Avoid Duralast Gold Severe Duty pads. Not up to the job and severe damage results.

[WarWagon]

AutoZone doesn't carry a better pad for my 1995. Avoid Duralast Gold Severe Duty pads. Not up to the job and severe damage results.

I had a sound that was a "What was that?" moment. Just like a nail being thrown out of a tire into the floorboard. I thought I was going to be getting a flat very quickly. In the next 20 miles I started getting a grinding you could feel when stopping. I thought the front end has finally had it or a wheel bearing went south. Looking at the pads and seeing the squealers with plenty of distance from the rotors can you imagine my surprise when I found this? Least I know what the thud noise was now - pad departing the backing plate.

Now before you ASSUME the caliper hung up think about this: The pad that came off the backing plate is in the piston side of the caliper. Yes the sliders not moving could cause the piston side only to wear in theory. Usually both sides would be worn down. Now look closely at the backing plate. You can see where the backing plates has holes in it where some of the lining is still there. Rather than being "worn" down to the plate the lining remaining in the holes is broken away.

A reasonable conclusion is the bonding failed and the lining broke away from the backing plate. Otherwise the lining would be worn not busted away.

Now I get to do this: :mad2: http://www.thetruckstop.us/forum/sh...-K2500-front-rotor-disc-replacement-8-lug-4x4




Pass side showing distance to squealer - driver's side that failed above was similar.

 

[THEFERMANATOR]

I had a set of them on my BURB before, and they worked alright for the first 10,000 miles, but after that they kept glazing my rotors and didn't stop well. I'm now running RAYBESTOS ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY from CARQUEST and they work MUCH better than the AZ pads EVER worked.

 

[RI Chevy Silveradoman]

WarWagon. At least you have a little bit of background on the next step.

 

[WarWagon]

WarWagon. At least you have a little bit of background on the next step.

:rof:

:skep: Doesn't make it any easier. And this is with 13,000 mostly non-towing miles.

Wagner with the "Made in USA" on the box has given us some luck on other stuff. I have had very good luck with the AC-Delco Dealer pads with 23,000 towing miles so far on the 1993. It helps that the rears are the $100 shoes.

I have the updated proportioning valve ready to install that should help. Just found out about that...

 

[someotherguy]

I usually make it much easier on myself by following this advice: "Avoid Duralast (anything)"

Richard

 

[WarWagon]

So AZ can't warranty damage caused by their defective pads. The manager did give me 1/2 price on new rotors. Not sure this amounted to anything because this is half price on Communist China rotors to replace the Dealer AC Delco stamped Bosch rotors I got 3 years ago. The Bosch rotors have the same price at Oriley's that the Communist rotors have at AZ. The high end Raybestos rotors being special order of course they wouldn't do anything with.

Pads were made in India.

So the AZ rotors are overpriced...

 

[DieselCash]

Purchase the 1/2 price rotors at AZ and sale them for the full price on flee bay

 

[WarWagon]

Bosch rotors at Oriley's are made in the same Communist China Country as the AutoZone stuff. At least the Oriley's Bosch rotors are clean and painted. I had to use brakeclean to get the factory coolant/oil off the AZ rotors. So much for that name meaning Made in Germany anymore.

 

[3500GMC]

Got duped on a pair of Bosch Icon wipers there a while back.. I actually returned them.. Then was scratching my head, now what? Because all the other junk was made in china as well. Got on ebay and ordered NOS Anco.. After they're gone, I dunno.. What's the world coming to?

FYI Wagner rotors are now in a plain white box.. (china)

 

[stacks04]

Fwiw I have run the severe duty stuff from our local pep boys on multiple vehicles now and have had only one complaint for a squeel. He is a cronic complainer though. I have em on my truck as we speak.

 

[NVW]

Some people squeal too:agreed:

Fwiw I have run the severe duty stuff from our local pep boys on multiple vehicles now and have had only one complaint for a squeel. He is a cronic complainer though. I have em on my truck as we speak.

 

[WarWagon]

Fwiw I have run the severe duty stuff from our local pep boys on multiple vehicles now and have had only one complaint for a squeel. He is a cronic complainer though. I have em on my truck as we speak.

Getting semi-metallic pads to shut up has taken the better part of 20 years.

Calling someone a 'cronic complainer' doesn't excuse noisy brakes with today's pad designs. The rotors are glazed, contaminated with the past lining, have hot spots hardened in, got dirt/mud in them, or the pad doesn't have very good design for beveling and shims with silencers. A caliper could be hanging and keeping things very hot that also has the side effect of wasting fuel. Front and rear bias maybe out overheating the front pads including: drums out of adjustment, contaminated with oil, etc. Maybe not the pad design's fault with the other things that can cause the noise.

If it is a commercial or company vehicle I would take it seriously and remedy the situation. Looking at the daily inspection log or logbook with equipment concerns like noisy brakes listed without a repair is going to be very bad after something gets run over. Personal vehicles is one thing, but a commercial vehicle needs a once over that is in the maintenance records.

Myself it is a point of pride to have silent brakes with semi metallic pads. Esp after fighting them for silence in the late 80's.

 

[tanman_2006]

I hate squeeky brakes. I've pulled my 06 dmax brakes apart cleaned and lubed them twice in the past 60K. VERY suprised the pads are still good with all the towing I do but I'm not going to complain! I've gotta be able to stop equipment and if my brakes consistanly squeek for awhile (not a squeeker rubbing from worn pads) I will tear them down to confirm all is well. I usually do the fronts then drive for a week then check the rears if I'm still getting noise (4 wheel disk)

My 95 and 93 both have new fronts and well adjusted rears. 95 has 90K on new front calipers, raybestos pads, and turned rotors (they looked nearly new when i bought the truck but it didnt stop worth a crap). I also pulled the rear drums adjusted and cleaned everything pads looked good so i threw the drums on and adjusted everything. My 93 got nearly the same treatment minus calipers since it wasnt out of the rust belt.

Brakes are a must for a hard working truck and just general safety.

 

[625fireman]

I usually make it much easier on myself by following this advice: "Avoid Duralast (anything)"

Richard

:iagree:110 %

I have seen a couple pads do this too. Personally I think it has to do with improper handling of the part. Most of these "kids" at the parts counter can't sit anything done anymore....they either toss it or drop it. And anytime you have something "glued" together droping or throw in it on concrete is not a good thing.
Either way it sux.....................

 

[WarWagon]

You don't want to know how parts are handled before they even get to the parts store in the warehouse. Had a front row seat to that...

Anyway I got sick of the piss poor performance from the semi metallic duralast pads and pulled them off this past weekend. Thew them away with more than 2/3 left. Even with the updated valve and new rear shoes she wasn't stopping that well. Vs the 1993 anyway. I put a set of Semi Metallic Wagner's on the front and night and day difference. Less pedal effort and she doesn't wander under heavy braking anymore. This was the next day after bedding them in.

Since they fired the 'hero' employee for stopping the store robbery I haven't set foot in an AZ. I am getting better parts from other places anyway.

 

[THEFERMANATOR]

You don't want to know how parts are handled before they even get to the parts store in the warehouse. Had a front row seat to that...

Anyway I got sick of the piss poor performance from the semi metallic duralast pads and pulled them off this past weekend. Thew them away with more than 2/3 left. Even with the updated valve and new rear shoes she wasn't stopping that well. Vs the 1993 anyway. I put a set of Semi Metallic Wagner's on the front and night and day difference. Less pedal effort and she doesn't wander under heavy braking anymore. This was the next day after bedding them in.

Since they fired the 'hero' employee for stopping the store robbery I haven't set foot in an AZ. I am getting better parts from other places anyway.

I threw away a set with half pad eft because I got tired of glazed rotors and poor braking. Put on a set of RAYBESTOS semi metalics and have brakes again. Be aware that the same company that makes duralast pads also makes about 75% of the aftermarket pads out there.