Driving With Two Brakes - Part Two

On Apr 5, 2:17*pm, "Neil" > wrote:
> Thanks to everyone for the excellent advice that's been given regarding our
> situation. We're definitely going to get the car fixed or else just park it.

z wrote:
> On Apr 5, 2:17 pm, "Neil" > wrote:
>> Thanks to everyone for the excellent advice that's been given regarding our
>> situation. We're definitely going to get the car fixed or else just park it.
>> But now there's a slight situation.
>>
>> I talked to the shop that gave the quote, and it was $130, not $110, which
>> is fine. Only thing is, I asked him what would be replaced. He said the
>> wheel cylinders. I asked about the brake shoes, and he said that they just
>> have a little brake fluid on them, so he would just clean them off. I asked,
>> "What if they're soaked in brake fluid?" And he said that he would still
>> just clean them off. As long as they're not falling apart, he said, they
>> should be fine.
>>
>> Does that sound right to you? Leave the brake shoes and just clean them off?
>>
>> I took the car in this morning to another place to get a second opinion. He
>> was going to give me a free brake inspection for the rear brakes. But then,
>> when he got to it, he said that the rear drum had bearings, and he would
>> have to repack the bearings, which would be a half hour of labor, and would
>> have to charge me for that. So he didn't take the drum off. But, he said
>> that he saw brake fluid leaking out of the drum which, he said, indicated
>> that brake fluid was definitely in the drum, and, therefore, on the shoes.
>> (Since that was all I needed to know, I didn't need for him to take the drum
>> off.)
>>
>> So, if there's so much brake fluid in the drum that it's leaking out the
>> other side, there must be a fair amount of fluid on the shoes. Would just
>> cleaning the shoes be enough?
>>
>> Thanks!
>
> jeez, once you got inside it far enough to replace the cylinders, how
> cheap would a person have to be to not replace the shoes? or maybe
> he's hoping to double his labor charge when you come back to replace
> them later?

The mechanic who did ours charged a flat rate for the caliper swap.

He did not charge extra for cleaning the shoes and I watched him do a
really nice job on them. He said 'either' a clean or replace labour was
included in the flat rate.

He is now our new mechanic and hasn't disappointed us or our friends.
It hard to find an honest one.

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
'New' frame in the works for '08. Some Canadian Bush Trip and Build
Photos: http://mikeromainjeeptrips.shutterfly.com

"z" > wrote in message
...
On Apr 5, 2:17 pm, "Neil" > wrote:
> Thanks to everyone for the excellent advice that's been given regarding
> our
> situation. We're definitely going to get the car fixed or else just park
> it.
> But now there's a slight situation.
>
> I talked to the shop that gave the quote, and it was $130, not $110, which
> is fine. Only thing is, I asked him what would be replaced. He said the
> wheel cylinders. I asked about the brake shoes, and he said that they just
> have a little brake fluid on them, so he would just clean them off. I
> asked,
> "What if they're soaked in brake fluid?" And he said that he would still
> just clean them off. As long as they're not falling apart, he said, they
> should be fine.
>
> Does that sound right to you? Leave the brake shoes and just clean them
> off?
>
> I took the car in this morning to another place to get a second opinion.
> He
> was going to give me a free brake inspection for the rear brakes. But
> then,
> when he got to it, he said that the rear drum had bearings, and he would
> have to repack the bearings, which would be a half hour of labor, and
> would
> have to charge me for that. So he didn't take the drum off. But, he said
> that he saw brake fluid leaking out of the drum which, he said, indicated
> that brake fluid was definitely in the drum, and, therefore, on the shoes.
> (Since that was all I needed to know, I didn't need for him to take the
> drum
> off.)
>
> So, if there's so much brake fluid in the drum that it's leaking out the
> other side, there must be a fair amount of fluid on the shoes. Would just
> cleaning the shoes be enough?
>
> Thanks!

jeez, once you got inside it far enough to replace the cylinders, how
cheap would a person have to be to not replace the shoes? or maybe
he's hoping to double his labor charge when you come back to replace
them later?

Maybe. Or he sincerely thinks it's not necessary. Either way, I'll trust his
judgment that they won't be unsafe. Doubt I'll go back to that shop again.