Can you give us the exact year and trim level of this Cobalt?
Choice in brake pads...AAP or Napa? (or something)
- Thread starter daves87rs
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Ever consider the GM OE pads? I just replaced the Hawk pads on my R with OEM Volvo pads and rotors and the braking performance is significantly better. Plus the OE pads fit perfectly unlike the aftermarket pads.
Originally Posted By: bdcardinal
Ever consider the GM OE pads? I just replaced the Hawk pads on my R with OEM Volvo pads and rotors and the braking performance is significantly better. Plus the OE pads fit perfectly unlike the aftermarket pads.
Yep! Still thinking about the Durastops...
Ever consider the GM OE pads? I just replaced the Hawk pads on my R with OEM Volvo pads and rotors and the braking performance is significantly better. Plus the OE pads fit perfectly unlike the aftermarket pads.
Yep! Still thinking about the Durastops...
Originally Posted By: daves87rs
Originally Posted By: stephen9666
Can you give us the exact year and trim level of this Cobalt?
Yep. 2006 Cobalt LS, 2dr. just a tad over 52k.
Non-abs
Which engine?
I don't know if that matters or not.
Originally Posted By: stephen9666
Can you give us the exact year and trim level of this Cobalt?
Yep. 2006 Cobalt LS, 2dr. just a tad over 52k.
Non-abs
Which engine?
I don't know if that matters or not.
I prefer store pads with lifetime warranty. I recently got the wearever platinum ceramic from AAP as my research lead me there. Autozone gold are a good product too, especially if you want to take advantage of the warranty when you run them out. I hear people getting crazy high mileage out of this model, along with the cleaner dust they produce.
As long as you stick to the upper two in store brands you really won't do bad. It's the cheapest stuff that you want to avoid. My wearever platinum pads were $50 plus tax. I couldn't use a coupon code because I had an in store credit.
As long as you stick to the upper two in store brands you really won't do bad. It's the cheapest stuff that you want to avoid. My wearever platinum pads were $50 plus tax. I couldn't use a coupon code because I had an in store credit.
I like hawk pads, but i never see many people suggest them. Have not that many people used them?
Originally Posted By: spasm3
I like hawk pads, but i never see many people suggest them. Have not that many people used them?
I had them on my R car. They lasted a long time, but I wasn't impressed with them. I had the HPS pads, however I hear the more aggressive track oriented pads are really nice when up to temp.
I like hawk pads, but i never see many people suggest them. Have not that many people used them?
I had them on my R car. They lasted a long time, but I wasn't impressed with them. I had the HPS pads, however I hear the more aggressive track oriented pads are really nice when up to temp.
I have Thermoquiets on the Sonata front and rear. Seem to be OK for most of daily drive. I'm normally very easy on brakes. They are quiet and not a lot of dust. I did find on 2 recent occasions going to fire calls that I got serious brake fade fast. I have 10 stops signs in a short area that I hit pending where I'm coming from. By the last 2 signs and at fire house the car does not stop well at all. I don't know if it's my fluid needing flush again or off gassing of the pads. I'll change fluid first, then pads then get slotted rotors if it continues.
I just put Hawk LTS on the Sequoia on front and rear. Much better braking than what was on it (Thermoquiet rears and Carquest Premium on front). The thermoquiets were at wear indicator after about 16k (2 years). The Carquest (shop had installed) were three years and about 20k had 1/2 life left. The carquest from day one I hated as truck required much more pedal effort to stop. The friction coefficent/brake bite/feel was much less than the Hawks (which I had prior). Even wife commented that the truck stops much better now and she is normally oblivious to these things.
I think the Carquest pads are a much harder compound designed for the low dust crowd. The thermoquiets I think took a much bigger hit because of the different materials. There is always a tradeoff just like tires. I'll take a little more dust for better stopping.
The Hawks I put on originally were also much better bite than the factory pads.
By the way the truck stopped fine at the end of same stop signs going to a call just today with the Hawk LTS pads on all four corners. Much heavier vehicle, granted bigger brakes also, but I'll spend the extra on the hawks.
Also the AAP warranty on Thermoquiets only covers material problems (like cracks) NOT if they are just worn out. I just tried to get replacements for the worn ones as I had original box with 2 year old receipt. Since no defect, no pad warranty. They were only $10 cheaper than the Hawks. Of course when I bought them I needed to do it then and didn't want to wait to order the Hawks
I just put Hawk LTS on the Sequoia on front and rear. Much better braking than what was on it (Thermoquiet rears and Carquest Premium on front). The thermoquiets were at wear indicator after about 16k (2 years). The Carquest (shop had installed) were three years and about 20k had 1/2 life left. The carquest from day one I hated as truck required much more pedal effort to stop. The friction coefficent/brake bite/feel was much less than the Hawks (which I had prior). Even wife commented that the truck stops much better now and she is normally oblivious to these things.
I think the Carquest pads are a much harder compound designed for the low dust crowd. The thermoquiets I think took a much bigger hit because of the different materials. There is always a tradeoff just like tires. I'll take a little more dust for better stopping.
The Hawks I put on originally were also much better bite than the factory pads.
By the way the truck stopped fine at the end of same stop signs going to a call just today with the Hawk LTS pads on all four corners. Much heavier vehicle, granted bigger brakes also, but I'll spend the extra on the hawks.
Also the AAP warranty on Thermoquiets only covers material problems (like cracks) NOT if they are just worn out. I just tried to get replacements for the worn ones as I had original box with 2 year old receipt. Since no defect, no pad warranty. They were only $10 cheaper than the Hawks. Of course when I bought them I needed to do it then and didn't want to wait to order the Hawks
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A friend of mine put Posi Quiet pads on his Charger SRT8 which has identical brakes as my car, The difference was almost scary.
As stated above there is always a trade off. Some may never notice.
But I like pads that have a nice initial bite even cold. If that means a bit of dust, so be it...
As stated above there is always a trade off. Some may never notice.
But I like pads that have a nice initial bite even cold. If that means a bit of dust, so be it...
Recently put some economy autozone pads and rotors on the front of a grand pris. Only ran them for about 500 miles before selling but in that time they felt great and had good stopping power.
Originally Posted By: buck91
Recently put some economy autozone pads and rotors on the front of a grand pris. Only ran them for about 500 miles before selling but in that time they felt great and had good stopping power.
Seems people like those pads here...and the rest of their line..
Recently put some economy autozone pads and rotors on the front of a grand pris. Only ran them for about 500 miles before selling but in that time they felt great and had good stopping power.
Seems people like those pads here...and the rest of their line..
Originally Posted By: supton
Have you checked the brakes yet? On my Jetta I R&R'd the rears, and magically life got better. Amazing what can happen when the pads can move, instead of being stuck in place.
This is good advise. I checked up on my Celica's rear brakes when I started hearing some noise back there. Well, it looked like whoever installed new pads last time (previous owner), didn't install all of the springy retaining clips (3 on each caliper). I bought a set of pins and clips for my car and put them on. Not only did the noise go away, in neutral at stop lights I am rolling all over the place at all sorts of minute inclines whereas before I would be solidly planted.
edit: this is what I was talking about.
Have you checked the brakes yet? On my Jetta I R&R'd the rears, and magically life got better. Amazing what can happen when the pads can move, instead of being stuck in place.
This is good advise. I checked up on my Celica's rear brakes when I started hearing some noise back there. Well, it looked like whoever installed new pads last time (previous owner), didn't install all of the springy retaining clips (3 on each caliper). I bought a set of pins and clips for my car and put them on. Not only did the noise go away, in neutral at stop lights I am rolling all over the place at all sorts of minute inclines whereas before I would be solidly planted.
edit: this is what I was talking about.
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