I have posted a few times about how i havent been happy with my 2003 Suburban Braking.. I found the issue while doing a complete brake job.
Rear- Removed OEM rear rotors with 230K miles and perhaps OEM rear brakes. Pad had about 1/8 inch left so it was time and the rear rotors were rusted badly. Replaced with NAPAs cheapest 'Premium' rotors and their cheapest Proformer Semi Metallic Pads.
Front- My buddy replaced the front rotors and pads for me before i bought it off of him. With 20000 miles mostly towing and running heavy I didnt expect to see the pads looking nearly new. I had to PRY the backside pads off and chisel them out with a hammer, they were stuck firmly on the clips. I cleaned everything up and lubed the pins..and noticed that the backside pads werent going in..if i hammered them in they would.. so i began filing the ears and the edge of the pad that lay in the clips. Trial and error i filed for about 30 minutes until they installed and moved freely. Replaced with Proformer Semi Metallic Pads.
Lubricated Pins clips and ears with Sil Glyde. Lubricated mating surfaces of caliper to pad with anti-seize.
Bedded pads in then let rest overnight.
Test Drive- Drove through the country over some hills and mountains then into town. Braking was vastly superior to before the brake job as I suspected. I dont know if i could put myself through the windshield but it was impressive stopping compared to what it was. No brake noises, but it never had any before.. On the way home I was driving down a pretty steep hill and got it up to 60mph and did a panic braking scenario as if there were a deer in the road-- straight and to the point no fuss it stopped as it should.
All in I have about $35 in the pads front and rear. Visually out of all the pads that I looked at the Proformers looked the best with bonded and riveted shims. The DOT friction code was FE, whereas the Platinums and Severe Duty were EE or FE also.
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If something happens like noise or premature pad wear I am going to order online next time.. its just too hard to figure out whats in the box at the brick and mortars and from what I could tell 'Premium' and 'Ultra Premium' or other fancy words like 'Gold' or 'Platinum'..dont mean a thing when it comes to brake pads.. just the price.
Rear- Removed OEM rear rotors with 230K miles and perhaps OEM rear brakes. Pad had about 1/8 inch left so it was time and the rear rotors were rusted badly. Replaced with NAPAs cheapest 'Premium' rotors and their cheapest Proformer Semi Metallic Pads.
Front- My buddy replaced the front rotors and pads for me before i bought it off of him. With 20000 miles mostly towing and running heavy I didnt expect to see the pads looking nearly new. I had to PRY the backside pads off and chisel them out with a hammer, they were stuck firmly on the clips. I cleaned everything up and lubed the pins..and noticed that the backside pads werent going in..if i hammered them in they would.. so i began filing the ears and the edge of the pad that lay in the clips. Trial and error i filed for about 30 minutes until they installed and moved freely. Replaced with Proformer Semi Metallic Pads.
Lubricated Pins clips and ears with Sil Glyde. Lubricated mating surfaces of caliper to pad with anti-seize.
Bedded pads in then let rest overnight.
Test Drive- Drove through the country over some hills and mountains then into town. Braking was vastly superior to before the brake job as I suspected. I dont know if i could put myself through the windshield but it was impressive stopping compared to what it was. No brake noises, but it never had any before.. On the way home I was driving down a pretty steep hill and got it up to 60mph and did a panic braking scenario as if there were a deer in the road-- straight and to the point no fuss it stopped as it should.
All in I have about $35 in the pads front and rear. Visually out of all the pads that I looked at the Proformers looked the best with bonded and riveted shims. The DOT friction code was FE, whereas the Platinums and Severe Duty were EE or FE also.
-----
If something happens like noise or premature pad wear I am going to order online next time.. its just too hard to figure out whats in the box at the brick and mortars and from what I could tell 'Premium' and 'Ultra Premium' or other fancy words like 'Gold' or 'Platinum'..dont mean a thing when it comes to brake pads.. just the price.