I just posted a similar question about my exhaust in another thread, but basically I'm trying to get my 1991 DX hatch past inspection, and I'm being told I need new rear shoes. Sounds like it could be true, but what he's telling me is I'll need new drums too. From what I understand he's saying that the brake system is so old that getting the shoes off is likely to crack the drums -- things are stuck together.

Does this sound right to anyone? I've done tons of searches and can't find anyone who's saying this is an issue with older drum brakes -- on any type of car, no less a Honda. We're talking almost $500 here.

My regular guy closed up shop and I'm lost trying to find someone I trust. Anyone else have this drum problem?

 

Sometimes the rear drum is difficult to remove, but I don't think you risk cracking it.

Doing the job yourself will save a lot of $$$.

Block the front wheels and raise the rear end on stands. Remove the rear wheels. RELEASE THE PARKING BRAKE. If the rear drums don't just slip off with a bit of wiggling and tapping, each drum usually has two holes where an appropriate bolt can be screwed into to pop the drum off.

Now you can replace the rear pads (pain in the ars). For reference, see diagrams for 92-95 Civics below.

Take the old drums to your local auto parts store and ask them whether the drums are fine or whether they need to be replaced or turned.

 

Oh Ron, I wish I could do it myself. But I live in New York and have no place to put a car up on blocks to work on it. Plus, I'm more of a carpenter DIYer than a car DIYer, which is why I need to ask questions to check up on the mechanic.

So, do you think he's trying to snow me? The car lives in an outdoor lot and is pretty old. Is it possible they have to do a lot of banging to separate the shoes from the drums? (This is why they tell me they'll expect the drums to crack.)

 

I think it's probably a basic brake job, though I obviously have not inspected your brakes. Take the car to another brake shop for a second opinion.

 

call me dumb but -

"I'm trying to get my 1991 DX hatch past inspection, and I'm being told I need new rear shoes."

doesn't he have to get the drum off to see how bad the shoes are and if they will past inspection?

 

As both a mechanic and a DIY'er, I'd say he's fracking you. But that's dependent on two things. First, how expensive the parts are in your location. And second, how much mechanics get paid there. That same job at the shop I used to work at would cost you no more than $300. But then again, where I'm at things are alot cheaper than New York, and pay is as well. I now work at a part's store. Your rear brake drums would cost a person off the street about $30 each, and the shoe set for the good ones would run just a little more at about $40-$50.

As a general rule, mechanic shops charge about 30% in profit for parts. Ergo, they pay $100 it costs you $130. Depending on the shop and what their part's supplier charges them, you could end up paying more than you would buying the part's yourself at the least. Rule of thumb, your non-nationalized shop's usually get their part's the same places you would(Napa, Autozone, Carquest, O'Reilly, etc.), and most receive around 10% off walk in price, meaning you'd on average pay 20% more there alone. And that depends on what kind of reputation they have with their supplier, some may get nothing off walk-in price.

As for pay, the general rule is between $60-$80 per hour, 1 hour minimum. Rear brakes at a mechanic shop should take no longer than 2 hour's. That's a max of $160 here for labor and around $110 for part's.

My recommendation to you would be to first check for a quote from another mechanic. If he's telling you what you DO need without even simply removing the drums, then he's not telling you the truth to begin with. And chances are, he's likely going to clean your existing drums, have them turned(which is putting them on a machine and cutting the inside surface back to like they should be), and just putting new shoe's on(most likely the cheapest he can get to increase part profit on them). In other word's, he's charging you for thing's he won't do, and time it won't take to do what he does do.

Second thing, is try to at least buy the part's yourself. Now this can be tricky. Once you find a mechanic you trust that gives a true quote about what they would charge IF they had to do something, versus saying you definitely do need something done without checking first, you need to ask if there is anything wrong with you buying the part's and eliminating that one aspect of the quote. Barring any state regulation's that require them to get the part's they use themselves(which would be ludicrous in the least), an honest mechanic would whole-heartily agree to it. It saves them time and effort on ordering part's and waiting for them to be delivered if they don't stock them already for one, and if they do stock them, they don't have to worry about replenishing stock for those person's who are more demanding in alot of way's.

For a mechanic time is worth alot more money than most other professions. They get paid by the number of jobs they finish(the labor side is usually based on a manufacturer's source for estimated time to do the job, they usually charge it as a flat rate, beat that time, you make more money and profit). You helping them finish the job sooner means you help them make more money in a day. I loved customer's like that. They knew what they wanted and needed, planned ahead of time, and made my job the right amount easier so that making a living was a little easier for me. For me, I often gave them a better deal for doing it as well(If I beat the estimated time for the job at hand, I often passed on the savings to my customer).


Those tip's should help you. As for where I'm located...Texas. Cheaper living, lower pay than New York. Although part's wise, you should be able to get them at, or close to, the prices I stated in this post. As a former mechanic, and now a part's salesman, I pride myself on helping customer's versus screwing them over. Better business that way.

 

Dryball, that's helpful insider information. I hope you plan to make more posts. Do you have a Civic or have you worked on many Civics?

 

'95 Honda Civic EX
1.6 L VTEC with stage 2 cam
Exhaust is a mix used a Greddy 4-2-1 header, Magnaflow high flow catalytic converter, Apexi N1 cat back with a ATS silencer.
cold air intake, Edlebrock manifold

Sleeper style looking on the outside for the most part. I'll put a picture in the sig when I get a chance.

Sounds quiet unless I get on it. Looks clean, but not ricey. Most ricey thing I do is my lighting on it. Got projector type system in front with Halo and LED(gonna go HID eventually), JDM OEM clear lens fog lights, and rear is a matching Euro styled tail light with LED bulbs. I like lighting, and don't consider it so ricey as alot of people do. It's the shopping cart wings and wild body kits I consider ricey myself. Everyone has their own tastes however.

Overall I still average around 38 MPG, and have gotten up to 52 MPG on a highway by being real lean on it. At the same time it easily pop's mid 10-11 on a track without adjusting anything. Not bad for a SOHC 1.6L.

Love my Honda. Wouldn't trade it for the world. I also like the late 5th gen Civic styling better myself. The newer ones are too...bulbish looking. I think it's a sleeker design.

 

Welcome to the HCF.

 

^+1

Not matter HOW good a mechanic you are or how long you have done it, you are not sure unless you see the part yourself. Doctors don't say you need a certain surgery without at least n X-ray/ultrasound/MRI. Defiantly take it to another shop and follow DryBall' advice.