a lot of work white the fronts are slacking off.

 

[Kedis82ZE8]

OEM rear pads

 

[GAXIBM]

By using the rear brakes first and as much as possible it aids to directional stability and aids in controlling the car - it is a good safety feature in my opinion.

 

[Kedis82ZE8]

I always check the pad depth at tire rotation times but I also keep an eye on brake fluid level as this can help give you a warning to take a closer look.

 

[Kedis82ZE8]

I always replace my rotors when I change pads. I don't even bother with other rotor options... IE: resurfacing....or going crude and roughing up the rotor surface with a wire wheel

 

[MikeM.]

I always replace my rotors when I change pads. I don't even bother with other rotor options... IE: resurfacing....or going crude and roughing up the rotor surface with a wire wheel

I replace the rotors if their thickness is below spec or they have issues. If your brakes have been performing well there is no reason to replace the rotors if they're still in spec.

Never heard of any lasting advantage to 'roughing them up' with a wire wheel. If there is an issue, they can be machined smooth as long as it doesn't take them below their minimum thickness but a wire wheel isn't going to do squat except to add a little bite for the first few hundred miles.
.

 

[Kedis82ZE8]

I replace the rotors if their thickness is below spec or they have issues. If your brakes have been performing well there is no reason to replace the rotors if they're still in spec.

Never heard of any lasting advantage to 'roughing them up' with a wire wheel. If there is an issue, they can be machined smooth as long as it doesn't take them below their minimum thickness but a wire wheel isn't going to do squat except to add a little bite for the first few hundred miles.
.

Lots of warping issues on Nissan products in my past due to undersized rotors... the machining just sped up re-occurrence of that behavior. Brake deglazing would be a better term I guess if you aren't getting the rotors turned.

 

[madar]

Lots of warping issues on Nissan products in my past due to undersized rotors... the machining just sped up re-occurrence of that behavior. Brake deglazing would be a better term I guess if you aren't getting the rotors turned.

Agreed, if you're going to use them over the glaze needs to come off, I use a high grit sandpaper- cheap way to help with seating the newer pads and prevents possible future squealing. But I was never a fan of resurfacing. Modern rotors are lighter than they were years ago and it reduces their ability to sink heat. Now I always replace the rotors. A lot of people overlook the fact that rotors with vents lose their ability to cool due to rust and sediment clogging the vents. The older rotor also may have developed hard spots which one can't see resulting in pedal pulse in a short time. IMO, replacing is best. Do the job right the first time then you won't have to do it over.

 

[MikeM.]

Agreed, if you're going to use them over the glaze needs to come off, I use a high grit sandpaper- cheap way to help with seating the newer pads and prevents possible future squealing. But I was never a fan of resurfacing. Modern rotors are lighter than they were years ago and it reduces their ability to sink heat. Now I always replace the rotors. A lot of people overlook the fact that rotors with vents lose their ability to cool due to rust and sediment clogging the vents. The older rotor also may have developed hard spots which one can't see resulting in pedal pulse in a short time. IMO, replacing is best. Do the job right the first time then you won't have to do it over.

A lot of rotor problems are caused by incompatibilities with the pad material. Some 'performance' pads have a nasty habit of leaving deposits on the rotors. Also, excessive braking due either to descending long grades (instead of using engine braking) or accidentally riding the brake while using the two foot technique. While I can brake with the best of them I reserve threshold braking for when I need it or occasional practice. I've only had one vehicle that required new discs. Remember, I didn't say never replace the discs, I said they only need to be replaced if there are issues. And all of the issues mentioned above would make themselves known well before they developed into a serious safety issue.

If you like needlessly spending money on a component that is performing perfectly and still within specs for runout and thickness, fine. But don't think for a minute that discs are only good for one set of pads as a matter of course. But I tend to buy vehicles with better than average brake setups to begin with. The cheapest vehicles often have very marginal brakes from the factory.

 

[madar]

A lot of rotor problems are caused by incompatibilities with the pad material. Some 'performance' pads have a nasty habit of leaving deposits on the rotors. Also, excessive braking due either to descending long grades (instead of using engine braking) or accidentally riding the brake while using the two foot technique. While I can brake with the best of them I reserve threshold braking for when I need it or occasional practice. I've only had one vehicle that required new discs. Remember, I didn't say never replace the discs, I said they only need to be replaced if there are issues. And all of the issues mentioned above would make themselves known well before they developed into a serious safety issue.

If you like needlessly spending money on a component that is performing perfectly and still within specs for runout and thickness, fine. But don't think for a minute that discs are only good for one set of pads as a matter of course. But I tend to buy vehicles with better than average brake setups to begin with. The cheapest vehicles often have very marginal brakes from the factory.

No one is accusing you of saying to never replace discs. I myself have used discs for more than one change of brakes, hence the discussion on sanding rotors. But I'd rather change discs while everything is apart than to take a chance on having one go bad on me a few thousand miles later, because sooner or later that disc is going to exhibit wear. I'd rather it not exhibit problems with a new set of pads, I've been bitten by this before.
You say a lot of rotor problems are caused by pad incompatibilities, I would argue more problems occur from improper installation like over torquing of lug nuts. I'm not talking performance anything, just regular stock OEM replacements.
I don't consider spending money on quality new braking components needless. They're the only things stopping your vehicle.
There isn't a shop around that would do a brake job without wanting to resurface the original discs if replacing them wasn't the first option. That's where I have a problem. Too many times the person operating the lathe gets overzealous and overcuts or doesn't take the time to properly clean them afterwards.
You can use the same old rotors if you want, your choice, no condemnation here, have done it for my vehicles in the past, but my present practice for my vehicles and loved ones is new hardware.

 

[Kedis82ZE8]

+1 Brakes are not something I skimp and refuse to be frugal on...hopefully the Mazda OEM pads and rotors are of a higher quality than OEM Nissan. IMO... Nissan OEM versions were crap and I went 3rd party. The rear drum brakes were the only problem area of an old '96 Protege we had years ago. Dealer could never get it right so I just ended up throwing the goods at it every 20-30K miles.

I've also been bit by caliper slide pins that weren't adequately lubricated.

I don't consider spending money on quality new braking components needless. They're the only things stopping your vehicle.
There isn't a shop around that would do a brake job without wanting to resurface the original discs if replacing them wasn't the first option. That's where I have a problem. Too many times the person operating the lathe gets overzealous and overcuts or doesn't take the time to properly clean them afterwards.
You can use the same old rotors if you want, your choice, no condemnation here, have done it for my vehicles in the past, but my present practice for my vehicles and loved ones is new hardware.