Brake parts no-no's

[Selahdoor]

Thank you guys!!!

Keep them coming. I need all the suggestions I can get. I have to figure out what I need, quickly, and get it all lined up by tuesday.

So far it's looking like I should get the calipers and maybe the rest of the parts from napa.

Still no warnings about any parts to stay away from???

 

[steve phillips]

napa premium parts are good, their silverline or cheaper grade stuff, not much better than advance or auto zone. cozy up to your local napa parts guy, might be able to get some discount, I get a fleet price, because my company used napa as exclusive part supplier. fleet price is usually lowest price you can get. if you know someone at school trans. dept locally, they may be able to get you a hefty price break. usually have to pay cash in order for these discount to work.

 

[u2slow]

I probably won't go that far.

At this point, not even convinced I am going to replace the MC and dashpot.

I want working, reliable brakes. Anything other than that will have to be done later.

I don't buy 'premium' parts. Some 20 years ago I realized its the same offshore crap being packaged by all the brands. I also don't go replacing a whole brake system. Find out what's not performing, and fix that.

I believe all I changed on my F350 PSD crew for brakes was maybe a set of pads (cheapest no-name from rockauto), a rear hardware kit (so I could adjust them properly again), and hydroboost. Truck stopped ~50% better after installing hydroboost (brand new Motorcraft from rockauto), despite the rest of the brake system being well-used.

 

[chillman88]

I should have taken Tank for a spin while I was there.

No you shouldn't because my rear brakes are out of adjustment, I still haven't put the correct brake pedal in, my brake controller has a small leak, and my power steering pump is weak. It would be a very bad example of hydroboost

But it still stops the truck so

So far it's looking like I should get the calipers and maybe the rest of the parts from napa.

Still no warnings about any parts to stay away from???

If you are going to get some of the parts at NAPA then you might as well get all of them there.

For brake parts most places usually have a "good better best".

I can't justify doing anything other than the mid grade for brakes. I won't put the cheapest stuff on there, but I won't spend the extra for the premium pads either. By the time the mid grade pads are worn, it's high time to clean and grease everything anyway.

 

[saburai]

My NAPA guy is a "retired" shop owner and mechanic, old enough to make me look like a "kid" - he knows his stuff and suggests the mid grade unless you're super high performance, in which case, NAPA doesn't sell it...

 

[steve phillips]

I look at warranty period. 1 year is cheaper grade, lifetime warranty is equivalent to oem. this is IMHO. NAPA better line was always considered to be as good as OEM in my area and experiences. I am not sure this is as true today as it was years ago. I have noticed a general down turn in quality of parts in the last few years especially in bearings and front end parts. hard to find parts made in usa these days. especially on our diesels a used oem part on the truck or in parts go box for trips maybe better than we can buy. Thinking of waterpumps, vacuum pumps and the like.

 

[u2slow]

I look at warranty period. 1 year is cheaper grade, lifetime warranty is equivalent to oem. this is IMHO.

The other side of that is.... same part in both boxes. You're essentially paying a premium price for an extended warranty plan. May not be true for all cases, but it is a thriving business tactic.

Bearings are one of the items I try harder to buy quality (i.e. Timken, Koyo, SKF). I notice the lifespan difference when subjected to harder use.

 

[steve phillips]

Timken moved most production to china several years ago.as I see nowadays the difference in bearings is made in japan ie koyo vs made in china I had a bad experience with SKF wheel bearing last year. replaced front wheel bearing in my Toyota Tacoma used SKF did not last a year had slack in them. replaced again with koyo used as oem for Toyota, made in japan so far so good. Tacoma I had before this replaced front bearings with napa brand lasted for the last 5 years I owned truck before I sold.

 

[franklin2]

The problem I seem to be having lately is with the pads, on several different vehicles. The vehicle does not stop that well, and I will get under there and look and the pad is only making contact with a small narrow section of the rotor, the rest of the rotor is rusty from no contact.

Each time, the rotor is ok, it's the pads. It seems that they have hard spots on them that do not wear as much as the rest of the pad, so all I am rubbing against the rotor during braking is this small hard spot in the pads. Replace the pads and everything is then fine. Parts quality is really low nowdays.

 

[The_Josh_Bear]

I don't have much to add except to make sure you get semi-metallic pads and nothing else. They will stop the best and are the cheapest type as well(oddly enough) vs ceramic or organic pads. I'm sure you weren't going to spring for the other types but thought I'd mention it.

I recently put organic pads on my XC90 with new rotors on all 4 corners and it was not a good choice. Takes 50% more pedal effort to stop 130% as far as the pads that came off, in a panic stop scenario.
And that information only cost me $450.

BTW I wanted to applaud you for going after the brakes yourself. So many people wont touch them and pay these rediculous shop rates for really what is one of the simpler systems on a vehicle.
Drives my bonkers when people drop $1000-$2500 on a brake job that in parts only runs like $200-500.
That said they need to be done correctly and take all saftey measures of course, but git-r-done!