Recent content by tickerguy

Are these new? You cannot turn drilled and slotted rotors at all typically; they're "one and done" because the chamfer on the slots and holes can't be put back after they're turned. Its possible you got a bad rotor set but if they're brand new drive it for a bit as it may be the anti-corrosion...

If the manufacturer specifically states it is compatible with a synchronized manual gearbox (and you believe they'll stand behind that if your synchros are destroyed) then have at it. I have no reason to believe yours isn't perfectly ok -- I'm sure it is -- but carrying both ratings on the label...

Oh I saw it. You run whatever you want. Unless the manufacturer of the gearbox approves GL-5 lubricants (some of them get rather specific as to what's approved and what's not) you're playing with fire thinking that "higher number is better" and if a particular lube has both ratings on it that...

I have Z23s on my Mazda and 1500-series Suburban. The primary "benefit" to Powerstop's matching rotors is that they are 100% coated and thus do not rust outside the contact area, even if the car is parked outside. Do you lose something in ultimate friction capability with the drilled/slotted...

Well it is certainly true you don't have to. They will eventually "bed" on their own through ordinary use. The risk is that if you get them nastily hot before that happens, and you stop, you'll wind up with an uneven deposition of material on the disc. If that occurs that's then a...

The Z23 pads are cheap; $50-60 per axle. From a bang-for-the-buck perspective I don't believe there's any way you can beat it. A "big brake" kit is going to cost a lot more than that. I just had both rears off on my Suburban because I had to pull the axles to fix the differential which decided...

So final update on this. Diff is back together, nice and quiet. All (four) new bearings, surprisingly replacing only those and keeping the factory shims "as originally installed" resulted in lash being in-spec exactly as it was before the chunk was removed. Now running 75w140 synthetic. I'm not...

I always do it, including with new vehicles. Funny how many others have "judder" problems and think their rotors are warped; a couple of times I've stuck a dial indicator on one of those allegedly "warped" rotors to prove they're wrong and.... no it isn't. What DOES happen is uneven deposition...

I've used Prestone in GM vehicles for a very long time (including my 20 year old truck) without any problems.

I replaced the pinion seal myself several years previous and was extremely careful with the pinion nut (marking the exact position it was in before I removed it) as I'm very aware of the preload problem and that there's no accurate way to check it without removing the chunk. On inspection this...

Do not run GL-5s in a MTX that is not approved for them, specifically in a synchronized manual gearbox. In a NOT-synchronized gearbox it should be fine, but compatibility with the synchros is a potential issue. "Bigger number does not always mean better."

But between a bearing and its mating race? Anyway, its going back together with Koyo which I can source easily and are known to be of good quality. It bites having to spend more in tools you don't have to not fight a specific job than the parts cost, which is the case here. Ah well, now I have 'em.

I run that stuff in my Mazda 6MT and it produces notably better shifting than the factory fluid. Same vis and specs, but its just a better fluid. I've got ~220k on my 6, its used it since I swapped the factory fluid at about 30k and I've had nothing but good things to say about it the entire time.

Powerstop Z23s are on both my Mazda and Suburban. The former I drive in a "spirited" way from time to time and the latter I tow with, where excellent brakes are absolutely required. They're excellent, they wear very well and a also very fade-resistant and linear. I like them immensely; far...

Here's a couple more images that make one point very clear -- whatever that bearing is, it's not Timken but the race is. Timken marks all their parts and there are no markings on the rear bearing -- but there are on the race. This was installed at the factory; I'm the original owner of the truck...