"92" W350 Front Brakes Again
 

My 92 W350 needs rotors/pads and calipers and i'm thinking of changeing out the origional hoses too...

My problem is, what ones to buy? NAPA has rotors for $42. ea. or $92. ea.?? Another place has Bendex rotors for $95. I'm really lost on those rotor prices and if spending more will get a better rotor??

NAPA pads run from $20., $40. and $60., and Advance has pads for $50. and $64.. They call the $64. ones "severe duty"... and the $50. fleet pads comparable to stock.

Brake hoses.... NAPA $20. and Advance has Bendex hoses for $28....

Calipers... NAPA $30. and Advance $36.50

I don't mind spending a bit more, AS LONG as i'm getting something for my $$$.

Anyone want to weigh in on all of this and help me out here??

Thanks,

Robert

Make sure you get the "right" calipers. Napa gave me the wrong ones twice, Autozone Once, and Pep Boys once....there where subtle differences in some of them...

Remember, you get what you pay for! Cheap rotors WILL warp if you tow or haul anything heavy, ceramic pads last forever and no brake dust. I will try to find my paperwork from when i did mine and get you some part numbers(rabestos). Eric

The cheap rotors are generally made with chinese steel, and to the manufacturers minimum specs. The more expensive is made with US steel, and made to the manufacturer's maximum spec. With the min. spec, you are not going to be able to have the rotors turned in the future. You can't go wrong with Bendix brake parts. With the weight of the truck, plus whatever you tow, the severe duty pads aren't a bad idea. If the hoses are original, change them while you are there. They deteriorate from the inside out.

Advance will price match on anything except freon and oil, as long as it is a similar product with the same warranty. It's good to see that you are willing to spend the extra cash for the better product. You would be amazed at how many people want to spend next to nothing for brakes.

If you were in Indiana I could set you up pretty decent at the parts store I work at...I'd be glad to help out.

Here is some food for thought. Dodges seem to eat rotors for breakfast right? I had an interesting conversation with G1625S about this. Here is a good way to keep those front rotors for a while. Buy CHEAP pads.
Get the good rotors, but buy cheapo pads. Sure u might have to replace pads every 15-20K (for 30bucks) but isnt it better than replacing Pads AND rotors every 30K, if your lucky, for 1, 2 hundred dollars??

Answer to your question, buy the expencive Napa rotors, and cheap advance auto pads. Save hundreds on your repair bills by switching to cheap pads!! lol

Robert these part numbers are for raybestos/federated auto
pads md149 $34.20 (semi metallic)
seal national 415009 $10.91 ea.
rotor ray5048 $94.97 ea.
I replaced the brakes in June 2004, 37xxx miles ago. I rotated my tires last week and the pads are over half,and the rotors are flat with no warpage. This truck gets worked,has hauled 13 acres of oak and 70,000 lbs of scrap iron since they were done. My point is 4wd brakes suck to do so use the best parts available and you won't have any more work for a long time.

Eric

I don't know if Napa’s warranties vary by store but out here I ask about the warranty for the high end rotors for my truck and they checked and said they have a lifetime warranty.

I ask describe lifetime, against warping? they said yes, you were not satisfied with the performance so I ask if they warp should I have them turned and he said NO because you will have then modified them,

Again I ask then what should I do and he said bring them in and we will replace them.

I ask every time I replace the pads because the pedal pulses?

He said YES if you say the rotor is warped every time you change your brake pads we will replace them for free.

I said really? Would you write this on my receipt? And he did.

I stood there drooling on my shoes.

So question your warranty.
Jim

b1eric,

Thanks for those part numbers... i'm going to see where they lead me around here...

AS for warranty... I asked at both Advance and NAPA about warr... and neither has a life time warr. on these brake parts...

And thanks to those that have posted.... It's not like the old days, when you just went down, bought the parts and knew what you were getting!!

Robert

I have autozone rotors on mine 43.99 each I think. 20,000 plus miles and no trouble. I do need to put some pads on it though. The reality is there are only a handful of places that make the stuff and it gets all different names on it. So you may be paying double for the same part. I have yet to find a rotor made anywhere besides canada or the US.

I haven't found out where the different rotors are made yet, but i found out from Advance that life time brake warr. now is.... If you bring back a brake part under lifetime warr. it means ONE free replacement... The second part is NOT a life time replacement part...

Robert

Yeah, that sounds more like it. They play up the lifetime warranty aspect betting the odds are the vast majority of the vehicles those parts go into will be disposed of in some way (traded in, sold, wrecked, junked, whatever) before any part warranty issue ever comes into play. Good business.