This particular 1996 4.2 petrol / LPG Nissan Patrol Auto had grinding brakes . Garage took the rear wheels off and discovered deeply scored discs ( the fronts were replaced by a different garage about 8 months ago ). This vehicle is a 3rd car and does about 3000 miles annually .
Can Back Roomers help with ;
1) Where's the best price on new discs / pads ?
2) any ideas where to get the discs skimmed - am in North London , and what to pay ?
3) Original garage refused to allow me to have rear discs skimmed at the time of the last service / MOT , their reasons being the vehicle is so heavy , thinning the discs could compromise safety . I thought they were a tad pedantic , and as the last MOT / service with new front discs / pads and battery already came to over 500 sovs , I had to draw a line somewhere . Is there a problem with skimming these discs - it hasn't been done before , so they are unmolested .
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If these are the original rear discs and badly scored, skimming could easily take them below the wear limit and be no cheaper than replacement discs.
Google brake discs and you will find a few suppliers who may publish cost of new discs on-line, though for this car you may have to phone them as it's a bit specialised. Whether the discs are replaced or skimmed, you will have to cost in fitting new pads.
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thanks for that , am aware you can't fit ' old ' pads onto new discs . About minimum thickness , presumably the machining company will know what they are doing ?
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I'm certain that a reputable machine-shop would not skim below the wear limit.
The problems if you do are that the disc fails to dissipate heat properly and that it can even break where it meets the "hat" part, leading to sudden loss of braking and possibly other damage. Also. the pads, at the wear limit, could come so far away from the piston that the brake fluid leaks.
Not worth the risk to my mind.
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I have to agree with the Doc, only had one set of discs skimmed, and that was on a reno 21 estate. Within 3 months there was a strange noise under braking, and one of the discs had cracked, what a waste of time and effort.
Have you tried milners or roughtrax for parts yet.
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The discs are £26 each, and a cheap set of pads £22 from Milners. Is that cheap enough for you? Cheaper than using petrol to get the discs to a machine shop, surely.
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thanks , definitely a good price ... where are they , Milners ? probaly still a ton for the pair with VAT & shipping ??
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Google for Milner =
www.milneroffroad.com
Edited by Dynamic Dave on 20/05/2008 at 11:23
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"probaly still a ton for the pair with VAT & shipping"
Probably. What do you think you should pay - a fiver?
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> "probaly still a ton for the pair with VAT & shipping"Probably. What do you think you should pay - a fiver?
the lowest form of wit
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> "probaly still a ton for the pair with VAT & shipping" >> >> Probably. What do you think you should pay - a fiver? the lowest form of wit >>
Any form of wit is light relief as long as no malice aforethought.....why are some backroomers so sensitive to a bit of jossing? I'm not a 'regular' in this backroom but always find it most amusing and occasionally helpful. There are obviously professional and helpful experts like DD and Screwloose and others who are clearly not the sharpest chisel in the box. They are the ones most likely to be on the receiving end of banter from the maestros and must take it in good heart.
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Pair of discs ordered off Milners - many thanks to all positive contributors . This what this forum is for .
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I agree with John F. that the banter is OK . Guessing at the sort of people we are, I think we should be able to take the knocks, no problem. I'm a newby here and have found the advice to-date first class and some of the 'comments' highly amusing. (Obviously this only applies to everybody else - I might turn into a screaming queen if my future questions are rubbished).
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Try www.skimmydiscs.co.uk to find a lathe in North London. I'm not sure how much the garages charge but reckon it won't be more than £50 for the axle.
If you only do 3000 miles annually you've got plenty of meat on your discs to be skimmed. The minimum thickness for the back discs on a Patrol is 16mm so you can get them skimmed safely at least once (use a micrometer to check - or better yet ask a mechanic to do it and watch the puzzled look on his face as he doesn't realise what a micrometer is (happened last time I asked the quesion - brilliant)).
UK workshops are still unsure about skimming but it's used everywhere else in the world daily and it's not like brake discs in the US, Australia, China, Russia on Nissans are different to the ones here. You should have no problems getting the discs done. Workshops probably have said the heavy comment to you because it takes a good couple of hours to change the discs and that's more labour they can add to your bill making it a nice little earner. Everyone is right - the discs and pads are cheap at £20(ish) it's the labour that costs the money. Get them skimmed by a good workshop and you won't have any pulsations, noises or issues until you get to your next MOT/service where the whole pullav starts again.
Word of caution you probably will need to replace your discs next time due to minimum thickness regulations but at least you'll maximum value for money out of this set.
Edited by Smiffyboy81 on 17/06/2008 at 15:54
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Minimum thickness of 16mm is correct. However, as new thickness is 18mm. So 1 mm of wear each side and the minimum thickness is reached.
Not sure how you can say so readily that the discs can be safely skimmed at least once?
To get them skimmed in the workshop will probably result in a higher labour charge (for most vechicles) than just replacing them. The garage will only have so much space for cars and if 1 is there longer while a job is being completed it is only fair to be charged for. How many garages have access to skimming machinery? If its outsourced there is time, travel, down time etc to be taken into account!
Most (I agree not all) will recommend disc replacement for safety rather than for profit and will probably advise you of this if you booked it in for brake pads. Odds on that any garage who takes a booking for brake pads will say " Its quite likely that your discs will be worn too; do you want them changed too or assessed and contact you?"
Saving £50 to reuse brake discs may just be a wrong choice!
If in doubt, ask the garage to keep the old discs/pads and show you when you collect the car why they needed changing and if it is incorect you will expect not to have to pay for it! Any garage trying it on will notbe happy to do that. Quite a simple solution really?
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