Napa Brake Pads & Rotors

[Scattershot]

Hey Jaychild1976: Napa brake pads do not fit! My friend (who happens to be a funny car mechanic) and I just spent a full one and a half hours on something that should have taken 2 minutes - inserting one set of 2 brake pads into a rear caliper on a chevy pickup. Made in China of course. And your corporate suits have convinced you to blame me - the victim! Remember this: When I am forced to buy a box that says "Made in China" it puts a lot more money in your CEO's pocket than it does in mine or yours! Also, the blue jeans I am wearing right now were made in Mississippi - where were yours made? Why don't you pay a visit on someone next time they are installing brake pads and have a clever discussion about why the grinder is required and how its the customer's fault? Another mechanic friend reports he has not installed a set of brake pads in 6 months that didn't require a grinder. NAPA wants us to believe the new normal is that a grinder is required to install brake pads. NEVER AGAIN! Now let's see how long this post survives before it is mysteriously wiped off the board. (And I suppose that will be my fault too!)

 

[ImportTuner]

Hey Jaychild1976: Napa brake pads do not fit! My friend (who happens to be a funny car mechanic) and I just spent a full one and a half hours on something that should have taken 2 minutes - inserting one set of 2 brake pads into a rear caliper on a chevy pickup. Made in China of course. And your corporate suits have convinced you to blame me - the victim! Remember this: When I am forced to buy a box that says "Made in China" it puts a lot more money in your CEO's pocket than it does in mine or yours! Also, the blue jeans I am wearing right now were made in Mississippi - where were yours made? Why don't you pay a visit on someone next time they are installing brake pads and have a clever discussion about why the grinder is required and how its the customer's fault? Another mechanic friend reports he has not installed a set of brake pads in 6 months that didn't require a grinder. NAPA wants us to believe the new normal is that a grinder is required to install brake pads. NEVER AGAIN! Now let's see how long this post survives before it is mysteriously wiped off the board. (And I suppose that will be my fault too!)

Strange comment to make for your first post ...

 

[Hanen42]

Alright...time to learn a thing or two boys and girls. I'm Jason, Store manager at Napa auto parts. I'm ase certified and worked for several years in automotive parts especially napa. I've gotten extensive training on our parts so lets start by debunking some myths. First off, rotors don't warp. Period. It taked 2800 degrees then moving the rotor then suddenly cooling it down. Your brakes will never get hotter than 1100 degrees. "Warping" is actually lateral runout due to untrue installation. Today's cars only allow 2 thousandths lateral runout, which is the distance the rotor is allowed to travel back and forth in the caliper. If its more than that, your rotors will occasionally slap the pads even with the piston fully compressed which will transfer friction material to the rotor in time. This will cause your warping phenomenon or vibration. How many of you do your brake jobs the right way? Did you know that if u turn a rotor on a lathe or even when they're brand new they have iron particles on the surface? I bet only half of you use brake clean to clean the shipping film off of rotors before install and another quarter of those people wash the rotors with soap and water. If you don't, the iron particles remain and will cause your pads to wear prematurely and be noisy. Don't believe me, take a new pair of rotors and clean one with just brake clean and the other with brake clean then soap and water. Run a white napkin down each. The one with just cleaner will turn grey and the other stays white. Also, your hub assembly being untrue will cause lateral runout. Even if u cut a rotor on a lathe, if the arbor on the lathe isn't clean, it too will add lateral runout as it cuts. You can measure lateral run out with a dial indicator. When you install your pads, clean the calipers and brackets with a wire brush and brake clean, then clean some more. Lube every point of contact between the pads and caliper. Grease the slides, make sure your calipers are good. And when your'e done, time to set your brakes. 15 stops from 40 to zero gradually will do the trick, no slamming on em. If not, your pads will glaze and be noisy.

Very good point. Most customers both DIY and Pro are so quick to blame a product over themselves. Most problems from brakes comes from the installation.

 

[padronanniversary]

I find it interesting that my acura and honda originals rotors are rust free here in MN after 50k miles. When the pads needed replacing, it was just easier just buying rotors and pads rather than getting them turned since they were off.

The premiums I had bought at Napa rusted only after a few thousand miles, while the original oems never did.

Really makes you wonder the difference between them, and the actual delta of cost of good sold.

 

[pepi]

The difference I find using OEM over after market is the longevity. Brake pads for sure, take a set of OEM pads and lay them next to your average Auto Zombies or whatever and you will see a difference in thickness right off. It is worth 75 bucks for 50k of brake life. If you're not getting or feeling runout no need to change rotors, again OEM there also.

 

[Canadian Guy]

Hi. Wondering if anyone else has had this problem. I have a 2010 Honda Civic. Two years ago I needed new brakes on the front and purchased premium rotors 48-880059 and premium pads SS-7573X. Since then I've had to replace the same rotors and pads three times. NAPA has been very good about replacing them every time. The calipers are free (no sticking). Just recently the problem has started again. Pulsating when breaking at higher speeds over 80km. My mechanic is now scratching his head as I am. Can't figure out why this keeps happening. I do not brake hard or ride the pedal. They work fine for about three to four months then all of a sudden when braking I get pulsing and vibration. This does not appear to happen at lower speeds. Also noticed every time just after changing the rotors and pads there is allot of pad dust coating the rims. Any suggestions?? Thank you in advance..

 

[Jeepster04]

This whole 'rotors dont warp its an install problem' confuses me. If it was an installation issue wouldnt they causing vibrations when braking immediately after putting the new brakes on? Mine almost always start after a good year of use.

Warpage, lateral runout, who cares what its called, quality rotors SHOULDN'T DO IT.

 

[kwschumm]

I would say 1/2 the rotors we get from NAPA have to be turned before we can use them[ they do not like it but they go ahead and do it- after checking them and see the same thing].
Their answer to us -IT IS JUST THE NATURE OF THE BEAST
YES -TOTAL FORIEGN JUNK

Heck, when I was in the business in the 80s we put every rotor we installed on the lathe. About 10% needed some truing up and about 2% were too warped to use, right out of the box. And these were good brands - Raybestos, Bendix, ACDelco, Motorcraft, Wagner. Brand didn't seem to matter.

 

[sberry]

Should have put the cheapest **** on, pads too.

 

[jacked_72]

On the rotors not warping. I don't see how factory rotors put on at the factory eventually begin to pulse and a new set of rotors fixes the problem. You can say they don't warp, but experience says otherwise.

 

[visionguru]

I would say 1/2 the rotors we get from NAPA have to be turned before we can use them[ they do not like it but they go ahead and do it- after checking them and see the same thing].
Their answer to us -IT IS JUST THE NATURE OF THE BEAST
YES -TOTAL FORIEGN JUNK

You really need to do some travelling to other countries. USA is not that good in terms of workmanship and quality. Tons of USA junks, junk cars.

1/2 of the rotors have to be turned? Are you sure you are not ruining the customers rotors?

 

[AJ1978]

You really need to do some travelling to other countries. USA is not that good in terms of workmanship and quality. Tons of USA junks, junk cars.

1/2 of the rotors have to be turned? Are you sure you are not ruining the customers rotors?

I tend to agree, I install a mix of NAPA brakes, and some other variations of AIMCO rotors. I rarely see them come back BUT we do an EXTENSIVE brake job.

Clean the mating surface of the rotor, the hubs get rusty and have run out.
Clean the Caliper brackets, lube and install hardware with brake lube
YES Some NAPA pads have had some noise issues, but that's with any brand.

Sometimes a brake system is just undersized for the vehicle and the vehicle will burn through pads and rotors.

I am not saying NAPA does not have some issues, mainly in multiple lines of sourcing, but I AM NOT getting into that here.

Performing the proper brake job is IMPORTANT. WE charge a little more but do 5x more at least than other shops, you will not believe how many brake jobs come from other garages where the pads were beat into the bracket and stick right away.

Cut rotors will not withstand the same driving conditions as a new rotor will, just can't because of the loss of material. WE do NOT offer the service of cutting the rotors.

Flat rate shops love to cut rotors as their is more time on the ticket for this than simply installing new rotors.

 

[Jeepster04]

Maybe its been said, but Oreallys will machine rotors for $15 a piece. Decent price depending on what you paid for the rotors when they were new.

 

[cpttuna]

I use Centric rotors and Hawk pads.

 

[Coach James]

For years, I have been using mostly Wearever Gold pads and Wearever rotors. I've never had any problems. I did have a pad come off the backing plate, but that was the original factory pads.

Coach

 

[srr]

I tend to agree, I install a mix of NAPA brakes, and some other variations of AIMCO rotors. I rarely see them come back BUT we do an EXTENSIVE brake job.

Clean the mating surface of the rotor, the hubs get rusty and have run out.
Clean the Caliper brackets, lube and install hardware with brake lube
YES Some NAPA pads have had some noise issues, but that's with any brand.

Sometimes a brake system is just undersized for the vehicle and the vehicle will burn through pads and rotors.

I am not saying NAPA does not have some issues, mainly in multiple lines of sourcing, but I AM NOT getting into that here.

Performing the proper brake job is IMPORTANT. WE charge a little more but do 5x more at least than other shops, you will not believe how many brake jobs come from other garages where the pads were beat into the bracket and stick right away.

Cut rotors will not withstand the same driving conditions as a new rotor will, just can't because of the loss of material. WE do NOT offer the service of cutting the rotors.

Flat rate shops love to cut rotors as their is more time on the ticket for this than simply installing new rotors.

Well said!

 

[Jp267]

I just had a bad rebuilt premium caliper from NAPA. Not impressed with their quality. Replaced it with a Duralast from AutoZone which has been fine.

 

[Jp267]

The Affinity Group (Raybestos, Wix, etc) put up a web site regarding the thin Chinese made rotors.

http://www.badbrakes.net/

The Napa Brakes web site is still hosted by Affinia so I assume their premium brake stuff is still Raybestos.

http://www.napabrakes.com

It is a PITA when the US made stuff is getting expensive. I redis the front suspensions on my Mazda & Chrysler last year and was surprised at the big difference in price.

Nobody wants to carry the old line stuff anymore (Moog, TRW, Bendix, Raybestos, etc). Autozone has got to be the worst store ever.

It is easier to go to RockAuto and get some halfway decent stuff than be disappointed with the **** in the stores.

The Bendix Metlock hubs and pads I just bought were made in China and India so they're now outsourcing as well.

 

[pepi]

I can tell you this, the Adative pads look very good, will know more as they get used Looking at them, they match the OEMs very well, even marked as in and out. A first for me, I'm sure that's for the squeakier, but still the extra step is noticed.

NAPA will have QC standards, they are not selling the cheapest look alike **** that many seek..

If China is the only manufacture.. I guess one will need a foundry and a lathe to solve the problem.

A hole the american's have dug and will need to find a way to live in.

greg