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brake part brands

john112deere

caffeine junkie
Staff member
10,807
405
central Vermont
'09 Ranger...factory front pads are about done at 71k. I'm hoping I can get through the winter as-is, but that might be pushing it. I anticipate replacing the rotors as well.

What brand are people liking for pads/rotors these days? Cheaper is better, but I can and will pay for quality.
 

DNFXDLI

The Token Canadian
Staff member
I would go OEM...I find them to be the best fir and quality.
 

BuzzGun79

Nov.TOTM 2012 / 2012 TOTY
2,388
55
Ive experienced pad failure from the discount stores so to speak...I will only buy premium brand brakes such as Bendix or Raybestos brands only.you get what you pay for in brakes...
 

Fellro

Moderator
Staff member
I have been buying Bendix and Raybestos from Rock Auto for less after shipping than I can get from the local box stores before taxes. Last brake job was a $50 difference and I went with ceramic instead of the cheap semi metallics. That was new rotors as well.
 

john112deere

caffeine junkie
Staff member
10,807
405
central Vermont
Happily, I got it through state inspection today with the current brakes.

The rotors aren't worth saving, so I'm going to try to push through 'til spring.

Appreciate the brand suggestions above.
 

john112deere

caffeine junkie
Staff member
10,807
405
central Vermont
Bumping for Bill's opinion on rear brakes- I know he has one, but I can't remember what it is.

Left adjuster disintegrated last week...with 110k, I'll replace everything and figure it'll last the life of the truck.

(Meanwhile, I popped the drum, let the loose pieces fall out, and stuck the drum back on. Good thing it's bike season...)
 

polarbear

just growing older not up
12,878
607
Boring, Oregon
Don't forget Amazon- all the name brands mentioned are available there.
 
a million X on rockauto. i have always like wagner brake parts, i love there severduty pads. Bendix and Raybestos are also good brands.
 

O'Rattlecan

Redneck Prognosticator
26,687
797
Belton, MO
Thanks for the thread revival & suggestions guys. I cringe buying pads knowing how much they're marked up. I'll check Rock Auto & Amazon next time for some good quality ceramic. I hate the semi-metallic brake dust crap.

Ryan
 

CowboyBilly9Mile

Charter Member
7,118
442
USA
Bumping for Bill's opinion on rear brakes- I know he has one, but I can't remember what it is.

Left adjuster disintegrated last week...with 110k, I'll replace everything and figure it'll last the life of the truck.

(Meanwhile, I popped the drum, let the loose pieces fall out, and stuck the drum back on. Good thing it's bike season...)

Wagner ThermoQuiet and Wagner hardware kits. Due to a lack of vendors in my area, I wound up using Rockauto for the shoes. Rock has the potential to be great but if they ship from more than one location, thanks to shipping costs your good buy may quickly turn into a good bye; gotta keep an eye on those people. When that happens, ebay, amazon and partsgeek have worked well. For lube I used some ceramglyde; they sold small packets at an Oreillys and the heat rating is higher than silglyde. For optimal results, turn the drums and since you live in an area where the primary road surface material in the winter is salt, I've noticed that many people have probs with rear parking brake cables. On that note and it it were me, I'd consider replacing the ones common to the brake backing plates. I grabbed one at NAPA and I seem to recall it was only like, $25 or so (was not replaced due to corrosion).

* Surely you know the problem everyone has with the Motorcraft (ie, grabby at first on rainy/damp days) and you remember the absolute hell I went through with Raybestos (warmed up, grew in diameter, drag and got sizzling hot), right?

Edit: This is a really good time to flush the hydraulics and get that dirty and damp old fluid out of there.
 
Last edited:

Sparky83

Virginia Chapter member
5,566
219
Norlina NC
ive had duralast.. Advances brand (been so long i cant remember what they called them).. mastercraft... napa gold and silver.. gm, motorcraft... summit racings brand.. ect ect.. theyre all about the same to me.. some make more dust than others.. but that can vary between composite semi metallics and ceramic.. just depends on your preference..
 

Sparky83

Virginia Chapter member
5,566
219
Norlina NC
Thanks for the thread revival & suggestions guys. I cringe buying pads knowing how much they're marked up. I'll check Rock Auto & Amazon next time for some good quality ceramic. I hate the semi-metallic brake dust crap.

Ryan


i switched from the semi-metalic to the ceramic pads when i had to do the ones on the mustang.. the dusting actually got worse.. with the semi-metallics i could go a good week before the dust started showing up on the rims.. the ceramics i can see it pretty much after the first drive when i clean the rims off..
 

john112deere

caffeine junkie
Staff member
10,807
405
central Vermont
Wagner ThermoQuiet and Wagner hardware kits.
...
* Surely you know the problem everyone has with the Motorcraft (ie, grabby at first on rainy/damp days) and you remember the absolute hell I went through with Raybestos (warmed up, grew in diameter, drag and got sizzling hot), right?
Thank you! Yes, with 110k on the factory parts I'm familiar with their bad habits (though they do improve with time, probably starting when the star wheel seizes up due to rust :hammer:), but I couldn't remember which aftermarket brand was which in your experience.


I'm not in any hurry 'cause it's not really my primary transport for the next several months...boy, does that make it easier.
 

CowboyBilly9Mile

Charter Member
7,118
442
USA
NP. And I do believe that if you go to pirate (or a quick google for rock discount) there is a forever 5% discount code. Money saved on auto parts = more money to spend on.....beer!!! :beer:
 

CowboyBilly9Mile

Charter Member
7,118
442
USA
U order yet? :)
 

john112deere

caffeine junkie
Staff member
10,807
405
central Vermont
As noted above...this truck is my secondary transport during summer months, so although it needed some brake work, I put it off until it was convenient to deal with it.

All that it actually needed was adjuster cables (one broke and fell someplace it was squealing- I disassembled and removed the loose pieces immediately, then ordered parts and ignored them a while...but given the mileage it seemed like shoes were a good idea. Then a stuck adjuster (couldn't back off the star wheel) meant I put a hurtin' on one drum getting it off. So new drums, too. And since I couldn't bring mysefl to put all those new parts over wheel cylinders that cruddy looking...and the fittings on them were rusted fast...new hard lines back to the pumpkin, too.

Brake jobs shouldn't be that hard...but so it goes. For all you non-rusty-place dwellers...here's what the inside of drum brakes looks like after 7 years and 112k miles. Wonder how many years it's been since those star wheels would move?

E7C61D80-223F-4E62-993B-8D34C8A64D66_zpsr8uyjuqf.jpg


CB59B5B8-1BFB-4C50-AB18-5C6BE897DD40_zpsw5bhcuoj.jpg
 

Sparky83

Virginia Chapter member
5,566
219
Norlina NC
should come do the rear ones on lil dually next time.. youll have some "fun" there lol...
 

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