Never shop at AutoZone for anything important like brakes, alternators,
starters, or chassis parts. I worked there... I know...
Now some might say I'm biased as to the next comment I am about to
make.. but...
NAPA does sell some very good quality brake parts. Their "Ultra
Premium" rotors are high quality rotors, with a nice coating on the hat
(center portion) to keep them from rusting to the hubs. I would
recommend the "Adaptive One" brake pads. I have those pads and rotors
on moms Explorer front and rear after the stock crap went out after only
a couple years. The ADO pads are a dual friction formula pad -
ceramic... inner pad is designed to handle the heat and braking forces
better - the logic being is that on a floating caliper system, the inner
pad tends to get beat up more as its in direct contact with the piston.
Ultra low brake dust, I've heard zero noise out of them, and they don't
fade much at all when I'm hauling a loaded utility trailer behind it.
They carry a Limited Life Time Warranty... if the pads fall apart,
squeal like an SOB, etc its covered. LLT warranties do NOT cover normal
wear and tear. And if you read the fine print, all major parts houses
warranties do say they don't cover normal wear and tear. Be they 1
year, 2 year or LLT.
Contrary to some opinions, I do not believe that ceramic pads chew
rotors any faster than semi-metallics or organics. Metallic pads are
actually harder than some ceramics according to material I have read.
Just about every OEM pad on new cars today are ceramics. Theres gotta be
a reason for it yanno :)
If you go with a racing ceramic pad.. yeah - its going to be harder and
it will chew rotors faster. The trick is getting the right ceramics.
Pads friction materials are made from two basic components. The
"friction material" and "filler material".
The friction material can be the organic, metallic, or ceramic particles.
The filler material is typically glass, rubber, graphite, kevlar, in any
different number of levels of percentages.
Typically your cheaper pads are more filler than friction material.
This is where you get softer pads, more brake dust, and fewer miles in a
service interval. Higher cost pads have more of the good friction
material and usually last longer.
Having said all that... the "sweet spot" in brake pads, are usually the
mid to higher end normal brake pads. They typically have the nominal
blend of high quality friction materials, lower amounts of dust
generating filler, but are also not so hard that they will chew rotors.
The other half of that is not to skimp on rotor quality. Poor rotor
materials, poor quality machining and heat treating will lead to
warpage. Lots of rotors now days are listed as "composite rotors".
This means the disc portion of the rotor is usually regular cast iron
material... while the "hat" portion is stamped steel. They are press
fit together. If this is done poorly, you will have a rotor that will
tend to warp. Plus side is composite rotors are cheaper and lighter...
down side is they can be more troublesome. its also getting hard to
find full cast iron rotors. most parts houses sell composites.
Anyway - I'm not sure what point I was trying to make there - if any
point at all... ASE Parts Counter Dude kinda took over my brain right
there.
A specific comment barry... AZ's receipts state warranty length on them
for parts with registered warranties. If you bought the pads when they
had a 3 year warranty, and your receipt says so... even if they lowered
the warranty period AFTER you bought them... they are still obliged to
honor the original warranty. Recheck your receipt to see just what the
warranty says. it should be listed right below the itemized parts you
bought.
Crap - lights are flickering damned ice storm!!!!
Barry Oliver wrote:
>
> I am so mad right now, I am having trouble typing because my fingers are
> twitching. My brakes started grinding today. No squeak, no warning,
> just the grind. What makes me mad is that this is the second set of
> Autozone Morse Ceramic pads I have used, and this is the second time I
> got hosed. Rewinding a bit, I put my first set on a few years back,
> some might remember the story of me having to BREAK the brake rotors to
> get them off.. The first set lasted a hair [3 weeks ] over 3 years,
> which is significant because AZ told me the warranty expired after 3
> years. I was mad then, but because I had already installed the second
> set of Morse ceramic pads [because at first they couldn't find me in
> their Database, so I just bought set #2 and was hoping to get refund
> once I was done..], I decide just to go with it. Fast foreward to Today
> when I call my friendly Autozoner, and I am ready for him, because I
> have my receipts and I KNOW I am less than 3 years this time [did the
> second set in October of 2007]. So, Guess what the @#$@# !@#$$@# said
> this time. Go ahead, guess.
>
>
>
>
> "I'm sorry sir, the pads you referred to only carried a 2 year warranty
> and that expired in October of last year. FFFFUUUUUUUUUUUUU...........
>
> And to add insult to injury, these !@$!$ pads are eating a $300 set of
> rotors.... AND I have to get this done tonight because I have to drag a
> trailer soon... I am sooooo mad.
>
>
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