Front Drum Work Cost Assessment

I am getting the front drums and all related hoses etc replaced on my ‘73 CJ5. Previously, I replaced the master cylinder but I've now come to the conclusion more needs to be done. The cost for this replacement will be $1400 (includes labor). Is this a fair amount to pay for such a service? Thanks in advance guys.

 

Not where I come from. Do yourself a favor and buy the Factory Service Manual . Watch some u tube vids. You can do this yourself and save a ton of money. Good luck.

 

You can do this yourself. Best advice I can give is to do one side at a time. That way you have the other side to refer if you get lost or confused.

 

HOLY Crap

Front Brake drums from NAPA are $46.69 here in town ............................................ $93.38
Wheel cylinders are $14.33.................................................................................. $28.66
Shoes.......................ULTRA premiums................................................................ $42.88
Hardware Maxi kits..........all springs hold downs and stuff............$9.77 ea................... $19.54
Front brake hoses...............$38.99ea................................................................... $77.98

Parts total ....................................................................................................... $262.44

Its about a Hour-hour and a half job to replace front brakes in a shop with a lift (I used to do them as a kid)

So lets see $1400.00 - $262.44 = $1137.56 for labor So now if your mechanic is a drinking man and tends to work a little slower in the afternoon like old BOB was when I was a kid lets be generous and say it takes 2 FRECKING hours to swap some parts around your being screwed to the tune of $550.00 an HOUR

NO I DO NOT THINK THAT ESTIMATE IS FAIR HONEST OR EVEN REMOTELY NOT GOING TO SCREW YOU

Take rustys excellent advise buy a Service manual and if need be a few simple brake spring tools (maybe $30.00 at Harbor Frieght) and do the job your self.

If you were closer I would galdly do them for you for only $900.00 SUCH A DEAL.

 

I think whoever hgave you this quote has no knowledge of older Jeeps, or even of drum brakes, and is jacking you up in order to allow them all the time they need to screw it up.

 

little late but you paid too much for that service

 

Every brake part on the whole Jeep can be bought from Rockauto for less then 300.

 

Do you get a get a lube job with that brake job?

 

Whoaa...sounds like a dang mess I just got out of...

 

You could have done a disc brake upgrade for a whole lot less and had better brakes. If you have not done this, don't let them do it. But I assume it is past tense and the work is done. In that case, if the jeep stops well and you and your family are safer, then I guess it was worth it. Especially if you have no idea how to do this type of work.

But if you own an old jeep, you need to know how to work on it so you can do this yourself next time.

 

Again. Thanx. A little over my head on this....

 

You need a hydraulic press to press out the studs and swage in the new wheel studs. You'll need to fix all the things you find wrong like leaking seals and worn bearings. The studs are cheap and easy to find but are the wrong size (in my case) because the splines are oversized by pushing out the old ones. The PO cheaped out by not replacing the studs and so dimpled the drums so they never seated on the hub properly and caused vibration that was impossible to diagnose. It just went away after I had the brakes properly done. I had taken the jeep to brake places and they were unwilling to work on it. I was lucky enough to find a guy who was conscientious enough to take the time to do it all correctly. It didn't cost over $1000 but it was a lot of dough.

I do lots of stuff myself and I mess up most of it. Brakes are too important for me to mess with and there are too many rabbit holes to go down in the front axle of a jeep.

Some people have more time, tools, talent and inclination than others. Don't let it stop you from getting your jeep fixed.

 

Not sure about a '73, but many early Cj5s do not have swaged studs, and the drums are free of the hub.

 

A 73 is a flanged hub unless something has been changed. No studs to swedge out.

 

If the 73 is like the 71, I just unscreew the wheel and the drum is free to go out.
The new shoes are available easily.
I don't see the necessity to change drums except if they are very damaged.
My mechanic does this very fast, I prefer to bring the Jeep for the brake shoes because he has better tools than mine.
And parts. And training.
So I suggest to choose a shop more specialised in old cars or farming machines.

 

Let's make this as easy as possible. You're in Atlanta. Go to Duncan Automotive. The guy who owns it is named Mark. He will not screw you. He will fix what's wrong, leave alone what's not and you'll drive away with a lot of money left in your pocket.

Although I agree with most of the people who say to get a Technical Service Manual (or for a brake job, hell, just buy a crappy Chilton's) and you can figure it out. If you don't want to learn or don't have the time to learn, cool. Just go see Mark. On my daily driver and my wife's daily driver, when I don't have time to do whatever is wrong, I go see Mark.

Duncan Automotive - Atlanta, GA
Address: 901 Chattahoochee Ave NW, Atlanta, GA 30318
Phone: (404) 352-1916

Check out his reviews online and you'll know it's the right thing to do.

Now, if you live across town somewhere, go early and walk over to Chattahoochee and Howell Mill Rd. There's a Waffle House there. Eat a good breakfast. Then, walk across the street to Jimmy Johns for lunch. If Mark's still not done, pitter around the pawn shop or the Ace Hardware. Then, it'll be time to fight traffic and drive home.

Traffic. That'll be the hard part of your day...

 

Earl,

THAT is the suggestion I needed. Thank you. I do not have the time nor expertise to work on this jeep so I have long been looking for a good machine shop/other so many thanx!

 

That's good advice by @earlswrench, even if you can't do the service due to lack of time or skill it's good you asked cause the other quote was really high.

Hint, for modern cars after 1990 you can use the website repair pal to get a ball park of the price it should cost.

Auto Repair and Maintenance Estimates | Auto Shop and Mechanic Ratings

 

Even if you don't have the tools, time or ability to do the work yourself you could still get a factory service manual so you can understand what exactly is being done. Makes it harder for a shop to charge you for blinker fluid and muffler bearings.