Pontiac Grand Prix 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 Pontiac Grand Prix Brake Drum Replacement is $327 with $166 for parts and $161 for labor. Prices may vary depending on your location.

Car	Service	Estimate	Shop/Dealer Price
1995 Pontiac Grand PrixV6-3.4L	Service typeBrake Drum Replacement	Estimate$619.72	Shop/Dealer Price$742.79 - $1073.72
2004 Pontiac Grand PrixV6-3.8L	Service typeBrake Drum Replacement	Estimate$585.72	Shop/Dealer Price$708.82 - $1039.77
1998 Pontiac Grand PrixV6-3.8L Turbo	Service typeBrake Drum Replacement	Estimate$585.72	Shop/Dealer Price$708.81 - $1039.77
2002 Pontiac Grand PrixV6-3.8L	Service typeBrake Drum Replacement	Estimate$585.72	Shop/Dealer Price$708.77 - $1039.70
2003 Pontiac Grand PrixV6-3.8L	Service typeBrake Drum Replacement	Estimate$585.72	Shop/Dealer Price$708.84 - $1039.81
1975 Pontiac Grand PrixV8-7.5L	Service typeBrake Drum Replacement	Estimate$866.96	Shop/Dealer Price$1050.74 - $1548.01
1991 Pontiac Grand PrixV6-3.1L	Service typeBrake Drum Replacement	Estimate$587.62	Shop/Dealer Price$708.83 - $1034.66
2001 Pontiac Grand PrixV6-3.1L	Service typeBrake Drum Replacement	Estimate$594.22	Shop/Dealer Price$717.72 - $1048.97

Show example Pontiac Grand Prix 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 Pontiac mechanics

Real customer reviews from Pontiac owners like you.

Excellent Rating

(426)

Rating Summary

398

17

2

0

9

398

17

2

0

9

SEE REVIEWS NEAR ME

Terry

31 years of experience

99 reviews

Terry

31 years of experience

by Dana

Pontiac Grand Prix V6-3.8L - Water Pump - Mansfield, Texas

Steve

37 years of experience

149 reviews

Steve

37 years of experience

by Larry

Pontiac Grand Prix V6-3.1L - Starter - Castro Valley, California

Jesse

10 years of experience

12 reviews

Jesse

10 years of experience

by Gary

Pontiac Grand Prix V6-3.8L Turbo - Window Motor / Regulator Assembly Replacement (Driver Side Rear) - Chino Hills, California

Perfect service!

Chris

30 years of experience

14 reviews

Chris

30 years of experience

by Gracie

Pontiac Grand Prix V6-3.8L - Clicking or popping sound is coming from wheels - Maricopa, Arizona

On time, professional and friendly.

Excellent Rating

(426)

Rating Summary

398

17

2

0

9

398

17

2

0

9

SEE REVIEWS NEAR ME

Recent articles & questions

Disabled Driver Laws and Permits in Kansas

Every Every state treats disability driver laws differently. It is important to be acquainted with not only your state’s laws and permits for disabled drivers, but for other states as well. How do I know if I am eligible for...

How to Maximize the Value of Your Vehicle

As As soon as you buy a new car, its value starts to decrease. The ultimate value of your car is a combination of its age, mileage (https://www.yourmechanic.com/article/how-to-easily-increase-your-gas-mileage-by-jason-unrau), and overall condition of your vehicle. Luckily, you have control over two...

P2630 OBD-II Trouble Code: Heated Oxygen Sensor (HO2S) Malfunction

P2630 means that the O2 sensor circuit signal that falls outside a range due to a faulty sensor, a short, blown fuse, hi/low fuel pressure or, a leak.

Car stalls after fueling

It sounds like you may have a problem with your evaporative emissions system. Your car has a small purge valve called a purge solenoid (https://www.yourmechanic.com/services/evaporation-vent-solenoid-replacement) that controls the venting of fumes from the fuel tank as these fumes build up...

Rear driver side wheel locked - 2002 Toyota Solara

If the car does move (in reverse) then the wheel is not locked. There may be an issue with the transmission and/or the shift linkage. To resolve this, please request a transmission shift diagnostic (https://www.yourmechanic.com/services/car-does-not-shift-from-park-to-drive-inspection). If you request that service,...

Had two inspections from your mechanic that I payed for and am still having the same problem. Car cuts off when sitting/idling.

YourMechanic guarantees all their work and you should get in touch with customer service to talk to them on the problem of the diagnosis you paid for did not correct problem. They will take care of you.

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 (855) 347-2779 · hi@yourmechanic.com