Suspension-What else should I do?

JordanB21

Active Member
Feb 6, 2012
804
27
29
Killeen, Texas
I'm having my rotors and brake pads replaced in a week or two.
I was wondering if there are anything else I should replace while doing so, bushings, which kinds and so on.

I also wanted to know if anyone knew of any good places for the rotors are pads, I was planning on going cheap (not dirt cheap) and getting oem like rotors from cj pony parts for 33 (rear/apiece) and 40 (front/apiece). Along with 30 and 35 dollar brake pads that are oem like.

So what else should I consider doing/replacing?

Any cheapish way to reduce body roll? I'm on a budget forever and always.
 
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Sub frame connectors will take the roll right out. mine used to piss me off to no end when doing 60 in a corner you'd about get launched outta the seat...thing had some crazy lean to it. You can make them for cheap money if you or a bud can weld. Summit has a good assortment depending on your budget.
 
Have you upgraded your shocks, struts and springs yet? That's a good starting point.
Not yet, alllll stock and original. Shocks are a good idea, I want to do springs, but can't afford the 200 or so for everything else that needs replacing plus 220 for good springs.

I would love to buy these!
cheaper than 4 oem rotors too. But what scares me off a bit is the price and that they're drilled/slotted. I've never really seen the benefit of drilled/slotted rotors on a daily driver.
But if people in the past have approved of them, then I might just buy these instead of oem.
Oem rotors all around would be 146 versus those being 130.

Sub frame connectors will take the roll right out. mine used to **** me off to no end when doing 60 in a corner you'd about get launched outta the seat...thing had some crazy lean to it. You can make them for cheap money if you or a bud can weld. Summit has a good assortment depending on your budget.
While subframe connectors would reduce the roll, I don't have anyone to weld for me right now, and it would be separate from what the shop is doing.



On another note, I really need to get this done soon, it's at this point digging into the rear left rotor.
I'm not even sure if I need to replace my front rotors, or just the pads. But the rear for sure needs a brake job leading me to my next point
ProKiller what of those brakes and brake pads you listed?
I don't know if those cobra rotors I could use, but the pads you mistakenly ordered I could?:p
http://sn95forums.com/showthread.php?56260-brake-parts-added-HPS-rear-pads
 
I'd just do the pads/rotors myself and skip the shop. If you're absolutely set on paying someone to do this simple task, I'd save my money for additional things they find when they're in there, like rear calipers, a common issue. Especially if you are metal to metal on one side and not the other.

As a tech, there are absolutely no suspension bushings or components that overlap the labor rate of the pads/rotors, therefore saving you $$$. About all they share in common is the five lug nuts on each wheel, and you're hardly, if ever, charged for that. Maybe get the wheels balanced?
 
haha yeah they are still for sale if you want them. PM your info

I'll be trying that ebay kit on my DD when i replace the brakes. Ferocious and Belber have both put them on there as well have a couple others and they both DD their cars without problems.
 
I'd just do the pads/rotors myself and skip the shop. If you're absolutely set on paying someone to do this simple task, I'd save my money for additional things they find when they're in there, like rear calipers, a common issue. Especially if you are metal to metal on one side and not the other.

As a tech, there are absolutely no suspension bushings or components that overlap the labor rate of the pads/rotors, therefore saving you $$$. About all they share in common is the five lug nuts on each wheel, and you're hardly, if ever, charged for that. Maybe get the wheels balanced?
Labor is free! I'm sure I could figure it out myself. Initally I wanted to see how much it would cost through a shop and was quoted 600 and ran for the hills. Then I was talking to my friend who is in an auto-shop class and they said they could do it. If that falls out, I'll just do it.

I also didn't get what you meant about the suspension bushings and components overlapping with labor rate.

though, do you think something is wrong with my rear caliper that is metal on metal right now, with the uneven wear?
Slotted and drilled rotors on a street car are fine. It's when you have them on a race car that they overheat and crack.

Kurt
then I guess I'll be going with that kit if I decide to do all 4 rotors.
I'm debating doing all around pads and just the rear rotors or all around pads and rotors.
 
Labor is free! I'm sure I could figure it out myself. Initally I wanted to see how much it would cost through a shop and was quoted 600 and ran for the hills. Then I was talking to my friend who is in an auto-shop class and they said they could do it. If that falls out, I'll just do it.

I also didn't get what you meant about the suspension bushings and components overlapping with labor rate.

though, do you think something is wrong with my rear caliper that is metal on metal right now, with the uneven wear?
then I guess I'll be going with that kit if I decide to do all 4 rotors.
I'm debating doing all around pads and just the rear rotors or all around pads and rotors.

Let's say I'm talking to a customer and he wants long tubes installed on his 98 Cobra. I quote him 10 hours to remove the front K member, spindles, and associated suspension components, install the longtubes, gaskets, solid steering shaft, and X pipe, and offer to align it afterward free of charge. At which point he asks if he supplies an aftermarket tubular K member would their be any additional labor charge? My response is that if everything bolts up correctly without any modification needed on my end, the two jobs have overlap, therefore an extra half hour of labor. Once the stock K member is on the ground, I would need to unbolt the lower control arms and steering rack from it and swap them over to the new K. So it's not a completely free install, but it's pretty damn close considering an aftermarket K (alone) would be 6-8 hours with the alignment.

The rear calipers on these cars are an often failure point; if you have one side that is metal to metal and one side that is not (as in, one side of the car is wearing significantly faster), it would be a good move to check at the local parts stores if they have remanufactured calipers in stock before you tear the car apart.
 
haha yeah they are still for sale if you want them. PM your info

I'll be trying that ebay kit on my DD when i replace the brakes. Ferocious and Belber have both put them on there as well have a couple others and they both DD their cars without problems.
I'm going to have to pass due to money constraints, as much as I want them D:
sorry man
Let's say I'm talking to a customer and he wants long tubes installed on his 98 Cobra. I quote him 10 hours to remove the front K member, spindles, and associated suspension components, install the longtubes, gaskets, solid steering shaft, and X pipe, and offer to align it afterward free of charge. At which point he asks if he supplies an aftermarket tubular K member would their be any additional labor charge? My response is that if everything bolts up correctly without any modification needed on my end, the two jobs have overlap, therefore an extra half hour of labor. Once the stock K member is on the ground, I would need to unbolt the lower control arms and steering rack from it and swap them over to the new K. So it's not a completely free install, but it's pretty damn close considering an aftermarket K (alone) would be 6-8 hours with the alignment.

The rear calipers on these cars are an often failure point; if you have one side that is metal to metal and one side that is not (as in, one side of the car is wearing significantly faster), it would be a good move to check at the local parts stores if they have remanufactured calipers in stock before you tear the car apart.
I understand what you mean now about the overlap.

As far as what you're saying, you're very fair in how you do business if you're a mechanic. The people I was dealing were nothing of the sort, if I asked the to replace the calipers too while they had them off, they would charge a lot more than just an extra half hour. I mean, probably 100s more. Terrible shop.

Anyways since I'm not really dealing with labor fees I've nothing to worry about right now.
I also looked into rebuilt calipers, they're 60 a piece at advance auto with a core (w/o the core it's 45 dollars more). The lady gave me 10 percent.

So I'm going to do as of decided for sure
rotors front x2 70 (didn't get it on paper)
rotors rear x2 57.98
Front BP x1 19.99
Rear BP x1 22.99
Calipers x2 117.98
for a total of 288 dollars

I also might get some typical ball joints if they aren't too much more.

And the girl liked me who helped me and she gave me 10 percent:p (the total I gave is without the discount).
 
replacing the calipers requires time to bleed the brakes. if you're replacing the calipers, you might want to price out doing PBRs from the 99-04s. same size rotor, but dual piston. only takes a little grinding on the spindle for clearance if memory serves right. If you do a quick search, you'll find info on the swap.
 
replacing the calipers requires time to bleed the brakes. if you're replacing the calipers, you might want to price out doing PBRs from the 99-04s. same size rotor, but dual piston. only takes a little grinding on the spindle for clearance if memory serves right. If you do a quick search, you'll find info on the swap.
Honestly, I wish I could of. Atleast that or larger brakes or both. But I unfortunately was under time constraints, my mom really really really wanted me back on the road and out of her Mazda so she rushed me into taking the 'easy' way out and going all oem.
Nothing terrible about oem, but it sure isn't what I want.

I know, a few years or more from now, I'm going to have to go back through this, with a proper upgrade. Unfortunate to see the money 'wasted' in a sense.


BUT, on the bright side, the car drives great, and idles like a champ (spark plugs and wires done too), turns out I had a misfire the entire time but it idled well enough I didn't notice. Anyways. On to bigger and better things...like fixing the play in my steering wheel...