Brake problems! Please help!

[Imagination6788]

Im having a few problems guys, maybe you could help.

My mechanic, who is very knowledgeable, tells me that I have a severe problem with my brake system. My problem is I don't have the money that he wants (~1200) to fix it. I know he said the brakes line was broken in places and it would be around 400 to get the all the lines replaced. He also said something about the Master Brake Cylinder is about to go out and has no clue to how it is still working (which is understandable since right now if you apply more than just a little bit of pressure on the brakes they lock) and the other issue is the driver rear brake doesn't work, and the front passenger does most of the work. When I lock the brakes you can tell only 1 brake is locking. I was just hoping that I can just sit down one weekend and just fix this by myself and not have to pay a mechanic. Also, it is leaking lots of oil and I think he said something about the front seal going bad. He priced it around 1500 to fix it. I asked for a list for everything that was wrong with the car and it was priced at $9300, not including body work it needs. For $9300 + body (~4500) I could easily go get a 03 Tundra or 02 Acura CL Type-S.

Any ideas?

 

[Ckanderson]

9300 is way high.......

i wouldent recomend dropping that kind of dough, expecialy when you can do all the work yourself.

lines are an easy thing, and Im assuming he's talking about the flexable lines, i cant see any reason to replace your hardlines.

im guessing your callipers are just done for.

I have a link in my section about replacing your calipers with some remanufactured ones.. I think with new stainless lines and the calipers with some pads, you would be set in the braking department. This is all work you COULD do yourself, with little mechanical knowledge, and the right tools. If you do end up needing a master cylender, let me know, and I can walk you thru the steps.

as for the front mail seal, its not that hard to do, just once again you NEED the right tools.

brakes would require
a set of sockets and a rachet
flare nut wrenches (a must)
jack and a jack stand

 

[noah89t]

where the hell is this knowledgeable mechanic getting 400 dollar brake lines when stainless lines cost about 100?
sounds like you need to learn how to do this yourself, try to find someone on this forum who lives in your are that can help you out. by him some taco bell.
if you pay this guy 1500 to fix you front main seal, just let me give you 1500 for the car.

 

[arz]

You could buy my complete front Racing Brakes for $1200 plus S&H.

GO TO A DIFFERENT MECHANIC!!!!

You could find a junk yard car and steal all the pieces you need from it.

Start with the master cylinder. Call Napa and the like and find out what a rebuilt one goes for. check all the lines between the master and the front brakes. If you have ABS you might be looking at a bit more work. In actuality you can work on just the front brake system until its all good. Then move on to the rears. Dont fix the rears first.

Follow all the lines one by one to and from the master. The whole key is to make sure the fluid is replaced and you don't have any water or leaks in the system. If you already have water in the system and rust has formed then you will need to rebuild and replace. Remember a mechanic has a liability when he works on your brakes and does not want to be sued. You could buy all the tools and do it yourself and be light years ahead and have a box full of tools when your done. Go buy a double flare tool and a 1-3 foot section of line and practice making flares, once you get good, go to it on your own car. All you need is someone th help you bleed the brakes.

 

[Facime]

Brakes are the single most important system in your car to have working properly. First things first...STOP DRIVING THE CAR! Dont drive an unsafe car, you risk your life and the life of others! Dont screw around and think you can limp by on being careful.

As far as repairs go, there is nothing particularly difficult in doing a complete brake system overhaul. Most often the hardest thing is dealin with stuck and /or rusty bolts/fittings/slides.

If you have to replace hard lines they can be made yourself as someone else suggested. More than likely though these dont need to be replaced and you probably just need the soft lines. There is a little known secret about getting stainless lines for cheap and may save a few bucks if you dont mind a little extra leg work. I have a local heavy equipment supply store that sells everything from road flares to hydraulic hoses for heavy equipment companies. I just go in, pick out my fittings I need from the racks, and have the guy at the counter put them on hoses for me. For example, my oil lines for my turbo cost under $20 each made to order.

Otherwise just buy a kit made for the supra from one of our vendors here like BigAaron. Calipers can be rebuilt fairly easily if they arent too far gone. It helps a ton if you have redily available compressed air source. I suggest buying new rotors though even if yours are turnable. stock repklacements arent expensive or you can upgrade to slotted ones for not much more. You will need new bearing seals before you can put the new ones back on so keep that in mind, and you might as well put in new wheel bearings while you are at it.

All in all, the entire job shouldnt take more than a day or two and cost around $400 if you can salvage and rebuild most of the parts you have.


$400 is nothing compared to the peace of mind that comes from having a safe braking system.

 

[ms07s]

OUCH!!!! He either doesn't want to do the job or wants you to pay off his morgage.:biglaugh: The ss brake lines are 100-110 and putting them on is easy. Just need a few wrenches and about an hour. new calipers will run about another 200 or so. A few bolts new pads...done. And yea, don't drive it with brake fluid leaks!!! To drop the trany and remove the fly wheel pop out old rear seal put new one in takes all of 2-3 hours at a shop and, thats assuming he hasen't done it on a supra before. Never done a master cyl on mine so I can't say how bad that one will be. Go to another mechanic.

 

[Imagination6788]

He has done all the work on my Supra, he specializes in Toyota/Lexus. The only problem is he likes to use OEM parts. He is really competent, which is why he charges a premium. I also found out that something is really wrong with the suspension too. I am not currently driving it. Once my speedometer cable broke I decided to put it in the shop. I feel kinda bad that I was racing it around (100+ mph) with this many problems. The car rides perfectly once you get above 40 mph. I am going to meet with my mechanic on Saturday (hopefully) and get a written estimate of everything. Right now I am talking to my parents about getting something new and I can safely spend 300-400 a month on a new car, anyone have suggestions? Also, does anyone know anybody that lives in Atlanta/Marietta that would want to meet and talk about maybe fixing my car. I am very emotionally attached to this car, we got it with only 2 miles on it in 1987, and it's always been there. (BTW I just replaced the front discs and all 4 pads.)

 

[Poodles]

pick up the TSRM and READ

Your car, along with 99% of the cars on the road was built by lowly skilled people on an assembly line. There is nothing hard about auto repair in my book. (well, mechanically speaking, it's mostly disassembly, removal of bad part and reassemble, bodywork is hard)

If I could dump that much money into my engine I'd have a damn monster on my hands. Do the work yourself. If you're able bodied and have the will to learn, pick up the TSRM and start reading on what you need to do.

The front main seal is STUPIDLY easy to replace, I don't know how he gets off charging that much IMHO...

 

[Kckazdude]

Post the list your mechanic gives you. This will give us a place to guide you in. There are many options available to you and this community is more than willing to walk you through many of the steps of getting it done.