Purchased Inexpensive Brake Drums = Bad Idea

HammerDown

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On my other thread... I changed out my rear Hub Oil Seals, installed new wheel cylinders, brake shoes, new spring kit and Drums.
Well, 4 years ago I took a chance and installed the cheaper made in China ROTORS with new Calipers, new Pads and 20,000 miles later everything upfront is still functioning perfectly!

HOWEVER...this time choosing the 1/2 price made in China Brake Drums was a BIG mistake.
Serious vibration when applying the pedal, the faster I'm going and use the brake the worse the vibration is...the rear of the Truck is vibrating badly. I removed the Drums and I'm seeing uneven wear pattern on the shoes. Passenger is side wear pattern worse then the drivers side.
*Only 10 miles on the new brakes and drums.

RESEARCHING the $90.00 a pair Wagner Drums... that may, or may-not also come from China or Taiwan and they could ALSO be out-of-round out of the box.

Do I... spend $$$ cutting the $48.00 made in China Drums I already have, and will they just warp miles down the road? (I don't tow anything anymore) but lots of stop & go in my area, barely more then 40 mph.
Do I...return the Chinese aftermarkets $48.00 Drums for the more expensive Wagner brand Drums and take the chance they are within spec/round or, spend even more $$$ getting the Wagner Drums Cut before even putting them on?

30 years of owning this truck and changing out brake components I've never had this issue...one time I did get a bad front caliper that was dragging.
 

Macrobb

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I'd probably want to cut the drums if I could, just to make sure. Out-of-spec stuff is common for some reason on drums - cheap machining, probably.
 

Hydro-idi

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I would get those drums turned. It’s relatively cheap & it’ll true them up. This is somewhat common, even with new drums nowadays that are made overseas.
 

HammerDown

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^^^ true even Wagner, Bendix etc are now China, Twain made.
Anyhow, parts house stopped carrying Wagner and wants to exchange for new set of Drums.
Wish I had a Lath to see which one or maybe both are out of round.
 

subway

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i think i would try to get an exchange. you got bad parts out of the box, they should make it right.
 

icanfixall

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Tuff decision for sure. I do not think you have warped drums but they sure could have been cut off center. Taking a cut on them wont make them too thin and warp easier. any Competent brake shop will measure them BEFORE they try to clean them up. They are bound by a min spec too. But now if the store "wants to replace them".. Thats a standup store right there. Big decision..
 

HammerDown

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Partshouse had two more new in box waiting for me. I wasn't about to try them again without first having them checked. I then drove directly to a friends shop and he put them on his Drum Machine and right in front of me 'we' saw they were out. The first one he tested was hitting hard in one spot...to clean it up it needed .015 cut out of it. It was getting late so #2 Drum will be waiting for me in the morning.
 

DrCharles

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I bought Duralast (Autozone) Chinese drums... truck vibrated like a dog passing a peach pit. From the scuff marks one was WAY out of round. I took them back and they were willing to exchange them, but I figure the same pallet load was made by the same hung-over guy in China.

So I went to O'Reilly and got drums from whoever makes theirs - smooth as glass. Lately I have really found a decline in Autozone quality right out of the box, and O'Reilly is much better although slightly more expensive.
 

chris142

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Every set of drums I’ve gotten from parts stores in the last year have been out of round, I now take every one to a brake shop to get cut before I even install them.
Same with rotors too. I got bit too many times and now I turn new ones before I put them on.
 

icanfixall

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The better brake n frame shop I use when needed ALWAYS turn new drums and rotors before they go on any car or truck. Probably 30 plus years ago I had a shop do the rear brakes on my Chevy 1 ton truck only because I did not want to remove the axles and do all that extra work setting the bearing pre load. I watched them cut two sets of drums till the found a good set. Can't say where those drums were from either but more than 30 years ago my bet is they were from China.
 

HammerDown

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Both replacement Drums cut and braking is PERFECT!
Trying to get the contact number for "Silent Stop Premium Brake Parts" to ***** and request them to refund my $50 to cut their "high quality premium brake Drums"
 
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