nipper Posted July 3, 2007 Share Posted July 3, 2007 Driving home from CT i realized its time for front rotors. I need an affordable source for rotors (tire rack is 50ish and reasonable shipping), and a recomendation on ceramic front pads. Anyone? Thanks nipper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theflystyle Posted July 3, 2007 Share Posted July 3, 2007 nothing wrong with junkyard rotors from a wrecked subie if you wanna go cheap lol.. but +1 on the tirerack, i got the brembo from them and loved them. i just wish i remembered what pads ive been using for all this time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted July 3, 2007 Author Share Posted July 3, 2007 a little secret or two.... 1- we dont have any scrapyards or junk yards by me anymore(or worth talking about). Even poor real-estate is under development issues. 2- Since the car accident my self confidence has been shot to hell, so ive been doing little projects to build it back up (not to mention body strength and bending ability). It sucks when you get down on the ground and can't get back up because the wiring that makes those things work is broken to some degree. nipper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ron917 Posted July 3, 2007 Share Posted July 3, 2007 Advance Auto stocks Wearever front rotors at $41 and change. That's what I bought (I needed them right away), and they stop the car as well as anything else I've ever used. Advance also sells some really cheap ones for like $24, but those weren't in stock. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamal Posted July 3, 2007 Share Posted July 3, 2007 importrp.com and wrxbrakes (http://wrxbrakes.knsbrakes.com/) are both well known vendors. Otherwise autozone has pretty cheap and straight rotors. Hawk HPS and Axxis Ultimate are both reasonably priced ceramic pads that I have used and liked. They're a bit dusty but handle hotter temperatures than oem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tcspeer Posted July 3, 2007 Share Posted July 3, 2007 I also like the Auto Zone rotor, not the cheap one they sell but the Duralast rotor somewhere around 28.00 to 30.00 dollars if I remember correct. Nipper I know about that trying to get back up, I am still having trouble most of the time I have to crawl over to something I can get hold of to help me get up. But it is still getting better every day. I hope you are still improving each day. T.C. importrp.com and wrxbrakes (http://wrxbrakes.knsbrakes.com/) are both well known vendors. Otherwise autozone has pretty cheap and straight rotors. Hawk HPS and Axxis Ultimate are both reasonably priced ceramic pads that I have used and liked. They're a bit dusty but handle hotter temperatures than oem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OB99W Posted July 3, 2007 Share Posted July 3, 2007 I also like the Auto Zone rotor, not the cheap one they sell but the Duralast rotor somewhere around 28.00 to 30.00 dollars if I remember correct.[...]I haven't used AZ Duralast rotors on a Subaru, but my brother and I did the front brakes on his Corolla (sorry! ) using them. They're Chinese-made (not a factor unless you believe that the alloy is poor, or have some other concern), not badly machined, but not OEM in quality either. I miked them -- they actually were a bit thicker than stock, which might seem a plus until you realize that with new OEM pads, you'd better get the caliper piston fully retracted, or you aren't going to get things back together again. (Yes, there was just enough clearance so that the brakes weren't hanging when it all went back together.) Also, the center hole for the hub was slightly oversize, meaning that there was the potential for a bit of imbalance due to mis-centering. The surface finish was just a bit rougher than I normally like to see, but at least it was properly angled relative to the direction of rotation, and not concentric, which sometimes leads to poor pad seating and scoring. After all was done, my brother reported that the brakes felt good, and last time I asked he still says so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tcspeer Posted July 4, 2007 Share Posted July 4, 2007 I think most auto parts are now made in China, I know the cheap rotors are but I thought I remembered seeing made in Canada on the Dura last ones. These have worked great on my Postal Subaru because they have to be changed so much that the price becomes another factor for me. I have not had any issues with the other things you bought up from the rotors but I understand your point, I bought a aftermarket radiator for our Saturn wagon and nothing about it wanted to fit right. I haven't used AZ Duralast rotors on a Subaru, but my brother and I did the front brakes on his Corolla (sorry! ) using them. They're Chinese-made (not a factor unless you believe that the alloy is poor, or have some other concern), not badly machined, but not OEM in quality either. I miked them -- they actually were a bit thicker than stock, which might seem a plus until you realize that with new OEM pads, you'd better get the caliper piston fully retracted, or you aren't going to get things back together again. (Yes, there was just enough clearance so that the brakes weren't hanging when it all went back together.) Also, the center hole for the hub was slightly oversize, meaning that there was the potential for a bit of imbalance due to mis-centering. The surface finish was just a bit rougher than I normally like to see, but at least it was properly angled relative to the direction of rotation, and not concentric, which sometimes leads to poor pad seating and scoring. After all was done, my brother reported that the brakes felt good, and last time I asked he still says so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theflystyle Posted July 4, 2007 Share Posted July 4, 2007 a little secret or two.... Since the car accident my self confidence has been shot to hell, so ive been doing little projects to build it back up (not to mention body strength and bending ability). It sucks when you get down on the ground and can't get back up because the wiring that makes those things work is broken to some degree. nipper sorry to hear about your accident, i didnt know... i do hope you get all your strength and health back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ericem Posted July 4, 2007 Share Posted July 4, 2007 a little secret or two.... 1- we dont have any scrapyards or junk yards by me anymore(or worth talking about). Even poor real-estate is under development issues. 2- Since the car accident my self confidence has been shot to hell, so ive been doing little projects to build it back up (not to mention body strength and bending ability). It sucks when you get down on the ground and can't get back up because the wiring that makes those things work is broken to some degree. nipper Sorry to hear.......... My dad got into a accident when he was in his toyota tercel which effected him alot he got serious whip lash i believe? He used to always look like he had a cold AND ALOT of complaints about his neck and ALOT of advil. Now hes better after about 10 years later. Things just happen though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MDW25gt Posted July 4, 2007 Share Posted July 4, 2007 Driving home from CT i realized its time for front rotors. I need an affordable source for rotors (tire rack is 50ish and reasonable shipping), and a recomendation on ceramic front pads. Anyone? Thanks nipper I got the brembo oem's and also put on the Hawk HPS pad. I like! Hang in there! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted July 4, 2007 Author Share Posted July 4, 2007 I got the AZ discs (made in taiwan .. i can deal with that much better) and the AZ ceramic pads. i did a net search and people seemed to like them. Also got a generic downstream o2 sensor. Hopefully thats something else i can do myself. nipper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OB99W Posted July 4, 2007 Share Posted July 4, 2007 I think most auto parts are now made in China, I know the cheap rotors are but I thought I remembered seeing made in Canada on the Dura last ones.Although "Canada" and "China" have the same first and last letters, and an "n" inbetween, the ones we got definitely were Duralast branded (2-year warranty) and made in China. These have worked great on my Postal Subaru because they have to be changed so much that the price becomes another factor for me. I have not had any issues with the other things you bought up from the rotors but I understand your point, I bought a aftermarket radiator for our Saturn wagon and nothing about it wanted to fit right.Just so there's no misunderstanding -- the rotor's seem to be working fine, even though they varied slightly from OEM specs. Not quite being to spec isn't unusual with aftermarket parts, since they're often reverse-engineered; they start with a sample or two of the original, then work backwards and figure out how to make the part, without the benefit of engineering diagrams or specs. In the fashion field, they might be referred to as "knock-offs". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted July 4, 2007 Author Share Posted July 4, 2007 Just so there's no misunderstanding -- the rotor's seem to be working fine, even though they varied slightly from OEM specs. Not quite being to spec isn't unusual with aftermarket parts, since they're often reverse-engineered; they start with a sample or two of the original, then work backwards and figure out how to make the part, without the benefit of engineering diagrams or specs. In the fashion field, they might be referred to as "knock-offs". OR.. when i worked for a parts MFG, they came out the back door of the same factory that made the OE parts. But when it comes from china, reverse engineered, poor quality, and a we-dont-give-a-damn-they-must-buy-from-us-because-we-are-great-communist-country mentality appears, Whats acceptable at home isnt in other markets. I hope no one has nay chineese tires..... nipper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tcspeer Posted July 4, 2007 Share Posted July 4, 2007 Me! I got some from Discount Tires, Kumiko or something like that. (Sorry) I hope no one has nay chineese tires..... nipper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OB99W Posted July 4, 2007 Share Posted July 4, 2007 OR.. when i worked for a parts MFG, they came out the back door of the same factory that made the OE parts.Yep; read my posts in this thread: http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=71584 But when it comes from china, reverse engineered, poor quality, and a we-dont-give-a-damn-they-must-buy-from-us-because-we-are-great-communist-country mentality appears, Whats acceptable at home isnt in other markets.[...]Not every product from China is inferior; if someone is willing to pay a fair price, they are often capable of producing quality goods. The problem is that the Chinese need to employ a lot of people, want (although less so, as time goes by) US dollars, and will make things for a negotiated price that doesn't leave a lot of room for good materials and QC. As in other Asian countries, quality will likely improve over time as goods from China are more accepted, and the prices will rise accordingly; remember what happened with Japanese, Korean, etc., products. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MDW25gt Posted July 4, 2007 Share Posted July 4, 2007 Me! I got some from Discount Tires, Kumiko or something like that. (Sorry) I hope no one has nay chineese tires..... nipper Kumho is Korean Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted July 4, 2007 Author Share Posted July 4, 2007 Yep; read my posts in this thread: http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=71584 Not every product from China is inferior; if someone is willing to pay a fair price, they are often capable of producing quality goods. The problem is that the Chinese need to employ a lot of people, want (although less so, as time goes by) US dollars, and will make things for a negotiated price that doesn't leave a lot of room for good materials and QC. As in other Asian countries, quality will likely improve over time as goods from China are more accepted, and the prices will rise accordingly; remember what happened with Japanese, Korean, etc., products. Yes and no. Its better to look at products from Russia and N korea. The other coutries listed are answerable to the public. CHina is not answerable to the public as a communist regime, and have such a large volume of sales they really dont feel any backlash (yet). Just look at how they have been handling the product issues all over the world. They have killed people in other countries with thier products. All they do is stonewall, deny, threaten. http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=56056 http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/05/17/business/trade.php http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/31/AR2007053100901.htmlhttp://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/06/28/health/main2992320.shtml http://news.newamericamedia.org/news/view_article.html?article_id=ea8c428ff274b708c71a4514aec25bab China cant be sued like you would in the western world. CHina has very little tracabilty on the product. China itself doesnt even knowa lot of its products are coming from. They just executed the head of the (equivilant) of the FDA, but they have done nothing to correct the situation internally. China's sudden rejection of food products from the USA seems suspect at best, in a tit for tat way that China does diplomacy. (tires http://www.abcnews.go.com/Business/IndustryInfo/wireStory?id=3315045) Luckily i have a simple taste in food, so im not worried about most of this as far as food wise, but have been paying alot more attention to the source of where things come from. Interestingly some of the Chinese cars that are due to be importes to this country have gone through crash tests, and have gotten zero or one star. i wonder if anything will be done about that. have a good 4th.... nipper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ron917 Posted July 4, 2007 Share Posted July 4, 2007 Interestingly some of the Chinese cars that are due to be importes to this country have gone through crash tests, and have gotten zero or one star. i wonder if anything will be done about that. See the following article regarding the Briliance BS6 crash test. http://www.autoblog.com/2007/06/22/brilliance-bs6s-adac-crash-test-is-anything-but/ Also, follow the links in the article to the youtube videos of the Jiangling Motors' Landwind SUV crash test. Scary stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted July 4, 2007 Author Share Posted July 4, 2007 See the following article regarding the Briliance BS6 crash test.http://www.autoblog.com/2007/06/22/brilliance-bs6s-adac-crash-test-is-anything-but/ Also, follow the links in the article to the youtube videos of the Jiangling Motors' Landwind SUV crash test. Scary stuff. EEEKK Maybe that will stop them from the US Roads. Just wait for the first time somone tries to sue the Chinese Auto mfg (essentially the chinese govt) and see what happens. Same thing that always does, they ignore it. nipper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PAezb Posted July 4, 2007 Share Posted July 4, 2007 Raybestos, yes they're made in China, but I've had good results with them so far along with the Raybestos PG Plus Semi-Met. Pads... http://www.partsamerica.com/productdetail.aspx?MfrCode=RAY&MfrPartNumber=96658RGS&PartType=221&PTSet=A (need to enter any zipcode for the product page to display) (ducking back in my fox hole now:-p ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subaruplatt Posted July 5, 2007 Share Posted July 5, 2007 I vote for brembo rotors and pagid (black) pads. Zimerman rotors are exquisite, can you get them for subaru? Had this mechanic who meticulously drill wire brushed the cad plating off the contact surface before pad installation. He claimed the cadmium would forever contaminate the pads. Best brake job I ever had! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
northgeorgiaroo Posted July 5, 2007 Share Posted July 5, 2007 I vote for brembo rotors and pagid (black) pads.Zimerman rotors are exquisite, can you get them for subaru? Had this mechanic who meticulously drill wire brushed the cad plating off the contact surface before pad installation. He claimed the cadmium would forever contaminate the pads. Best brake job I ever had! Doesn't that stuff come off with brake parts cleaner? That's all I've ever used on new rotors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PAezb Posted July 5, 2007 Share Posted July 5, 2007 Yes and no. Its better to look at products from Russia and N korea. The other coutries listed are answerable to the public. CHina is not answerable to the public as a communist regime, and have such a large volume of sales they really dont feel any backlash (yet). Just look at how they have been handling the product issues all over the world. They have killed people in other countries with thier products. All they do is stonewall, deny, threaten. http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=56056 http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/05/17/business/trade.php http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/31/AR2007053100901.htmlhttp://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/06/28/health/main2992320.shtml http://news.newamericamedia.org/news/view_article.html?article_id=ea8c428ff274b708c71a4514aec25bab China cant be sued like you would in the western world. CHina has very little tracabilty on the product. China itself doesnt even knowa lot of its products are coming from. They just executed the head of the (equivilant) of the FDA, but they have done nothing to correct the situation internally. China's sudden rejection of food products from the USA seems suspect at best, in a tit for tat way that China does diplomacy. (tires http://www.abcnews.go.com/Business/IndustryInfo/wireStory?id=3315045) Luckily i have a simple taste in food, so im not worried about most of this as far as food wise, but have been paying alot more attention to the source of where things come from. Interestingly some of the Chinese cars that are due to be importes to this country have gone through crash tests, and have gotten zero or one star. i wonder if anything will be done about that. have a good 4th.... nipper I do agree with you whole heartedly on your above statements regarding China. At least here in Minnesota we started to do something about Chinese imports: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article2028740.ece Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted July 5, 2007 Author Share Posted July 5, 2007 I do agree with you whole heartedly on your above statements regarding China. At least here in Minnesota we started to do something about Chinese imports: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article2028740.ece Got to love the brits with thier great industrial based ecnomy producing and exporting to many great things .... (read sarcasim). nipper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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