I had my brakes serviced at a Brake Check about nine months ago. In the last few months I started noticing that when I apply the brakes to slow down from a high speed of 65mph to 70mph, the entire truck vibrates. The vibration stops when I let off the brakes, but when I apply the brakes again, it continues with the vibration.

I took my truck into the same Brake Check yesterday for them to take a look at it. They're saying that my shocks/struts are OEM from 2002 (which is true, they are) and they need to be replaced, rotors need re-surfacing, and brake pads need replacing.

This is all going to cost roughly $860 bucks. Before I spend this money, I'd like to get some opinions of this community on whether I need to just get the new pads and re-surfaced rotors, or go the whole way with replacing the shocks/struts as well.

I have 193,000 miles.

The brake check people are saying the wobbling/vibration is coming from the rotors which is caused by the old shocks/struts.

Thanks in advance!

 

Do it all, shocks with 193k on them aren't very safe. Pads and rotors do need to be replaced unless the rotors can be turned.

 

Thanks for the reply. I went ahead and got the work done, it came out to $762. I can definitely tell a difference in the ride and handling with the new shocks and struts.

Brake Check said my rotors are on their last re-surfacing, so the next time I will have to buy new rotors. When I asked them how much they charged for rotors, they said something like $150 to $200, and I said...is that per rotor or all four total? They said per rotor. I then said that Auto Zone has rotors around $50 per rotor and they replied by saying they gotta make their money too...but my gosh that's a huge mark up.

I don't know how to do any kind of vehicle work other than oil changes and changing tires. I don't want to take this to the dealer to get new rotors because they will charge even more than Brake Check (I've had to do this before on a past vehicle).

Know any avenue to take on this? I don't mind buying the rotors from Auto Zone but I would rather do that and pay someone to install rather than buying them from Brake Check, dealer, etc.

 

Ask Brake Check what rotors they use. Good chance they use better rotors than you would pay $50 for at Autozone. You generally get what you pay for with rotors these days, cheap rotors are made in China with poor metallurgy and warp easily.

Last brake job I had done was several years ago, the shop used Centric rotors and charged me over $100 each.

At least Brake Check resurfaced your rotors instead of simply trying to sell you new ones.

 

Buy from rockauto.com and replace them your self. Mucho savings!

 

Also make sure your lug nuts are torqued correctly. In your case 150 ftlbs. Uneven torques is probably the main reason why the rotors warp. With uneven torque, it does not take very long before the rotors warp.
Personally I would get yourself a decent torque wrench and make sure they are properly done.

 

Do not get your rotors re-surfaced! Biggest waste of $$$ IMO. Buying new will not be that much more money compaired to having them re-surfaced. I've personally never seen a re-surfaced rotor last that long, others may but I never have. I don't even know why they still do that?

 

I'd rather resurface a quality rotor than replace it with a cheapie.

 

Replacing rotors and pads on my truck is really easy, as easy as any vehicle I've owned. With the exception that sometimes the front rotor is rusted on and it takes a bfh to knock it loose.