For all you that have problems with your (Parking or E-Brake) first it is very important to keep it in good working order. All you need to do is apply it once a week or once a month at very least. Next depending on the cable being broken or the shoes being wore to dust, the parts are not very expensive. All you need to do is a little shopping. I found every part on E-bay. Sure I had to wait a few days for the parts to come in , but the savings was well worth the wait. I always check the local auto parts stores first. I get the prices, part numbers from them, and availability. I also get any other information I might need to do the job myself.(like if special tools are needed, ect..) I also will buy the shop manual, most range from (15 to 20 bucks) if I don't have it already. (NOTE:) Chilton or Hayes manuals have very good illlstrations and step by step instructions.
I bought, New shoes, new Calapers, Rotors, a spring kit, new pads, and all 3 new cables for my 2000 Expedition.
At the local parts houses, I got price ranges from 347.00 to 495.00 for the parts. I then went shopping on E-bay and got the same parts that the local parts houses had for 187.60 and free shipping (always look for free shipping, it will save you a bundle) with a 4 day wait on the parts.
Now if it would have been critical to get my truck back on the road I would have got them local. (NOTE:) the local parts house's still had to order some of the parts due to not being a stocked idem.
Now that I have my parts I had to decide wether to install them myself, or hire someone else to install them for me. I shopped for shops, to do the installs for me. Here is what I found. There labor rates range from (high) 550.00 (low) 155.00
The high one said it would take 20 hours to get it done. The lower one said it would take about 3 to 4 hours. So it pays to shop around if your going to let someone else do it for you.
(Note:) always check online like Google or one of the others to see how much book time it is to replace the parts. This is how a lot of shops charge you on book time not actual time. Book time might say it takes 3 hours to change a part out, when in actual time it will take only 1.5 hours. So the shop charges you the 3 hours and profits big time.
I chose to do it myself. It took me about 2 and a half hours on the first side and about 45 minutes on the other side to complete the brakes, and run the new rear cables. It took another hour and a half to install the front cable. So I saved a 155 bucks the next time I will oppt for the shop to do it, or at least the front cable. lol
Hope this help all you with e-brake problems.
