Silverado brake time - AC delco vs AAP products

[Scott_mi]

Looks like it's time for brakes for a silverado 1500. Wondering what others would do or suggestions some might have. I have no complaints about the AC delco that came with the truck so that's not my reason to even consider other brands. Looking to see if something might be equal in quality and cheaper in price or better in quality and still equal in price. Don't see a reason to go expensive considering how well the ac delcos did for me. For the record it's a 2009 and got 70K on the original brakes. I have all kinds of stores to choose from but considering what I can get the AC delco's for from amazon the only better prices are coming from AAP w/ discount code. Everything else is equal or slightly more. Oriley's, autozone, AAP, Napa, Carquest, auto value are all my local choices to choose from. How would these options below compare to AC delco's? I wouldn't mind saving money and being able to pick them up and work on it this weekend but not at the expense of getting a lesser quality setup. I'm not afraid to mix and match brands, I just listed them together for show. What way would some of you go and don't have to be only what's listed below. AC delco Professional Durastop pads (37.53) & rotors (55.47x2) from amazon free shipping& no tax = $148.49 Carquest Wearever rotor (49.99x2) + CARQUEST Wearever Platinum pads (53.99) = $ $153.97 with $50 discount = $103.97 Wagner rotor (51.49x2) + Wager thermoquiet pads (71.99) = 174.97 with $50 discount and $15 rebate on pads = 109.97 could be less with multiple orders for additional discounts.

 

[Warstud]

I put the AC Delco Advantage Ceramics on my truck the last time and love'm. And used the old...unturned rotors. Got'm from Amazon.

 

[Donald]

Originally Posted By: Scott_mi

Looks like it's time for brakes for a silverado 1500. Wondering what others would do or suggestions some might have. I have no complaints about the AC delco that came with the truck so that's not my reason to even consider other brands. Looking to see if something might be equal in quality and cheaper in price or better in quality and still equal in price. Don't see a reason to go expensive considering how well the ac delcos did for me. For the record it's a 2009 and got 70K on the original brakes. I have all kinds of stores to choose from but considering what I can get the AC delco's for from amazon the only better prices are coming from AAP w/ discount code. Everything else is equal or slightly more. Oriley's, autozone, AAP, Napa, Carquest, auto value are all my local choices to choose from. How would these options below compare to AC delco's? I wouldn't mind saving money and being able to pick them up and work on it this weekend but not at the expense of getting a lesser quality setup. I'm not afraid to mix and match brands, I just listed them together for show. What way would some of you go and don't have to be only what's listed below. AC delco Professional Durastop pads (37.53) & rotors (55.47x2) from amazon free shipping& no tax = $148.49 Carquest Wearever rotor (49.99x2) + CARQUEST Wearever Platinum pads (53.99) = $ $153.97 with $50 discount = $103.97 Wagner rotor (51.49x2) + Wager thermoquiet pads (71.99) = 174.97 with $50 discount and $15 rebate on pads = 109.97 could be less with multiple orders for additional discounts.

Why wouldn't you get Akebono or Wagner TQ?

 

[CKN]

I just had my brakes checked on my 2011 Silverado w/46,000 miles on it. I was told they still looked new. And I probably have 14,000 towing miles on them. To me, next time around it's going to be OEM again. I mean-why look elsewhere with the results you have had?

 

[Scott_mi]

I have no personal history of use with really any brands. I haven't had the pleasure to have tried many different brands to personally know how they do or how they last. I really have no personal reason to use, or not use any specific brands. The only bench mark I have is I know how the original brakes held up and what the AC delco's cost to replace. Just looking if there's options that are equal to the Delco's for less, or something better and equal in price. There's so many various stores, brands, and recommendations that no matter how many brake threads I've read I was never any closer to having my mind made up when the time for brakes came. Come to think of it, I doubt AC delco makes their own brakes so who knows what brand came on the truck, and if that's the same brand I would be getting buying the AC delco's.

 

[mrsilv04]

I'm redoing the front brakes on my 2004 Silverado this weekend. Removing the factory rock hard pads and rotors after 85,000 miles. Mainly, the rotors are starting to have issues during hard/high speed braking, and the pads are just flat out rock hard. For pads, I went with the Wagner ThermoQuiet pads from Amazon. After rebate, they will be $19. For rotors, I went with the Wearevers from Advance. I've used several sets without an issue. Plus, I'd hate to have to ship something like a rotor back to Amazon/Rock Auto/whoever if there was an issue. If there's an issue with one of the rotors from Advance, they are 10 minutes away. After discount code, the rotors were $21 each. So, even after tax, it will be less than $70 for pads and rotors.

 

[sciphi]

Any of those choices would do well. If you want to do it this weekend, source the brakes locally. What about a local dealer for the Delco pads? They just might be competitive.

 

[ArrestMeRedZ]

I've got a lot of experience replacing OEM on my personal truck and with the wife's company trucks with Autozone Duralast Gold (whatever the top pads are). In my experience, the ACDelcos lasted about twice as long as the Autozone pads. I've gone back to ordering ACDelco pads and rotors to have on hand for when I need them.

 

[clinebarger]

Originally Posted By: Scott_mi

I have no personal history of use with really any brands. I haven't had the pleasure to have tried many different brands to personally know how they do or how they last. I really have no personal reason to use, or not use any specific brands. The only bench mark I have is I know how the original brakes held up and what the AC delco's cost to replace. Just looking if there's options that are equal to the Delco's for less, or something better and equal in price. There's so many various stores, brands, and recommendations that no matter how many brake threads I've read I was never any closer to having my mind made up when the time for brakes came. Come to think of it, I doubt AC delco makes their own brakes so who knows what brand came on the truck, and if that's the same brand I would be getting buying the AC delco's.

You can buy AC-Delco OE pads for your truck. The professional line is not OE.

 

[01rangerxl]

When I worked at AAP, we had multiple shops that preferred the Wearever Platinums to Wagner TQ. One shop even referred to them as "ThermoSqueaks." I never had noise issues from TQ pads, but my truck did eat up a set very quickly (27K mi), but I was towing a lot. I don't think Wagner TQ pads are bad personally, but in the time I worked at Advance I NEVER heard a complaint about Wearever Platinums, and we never had a set come back under warranty (and I worked for a hub store that was 70% commercial accounts). AC Delco pads are good, they just tend to be expensive. I think you will get just as good service out of Wearever Platinums. Personally, I'd go with your $103.97 option. The price you got for AC Delco is good for the brand, but isn't necessarily getting you better brakes than your other choices. A lot of AC Delco aftermarket and even some older OE numbers are coming from China (especially with something like rotors), so the AC Delco rotors likely aren't much if any better than the Wearevers.

 

[Scott_mi]

Originally Posted By: sciphi

What about a local dealer for the Delco pads? They just might be competitive.

$371 from dealer for the Professional durastops that he wrote the quote up with, and the same ones I could get for $148. Had already priced the dealer, that's where I came up with the part numbers for the ACdelco's as the guy at the parts counter indicated that's what would have been on the truck new. Used my vin and everything but now I see someone claiming that's not OE.

Originally Posted By: clinebarger

You can buy AC-Delco OE pads for your truck. The professional line is not OE.

After some more looking I see that now, looks like ACDelco 171-1074 with a price of 74.11 on amazon are the OE. Just what I needed more confusion. Also seen things indicating that akebono are the OE supplier. Now I'm glad I posted this and didn't end up getting parts that were not what I thought I was getting. Not that have any Idea how the OE is compared to the Pro Durastop I originally price.

 

[CapitalTruck]

The part number 171-1074 looks like a GM/ACDelco OEM part number. Those are what I would use. GM OE brake pads are really good.

 

[Scott_mi]

Now it changes everything seeing that to go with the OE pads and rotors that I was so happy with is now $204.85...I can look at the other suggestions I've seen about Akebono, centric, Raybestos, hawk, among other suggestions I've been taking notes of over that last few months. Pretty much opens the door for alternate choices. I think Akebono pads and centric rotors are the suggestion I've seen the most, but I'll still consider something from AAP. Might just have to see how good they can be with such a small price point with their discount codes. At least give them a shot maybe and see what kinda service a sub $100 brake job can offer. There are 3 silverado's in the family so I need to see where this stuff falls in quality and price...figure something out for the future brake jobs without having to spend so much time reading and comparing.

 

[01rangerxl]

Does this truck tow a lot or otherwise see hard braking use? If not, there really isn't a reason to go for the most expensive brake parts. Premium private label pads are usually quite good. Rotors are starting to get pretty homogenized unless you go OE or a very select few aftermarket brands. The only thing you need to avoid like the plague is super cheap organic pads with no chamfered edges, cooling slot or any other features. Those pads are strictly meat on the bone to get a ragged out car down the road without killing someone.

 

[Superflop]

OEM ac delcos will outlast the parts house brands.. ac delco has a lower end line called "advantage" which is aimed at competing with the parts house parts. I use a lot of AcDelco parts at my shop and prefer it to most others. I even put on the AcDelco Performance pads and rotors on the police crown vics.. those rotors come from italy.

 

[Superflop]

forgot to add in. just buy the whole brake job as AcDelco "Durastop" grade parts and sleep easy as any extra money spent will be made up for when those durastop parts last 2-3 times longer than the parts house brand.

 

[tommygunn]

Remember the ACDelco has three lines: Advantage, Professional, and GM Original Equipment. Advantage is the cheap economy grade, which I'd avoid. Professional is mid-grade, reboxed random aftermarket parts. These are NOT the same as the OE on your truck; see below. GM Original Equipment is self-explanatory. You don't have to buy these at the dealer; I know Rock Auto carries the OE line. That said, my recommendation for pads is Akebono ProACT, Wagner Severe Duty or ThermoQuiet, or GM Original Equipment. My recommendation for rotors is either GM Original Equipment or VGX Platinum.

 

[901Memphis]

Recently put some Wearever Platinum ceramics on my Buick with new Wearever rotors. Great pads, very high quality, built in shims, just superb feeling and they are FF friction rated. Wearever Platinum will be a better choice than ac delco professional and advantage for sure. If you want to pay a lot extra for OE stuff it is good stuff. Wearever Platinum isn't your typical bottom dollar parts store pad, it's high end stuff.

 

[cronk]

I've worked at a dealership that sells GM for 12 years in the parts dept. AC Delco makes 3 lines of brake parts. Original Equipment Durastop professional Durastop Advantage Original Equipment is the same your truck left the factory. Durastop Professional is made by a different supplier but meets/exceeds GM specs, good quality replacement stiff. Advantage is economy stuff, not bad quality, but budget grade stuff. I personally have used a lot of the Durastop Professional brake pads and have no complaints. Similar performance to the oe pads. The professional and advantage rotors are all made in china. The professional appear to be a higher quality casting and have a black high temp paint on the areas that do not contact the pads. Many of the Original equipment rotors I have handled were made in Mexico. I personally usually go with the Advantage rotors, I have had no issues with them and the price is usually comparable with no name parts house brands. The trick with new rotors is to go easy on them the first couple weeks. Gradual heating and cooling of the rotors will allow some gentle thermal cycling without warping them. You have to make the choice. I honestly think any of the 3 choices you had in your first post would work fine. I personally would probably go with the Durastop Professional parts if you can get them for $150. They will serve you well.

 

[mrsilv04]

I'm glad that everyone is confirming the notion that I had in my head, that the factory pads on the front of my truck are the way that I was seeing them.... rock hard.