"Abutment Clip Kit" with some front pad sets

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If you have StopTech kits then you have purchased Centric products. StopTech is just a brand of Centric's.

I don't pretend to know more that anyone, especially those who work in the industry. I'm just citing the same observations about no special break-in producedures that mechtech2 has made.

My problem with Centric/StopTech is in regards to some crummy rotors that I purchased a couple of months ago, which neither RockAuto nor Centric would do anything about and left me hanging with $250 of defective/unusable product. But like I said before, that's a different story and I've griped about that elsewhere.
 
I didn't notice the OP was the same person that posted the Centric thread until he mentioned it.

http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubb...717#Post2604717

Originally Posted By: barlowc

My problem with Centric/StopTech is in regards to some crummy rotors that I purchased a couple of months ago, which neither RockAuto nor Centric would do anything about and left me hanging with $250 of defective/unusable product. But like I said before, that's a different story and I've griped about that elsewhere.


Did you ever get the numbers of the supposed runout on the rotors? I still would suspect the maybe the tech just drove the car, felt the vibration and said, "well, it's probably warped rotors."

It's a bad situation, for sure, but it's not 100% clear to me that it was a problem with the parts. It may have been, but I'm just not convinced.
 
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Yep, same guy.
smile.gif


I'm talking about a different vehicle here, that being the Saturn in my signature which is going to need new front brakes soon.

The other thread was about the Centric 120 Series rotors and StopTech pads we installed on my brother's 5-Series BMW. I never received numbers on the supposed runout on the rotors. I was getting my information second hand. However, numbers were given along with being described as "excessive runout". The dealer said the installation looked perfectly fine and I have no reason to doubt them. They are a trustworthy and respected dealer. What ticked me off in that situation was the way that both RockAuto and Centric left us out to dry. It was a terrible Customer Service experience and because of it, I will never buy from RockAuto and will never buy Centric products again. That's all.
 
Originally Posted By: barlowc
Yep, same guy.
smile.gif


I'm talking about a different vehicle here, that being the Saturn in my signature which is going to need new front brakes soon.

The other thread was about the Centric 120 Series rotors and StopTech pads we installed on my brother's 5-Series BMW. I never received numbers on the supposed runout on the rotors. I was getting my information second hand. However, numbers were given along with being described as "excessive runout". The dealer said the installation looked perfectly fine and I have no reason to doubt them. They are a trustworthy and respected dealer. What ticked me off in that situation was the way that both RockAuto and Centric left us out to dry. It was a terrible Customer Service experience and because of it, I will never buy from RockAuto and will never buy Centric products again. That's all.


Yeah, I totally understand. I'd be pretty displeased if I spent $250 on brakes that didn't last.



Back on the long-forgotten original topic-

Another member mentioned reusing the original clips. I still have the original pads and clips from my last brake job on my Sonata. I took a look at them last night. The clips were pretty beat up and corroded. I ended up using the clips that came with the pads, but I probably could have salvaged the original ones with some elbow grease.

Also, you can still get the OE pads, it appears. This website lists them for $80 after shipping/handling. Other sites may be cheaper.

http://www.saturnparts.com/oe_parts_catalog.html
 
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Thanks for the link! OE pads would be $80 shipped which is about $30 less than the local dealer. I still think I'll probably give the Akebono Pro-ACT or Wagner ThermoQuiet pads a try. People seem to like them and while not everyone online will provide as poor customer service as RockAuto did to me, I feel I'll get better service from my local AAP which carries both of those.
 
Pads are usually a safe bet to buy online and your best deal for OE pads is probably Amazon at $51 with free shipping http://www.amazon.com/ACDelco-21990460-Disc-Brake-Pad/dp/B000EQVSGA. That's the what I'd get. Buying rotors online can be more of a gamble than pads, so I can understand wanting to source rotors locally where you'll be able to waranty them. For buying local I'd think the Akebono are better than the Wagners.
 
The AC Delco pads won't be the same as the genuine Saturn pads. AC Delco and Motorcraft parts are not identical to the genuine Chevy/Buick/etc. or Ford branded parts you buy at the dealer.

Those AC Delco pads may be similar to the OE pads, but they won't be identical.
 
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Remember too that rotors are susceptible to SHIPPING damage, pretty heavy and seldom wrapped well.

I would buy at my local AAP as they have their brand new Platinum series pads (which are GREAT!) and always take care of me on any complaint I have.

And just a quick note. Stoptech was purchased by Centric, they have nothing to do with Carrol Smith, they just made him very rich!!!
 
Originally Posted By: stephen9666
The AC Delco pads won't be the same as the genuine Saturn pads. AC Delco and Motorcraft parts are not identical to the genuine Chevy/Buick/etc. or Ford branded parts you buy at the dealer.

Those AC Delco pads may be similar to the OE pads, but they won't be identical.


I know all about ACDelco aftermarket and OE line. The pads listed are not ACDelco aftermarket line, these are the OE GM part number. That's why they have such a high list price. ACDelco parts can be OE parts, it depends on the part number.
 
I would still guess the AC Delco pads are not identical to the genuine Saturn part. An aftermarket part using the same part number as the OE part doesn't guarantee they're the same. I could be wrong, but I still don't think they're identical.

I've bought aftermarket parts that used the same part number as the OE parts, but weren't identical.
 
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Yeah, but the pads mechanicx pointed to not only have the OE part number but are also described as Original Equipment pads. The AC Delco Advantage and DuraStop pads have different parts numbers. (19286280 and 19108019, respectively.)

In my research, I'd seen it mentioned that Akebono was the OE supplier. I just got inside from looking at the brakes and happened to notice the Akebono name embossed on the "ears" of the pads currently on the vehicle, confirming that they were the OE supplier.

I wonder what the difference is between the Akebono Pro-ACT pads with "OE-validated, application-specific friction formulations" and the Akebono-supplied OE pads?

I'm going to have to jack it up and take the wheels off this weekend to get a good look, but I think I'm very, very close to needing to replace the brakes. Part of the caliper appears to almost be touching the inside surface of the rotor, so I imagine that inner pad is nearly toast. (The outer pad appears to have about 3-4mm of meat left.) Also, I noticed a very soft grinding noise when backing it out of the garage onto the driveway. No squealing yet though.
 
Originally Posted By: barlowc
I'm going to have to jack it up and take the wheels off this weekend to get a good look, but I think I'm very, very close to needing to replace the brakes.

I just got done inspecting things. The front rotors are about 1" thick which isn't too bad I guess. Now that's just a crude measurement using a ruler from edge to edge after brushing the rust off. The pads have about 4mm of meat left and the wear tabs are about 2 mm away from the rotors' suface.

So as long as the mild vibration caused by what must be some runout doesn't bother my wife, it's probably good for another 5K miles or so, wouldn't you think?
 
You can't measure rotor thickness with a ruler. It won't work. You might as well try to make soap out of a pumpkin.
 
I said it was a crude measurement. I don't have a micrometer, but while I had the wheel off, I thought I might as well take some kind of measurement and just see what it was.
 
The Durastop pads are usually Raybestos parts.

When I had an '03 VUE I used the genuine Saturn pads which were also made by Akebono. They look to be of very high quality and still had a decent amount of pad left at 90K in my case when I was replacing warped rotors so I stuck with them.
 
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