recommendations for brake hardware brands / what else small parts to buy?

[apollo18]

hey all going to go the ebc brakes route for my 14 rdx i think just cuz getting the combo rotors and pads are decent savings and would trust them more then china stuff.

sadly ebc doesnt include brake hardware and since my vehicle is relatively new to me and i have no clue about past maintenance, i am going to get fresh hardware and was wondering if brake hardware brand matters or if i just get whatever i can get my hands on out of dynamic friction, r1, centric etc?

also is the brake hardware kit all i need or should i also be changing out other bolts such as caliper bolts etc with new?

thanks!

 

[Hall]

No need to replace caliper bolts. Depending on the age, and past maintenance, you might replace the slide pins plus the rubber boots for those. Local parts stores will have those in stock or can get them in hours or the following day and Raybestos, Centric, Dorman, etc are common for those.

Are there actually savings with pad+rotor combo kits ? When I've looked at them on Rockauto, there's not. I'd also buy pads that include hardware, but that's just me....

 

[apollo18]

No need to replace caliper bolts. Depending on the age, and past maintenance, you might replace the slide pins plus the rubber boots for those. Local parts stores will have those in stock or can get them in hours or the following day and Raybestos, Centric, Dorman, etc are common for those.

Are there actually savings with pad+rotor combo kits ? When I've looked at them on Rockauto, there's not. I'd also buy pads that include hardware, but that's just me....

that is true on rockauto the best price for single rotors is like $55 each for my vehicle for coated if i dont do drilled/slotted which is said isnt worth it anyways. and the most price pads on rockauto for my front for my vehicle are like $50-80. this is all without shipping.

however since all the stuff above i assume is china made, i decided i wanted to go with ebc since its uk and i hope its better quality since im paying a pretty penny. the reason i bought the combo up is if u buy the pads+rotors together as a set from ebc you save $50-60 easily rather then seperate. because ebc rotors for my vehicle alone are easily $90 + for each rotor which is basically double the price of the rockauto ones but what makes me feel better is i am hoping i am getting better quality which is why im paying almost double compared to PS geomet or bosch rotors. Then EBC yellowstuff pads for my vehicle are easily $130 alone so even if i got cheaper non ebc rotors and kept the yellowstuff pads, with shipping and all that this would end up being close to the price of the ebc pad/rotor combo. also if i got the ebc rotors and a cheaper pad, i would once again be close to the price of the ebc set

so for piece of mind just seems like a nobrainer for me to get ebc unless i am mistaken and that the other rotors are potentially just as good as ebc

 

[slacktide_bitog]

I don't think it matters what brand you use for the hardware

 

[benjamming]

I don't replace h/w a lot of times on my vehicles as it's not needed & not required. Are you in the rust belt? If so, then I'm sure you should ignore my first sentence.

@Hall - I have saved on pad/rotor combo kit from EBC in the past, for example, for a 2013 Explorer. However, it's not always a savings. Results may vary, of course.

Does Honda/Acura still have the brake hardware items available that you're interested in?

 

[apollo18]

I don't replace h/w a lot of times on my vehicles as it's not needed & not required. Are you in the rust belt? If so, then I'm sure you should ignore my first sentence.

@Hall - I have saved on pad/rotor combo kit from EBC in the past, for example, for a 2013 Explorer. However, it's not always a savings. Results may vary, of course.

Does Honda/Acura still have the brake hardware items available that you're interested in?

i assume honda acura does but i was just gonna get a random aftermarket

 

[lbhsbz]

DFC / R1 are the same company. Centric/Raybestos/Carlson are the same company.

DFC has nicer hardware across the board. A lot more stainless components vs zinc plated steel components.

 

[Nukeman7]

My recommendation for your Acura RDX is to clean up and reuse the original brake hardware or purchase the OEM hardware from Honda/Acura. After installing dozens of brake pads on Honda/Acura platforms, my experience is that no aftermarket brake hardware parts fit 100% correctly on Hondas & Acuras. The brake hardware from Akebono has fit the best, but not 100% perfect like OEM. I have yet to find any brand of aftermarket brake hardware that has perfect tolerances/dimensions for Honda vehicles.

I always prefer to polish the original hardware with a fine wire wheel using a Dremel rotary tool in lieu of replacing with new aftermarket parts. If the shims/etc. are damaged or rusted beyond repair, I will insist on OEM replacement hardware to prevent callbacks.

 

[D60]

I agree -- if the abutment clips are in good shape, reuse simply because much of the aftermarket doesn't fit well.

I almost always replace slider pins and boots, or at least I order to have on-hand. I just use aftermarket there and suspect most of it comes from a small handful of factories and is just thrown in different packaging.

 

[Hall]

Does Honda/Acura still have the brake hardware items available that you're interested in?

I replaced the slide pins and boots for our '12 Civic this spring, but got Raybestos parts from Rockauto.

I don't replace h/w a lot of times on my vehicles as it's not needed & not required. Are you in the rust belt? If so, then I'm sure you should ignore my first sentence.

Yes, rust is an issue here so yes, it's almost mandatory to replace the hardware (I only mean the abutment clips) each time unless you're very disciplined when it comes to cleaning and re-lubricating them yearly or every 2 years. I only replaced the slide pins because one of the boots got torn. I could have just replaced the torn one, but they come in sets (front OR rear) for both wheels, for the slide pins and the boots, so....

 

[Hall]

The brake hardware from Akebono has fit the best, but not 100% perfect like OEM.

That's interesting because so many claim Akebono makes the OEM brake bits. I can understand if contractually they can't sell the exact brake pads under their name, but it's surprising they can't sell the hardware (clips) as well. Then again, Honda "owns" the design either way.

 

[The Critic]

That's interesting because so many claim Akebono makes the OEM brake bits. I can understand if contractually they can't sell the exact brake pads under their name, but it's surprising they can't sell the hardware (clips) as well. Then again, Honda "owns" the design either way.

The aftermarket Akebono program is only loosely related to their OE division.

 

[Hall]

The aftermarket Akebono program is only loosely related to their OE division.

There's always those folks who say "Akebono is the OEM for Honda" and imply that buying Akebono pads are 100% equivalent to the OEM pads you'd get from the dealer though. Well, their 1st statement is in fact true....

 

[The Critic]

Well, their 1st statement is in fact true....

Not entirely. Advics has been doing some of their models.