Oldsmobile Bravada Brake Drum Replacement Costs

Estimate price near me

Service Location

Customer Ratings

Included for free with this service

Online Booking

Mechanic comes to you

12-month / 12k-mile warranty

Free 50 point safety inspection

Our certified mobile mechanics can come to your home or office 7 days a week between 7 AM and 9 PM.

See availability

Customer Ratings

Brake Drum Replacement Service

How much does a Brake Drum Replacement cost?

On average, the cost for a Oldsmobile Bravada Brake Drum Replacement is $315 with $173 for parts and $142 for labor. Prices may vary depending on your location.

Car	Service	Estimate	Shop/Dealer Price
2001 Oldsmobile BravadaV6-4.3L	Service typeBrake Drum Replacement	Estimate$665.41	Shop/Dealer Price$803.64 - $1184.58
1996 Oldsmobile BravadaV6-4.3L	Service typeBrake Drum Replacement	Estimate$645.78	Shop/Dealer Price$772.90 - $1097.91
1999 Oldsmobile BravadaV6-4.3L	Service typeBrake Drum Replacement	Estimate$635.41	Shop/Dealer Price$773.66 - $1154.62
1994 Oldsmobile BravadaV6-4.3L	Service typeBrake Drum Replacement	Estimate$617.28	Shop/Dealer Price$741.34 - $1064.06
1998 Oldsmobile BravadaV6-4.3L	Service typeBrake Drum Replacement	Estimate$635.41	Shop/Dealer Price$773.69 - $1154.66
2002 Oldsmobile BravadaL6-4.2L	Service typeBrake Drum Replacement	Estimate$648.21	Shop/Dealer Price$789.66 - $1180.22
2000 Oldsmobile BravadaV6-4.3L	Service typeBrake Drum Replacement	Estimate$642.91	Shop/Dealer Price$780.96 - $1161.76
1991 Oldsmobile BravadaV6-4.3L	Service typeBrake Drum Replacement	Estimate$565.88	Shop/Dealer Price$674.91 - $951.26

Show example Oldsmobile Bravada Brake Drum Replacement prices

What are brake drums and how do they work?

A brake drum is a heavy, cast iron brake system part that looks like a shallow, several inches-high cylinder about 9 to 12 inches in diameter. The brake drum has a precisely machined surface all around the interior circumference, that the brake shoes make contact with when you apply the brakes, transmitting hydraulic pressure through the wheel cylinder. This forces the brake shoes outward against the interior of the brake drum, resulting in the friction that causes the car to slow. The brake drum is mounted over, and fully encloses, all of the rear brake components such as the wheel cylinder, springs and clips, brake shoes, and parking brake mechanism. The drum is commonly held to the wheel hub by the wheel and the lug nuts, but some configurations combine the drum with the wheel hub as one unit. Nowadays, a drum brake type system is only installed on the rear axle, if used at all, as 4 wheel disc type systems have become more common.

When to consider replacing brake drums:

Reduced braking effectiveness. If the brake drum is unevenly worn, scored or cracked, it will increase stopping distances. A cracked drum must be replaced outright but a worn drum can be restored on a brake lathe so long as enough metal material remains.
Pulsating brakes, pulling to one side, vibration or noise. If a brake drum is warped, is unevenly worn, or perhaps the brake shoes have worn down completely — creating metal-to-metal contact — you might detect pedal pulsation, the vehicle may pull to one side, or you might feel a vibration or hear a noise when you apply the brakes. The brake system will have to be inspected to pinpoint the exact problem.
Brake shoe replacement. Anytime the brake shoes are replaced, the drum must either be resurfaced or replaced outright. Installing new brake shoes on a used, unresurfaced drum will lead to poor results.
Loss of parking brake function. The parking brake locks the brake shoes against the brake drum. If the brake drum is cracked, the parking brake lever will pull up excessively and the car may still be able to roll. However, a more common circumstance is parking brake maladjustment or seizure of parking brake components. Repair of those problems will often require removal of the brake drum.

How do mechanics replace brake drums?

There are two options when it comes to brake drum service: outright replacement or resurfacing. In some cases, it is cheaper to replace the drum rather than refurbish it. In both cases though, the removal and installation procedure for the drum is the same.

Raise the vehicle and safely support it using steel jack stands.
Remove tire and wheel assembly.
Remove brake drum. Sometimes the brake drum has rusted to the wheel hub and removal of the drum will require a brake drum puller. In some cases, the wheel hub is integral to the brake drum, in which case the hub-bearing retaining bolt and the wheel bearing must be removed to replace the drum.
Measure the interior diameter of the machined surface in the drum with a brake drum micrometer or similar measuring tool. If sufficient metal exists to resurface the drum on a brake lathe, the mechanic will compare the cost of such restoration to the alternative: buying a new drum.
Prior to installing the resurfaced or new drum, the brake shoes, springs, wheel cylinder, parking brake mechanism, and backing plate are all inspected. All worn parts should be replaced. Generally, if drums have been replaced or resurfaced, new brake shoes should be installed. The worn shoes will cause irregular wear in the brake drum and reduce braking effectiveness.
The shoes are adjusted and the drum is installed. The wheel and tire assembly are installed and torqued in the proper sequence and the car is road tested to check the operation of the brakes.

Is it safe to drive with a brake drum problem?

No. Should there be a deficiency with the brake drums, stopping distances will not be as short as possible. In a panic stop, stopping just five or ten feet shorter could be the difference between no collision and a collision. Any deficiency in a vehicle’s braking system is a cause for concern and a potential safety issue. Have the brake drums inspected at your earliest convenience to determine if a problem exists and find out what must be done to fix it.

When replacing brake drums keep in mind:

With few exceptions, brake work on one end of an axle should be performed on both ends of the axle. Should a brake drum on one end of a front or rear axle be serviced, or brake shoes on one end are serviced, both sides of the axle should receive the same service. This helps to avoid problems, such as pulling, vibration, and so forth, once the vehicle is returned for use.
Brake drum systems use very powerful springs to keep the brake shoes in position. These springs are exposed to extreme heat. It is best practice to replace all springs whenever new shoes are installed. Should a spring unexpectedly break in the brake drum assembly, a mispositioned brake shoe could cause the brakes to grab and lock, which would pose a safety issue.
If the wheel hub and bearing are integral to the brake drum on your car, the mechanic may recommend replacement of the grease in the wheel bearings and inspection of the wheel bearings.
Since the arc of the brake shoes will not perfectly match with the arc of the drum when new, expect a bed-in period before maximum braking efficiency is achieved.

Fast and easy service at your home or office

Backed by 12-month, 12.000-mile guarantee

Meet some of our expert Oldsmobile mechanics

Real customer reviews from Oldsmobile owners like you.

Excellent Rating

(31)

Rating Summary

26

1

1

1

2

26

1

1

1

2

SEE REVIEWS NEAR ME

Augie

31 years of experience

263 reviews

Augie

31 years of experience

by Bonnie

Oldsmobile Bravada L6-4.2L - Pre-purchase Car Inspection - Newhall, California

Was on time. Very complete inspection on the car. I live in Portland Oregon and found a great car in California. Wasn't able to check it out for myself. He followed up with a phone call and he explained a concern. I will probably buy this car after his inspection. This is a great service.

Benjamin

31 years of experience

18 reviews

Request Benjamin

Benjamin

31 years of experience

Request Benjamin

by Chris

Oldsmobile Bravada V6-4.3L - Clunking or knocking noise from wheels Inspection - Whitinsville, Massachusetts

Very pleasant to talk to. Also explained everything as it was being done. They are here to help you.

Joe

15 years of experience

453 reviews

Joe

15 years of experience

by Richard

Oldsmobile Bravada L6-4.2L - Fan Clutch - Nashville, Tennessee

Joe came out early, went over the job and would have done it if the parts were not rusted together. He charged me for the call/diagnostic, a fair price, and made professional recommendations on what to do next.

Manuel

22 years of experience

14 reviews

Manuel

22 years of experience

by Greg

Oldsmobile Bravada L6-4.2L - Car Battery Replacement - Albuquerque, New Mexico

A great guy, Fast and efficient.

Excellent Rating

(31)

Rating Summary

26

1

1

1

2

26

1

1

1

2

SEE REVIEWS NEAR ME

Recent articles & questions

How to Register a Car in New Jersey

Making Making sure that your car is registered when moving to the state of New Jersey is very important. While there are a number of other things that you will have to worry about during the moving process, the registering...

Disabled Driver Laws and Permits in Colorado

Colorado Colorado offers several options for drivers with disabilities. These include short-term, long-term, and permanent placards, and permanent license plates, all of which entitle you to certain parking privileges. How do I know if I am eligible for a placard...

How to Silence Car Exhaust

Exhaust systems get rid of harmful gases as you drive your car. Car exhausts make noise when there are cracks or leaks in the car exhaust.

How do I use the turn signals?

Turn signals are very important safety features. The turn signal lights allow surrounding drivers to know that you are going to make a turn, which is an important safety precaution. Failing to use your turn signals is also illegal. Using...

The Service AdvanceTrac and power steering lights came on after I got in an accident

These warning messages are displayed when the computer detects an issue with the AdvanceTrac and power steering systems. It may be possible that damage occurred within these systems when the vehicle was involved in the accident. The AdvanceTrac system is...

Gas meter always says full won't allow me to put full up on gas what can I do??

Hi There, It sounds like you may have two separate issues going on here. Your fuel tank sending unit (https://www.yourmechanic.com/services/fuel-gauge-sender-replacement) is a unit that monitors the fuel level in your tank. When this is not working properly, you may notice...

How can we help?

Our service team is available 7 days a week, Monday - Friday from 6 AM to 5 PM PST, Saturday - Sunday 7 AM - 4 PM PST.

1 (844) 997-3624 · hi@yourmechanic.com