Brakes this time...

You guys are still having too much fun, and I need some more upgrades before I can ask the Colorado chapter to join and go on the trail with them...

Went up to Clear Lake on Sunday, a mountain lake high above Silverton CO, on the west side, and coming down was a bit scary due to my poor brakes. My wife noticed, but my in-laws did not, which was a good thing. The trail was rated as easy, but the top got interesting. I'm doing this on, get this, 215/75/15's!

My lift isn't installed yet, I've ordered a 3" Rough Country, with new springs all around, and some 31x10.50's with new wheels. I know, pretty tame, but it is all I can afford.

Some searching in the forum is making me realize that I did well with my 1996 Country purchase, no ABS, and the Chryco rear end is at least somewhat superior to some of the other stock axles out there.

I would like some real world advice on brakes. My grandfather, years ago after I was more interested in girls than wrenching, stopped helping me with my first car and left me to figure it out on my own, and having no money, I got the brakes down pretty good.

Any of you have some good recommendations on brake pads and shoes? I don't have the 600+ dollars mentioned elsewhere on the forum, but I could spend $50 or $75, even per axle if necessary on pads and shoes. I want something that I'm confident using, and I plan on doing some trailering too, I'm shooting for less than 4200 pounds wet. I'll open up a trailering thread too, don't shoot me down for two threads at once or answer the trailering thread here, please. Go easy on me, I'm a noob. I have spent most of the evening searching for answers to my questions. :worship: ( I don't intend to open any more other than a trailering thread tonite, or at least until I get the lift installed, maybe next week)

I dislike Autozone and Checker, but I will take advantage of the $6 tool to remove the springs, and I have a bookmark to a good rear brake tutorial. I prefer NAPA, and something highly rated online would be great.

You guys have a great forum here, I appreciate any help, and real world experience you can help with.


Stubbs

as far as brakes go, ive had good luck with NAPA pads and shoes. I would recomend also geting the spring kit for the rear axle. it replaces all the springs in the drum brake assembly and is a good idea in the event that some of the springs may have fatigued. also ensure to grease the auto adjuster (located at the bottom of the assembly) by unscrewing it seperating the two halves, clean any gunk off of it, and applying a good high temp grease prior to reassembly. this will help keep the auto adjuster for the shoes working longer.

hth
stewie

Thanks for the reply....

A note for the noobs, don't search for "brakes". Search for brake pads, or semi metallic brake pads, or brake rotors, or slotted rotors. The forum search engine brings back real results if you do that...

Lots of conflicting opinions on brakes, pads, Autozone and NAPA. I think I'll give NAPA a shot, with some non-composite, non slotted or drilled, but still upgraded rotors, and their top of the line semi metallic brake pads, front and rear.

Volkswagen bug rear drums claimed to be self adjusting too, but I concur with another poster, I've got a screwdriver for that. That grandfather of mine that made me figure it out on my own just might have known what he was doing.


Stubbs

I didn't take time to take care of the noobs like me.

Rear drums:

http://jeepin.com/features/drums/index.asp

Front discs:

http://jeepin.com/features/discs/index.asp

found in two different places.

Stubbs