About 8 months ago my front brakes were done by this supposed ASE certifiied "kid". Anyway a little while after that I would hear a knocking in my front end whenever I would brake. A month ago I took it to my mechanic in NJ and he "greased" up the slide bracket and caliper pins. After that worked better even though at times I heard a little knocking from the front end when I would brake. A week ago took it to the hand car wash and after the guy hosed my front wheels and after I took the car back on the road, the noise was horrible when I braked in the front. Took it to a dealer in NJ and they said I needed a "hardware kit", the parts were only $65 but of course they hit me up with labor charges. Any ideas out there on what could have happened from when these brakes were done 8 months ago? Did I get taken for a ride for this recent repair? I would appreciate the advice.

 

Well , we are taught (technicians that is..) that any time you do a brake lining replacement, that you should replace the hardware too. some people change the hardware, others just reuse it, and then there are those who toss it all together. The later being what it sounds like happened to you. IMHO i think its half-*** work.
sometimes people will just grease the hell out of the pads so that it doesnt make too much noise.
Any way sounds like you got it handled so problem solved.

 

you got taken for a ride because the hard where is only $10 each wheel.

 

Thank you for all of your advice. I will be writing a letter to that dealership and complain about the shoddy work. For what good it's worth.

 

65 dollars plus labor? thats a huge rip off. the enire brake hardware kit is no more than 15 bucks.

 

99 Maxima . 100K miles. I have never has so many problems with a brake system as I have had with my Maxima. I replaced the brake pads along with new rotors at about 35 K. I used new Nissan parts, pins, boots, etc. I did notice that when I replaced the pads that the pins were pretty tight in the torque member. Didn’t think much of it.

Then I started to have noise in the front brakes. Couple of the pins were pretty much seized in the torque member unit. Cleaned them out, re-greased them, put new rubber boots and that lasted a few thousand miles. The calipers were also replaced at this time. The noise came back and I did it all again. Each time I could trace the brake noise to a frozen pin in the torque member.

Now the back started having the same issues. Again, frozen pins, so off them come, clean them up, new boots, grease and back on. Well not really, I could not get the calipers pushed in. ( or in this case screwed in). The calipers were replaced. So at about 75K I replaced the pads, turned the rotors and found some more pins frozen. All new pins again, new boots, new rubber inserts and away we go.

Well now the back left is making the noise. Guess what, frozen pin in the torque member. Had a heck of a time to even get it out. Cleaned it up, used parts from my vase inventory of spare parts and re-installed the brake. This time I packed the rubber boot with the rubber grease. I am sick of these pins rusting up so I got try something.

I do live in the Chicago area, we do have our snow with the resulting salt mess.

So if anyone has the solution to this pin problem, I’m all ears.

 

first of all, i hope that you're not just using any type of grease. The regular black lithium grease is just going to dry up and that is what's causing your pins to be stuck. When you replaced the calipers, why didn't you get the mounting hardware with it too?? (caliper bracket) If you are using regular grease, that is the problem. You need to either use bearing grease or the brake grease, either way, they have to be high temp.

Edit* the regular grease cannot take high temp and is drying up and causing the pins to be stuck

 

wow.. $65? yeah that's a total ripoff... got mine fixed for just $10 since i know the technician..

 

$65 is about the listing price for OEM brake hardware kit. It is recommended to replace it each time when replacing the brake pad. I know a lot of us don't. It really depends on the condition of yours...

 

<If you are using regular grease, that is the problem. You need to either use bearing grease or the brake grease, either way, they have to be high temp. >

Each time I took the brakes apart, I have tried different types of greases. I used lithium, silicon, synthetic but never a grease that said it was made for brake calipers. So I just bought some CRC brake and caliper grease along with new rubber for the pins.

I will spend the time this weekend to remove, clean, and re-grease all of them. Nothing better to do except relax and drink beer. 

Now the pins are not sticking in the torque members holes but are rusting to the outer part of the torque member, Its like the rubber boots are not doing their thing. But we will give it a try.

Now this discussion is really about brake hardware. What is everyone defining as brake hardware? The pins alone are $10 a piece at Nissan. Of course Nissan part prices are ridiculous. I think what most are talking about is the shim piece that goes between the holder and the pad and the spring. Am I right?

 

Where are you guys finding this for that price?
Best I can find is Courtsey selling the front kit for $50 and rear for $50!

http://www.courtesyparts.com/maxima-...7664_9238.html

 

www.rockauto.com No more than $8

 

Newbie question, but the RockAuto looks like shims only versus the $50 Courtesy Parts. What do members think about the brake kit and pricing?

 

Personally, I only use OEM parts. My time and effort worth a lot more than the price difference. That's said, I am under the impression that the shim is primarily to reduce the noise. As long as it has no safety issue (hardly imagine RockAuto would sell anything does), you should be fine.