Where should I buy Rotors and Drums?
 

The brakes on the 99 TJ have not been performing as good as the should
so I decided to do a brake job on it (62K). I felt kinda weird
driving the CJ to fetch parts for the TJ as it sat up on jack stands
with no tires. Anyway I took the drums and rotors to Autozone and
they said they could not machine them as they were too warn. So I
told them to just give me new ones and the parts guy plops down a
rotor box with a big ole MADE IN CHINA sticker on it. I promptly
decline to purchase the rotors and drums as I don't trust the PRC to
stop my Jeep. Where should I buy the rotors and drums? Autozone used
to be where I bought most of my parts, but now they seem to be
marketing to the hip-hop crowd putting neon on their hoopties.

Re: Where should I buy Rotors and Drums?
 

Usually there is nothing wrong with MADE IN CHINA parts.
America is full of "hip-hop crowd putting neon on their hoopties"
who think that answering a telephone or preparing a cappuccino
constitutes manual labor, so you are going to have a tough time
finding MADE IN USA parts. Look around and you might find
HECHO EN MEXICO or FABRIQUÉ EN CANADA. :o(

Earle

"Barry R." <barry@nationalbeer.com> wrote in message
news:8o8llvcjlqp2qarvhtvidakaegbbhhrf6a@4ax.com...
> The brakes on the 99 TJ have not been performing as good as the should
> so I decided to do a brake job on it (62K). I felt kinda weird
> driving the CJ to fetch parts for the TJ as it sat up on jack stands
> with no tires. Anyway I took the drums and rotors to Autozone and
> they said they could not machine them as they were too warn. So I
> told them to just give me new ones and the parts guy plops down a
> rotor box with a big ole MADE IN CHINA sticker on it. I promptly
> decline to purchase the rotors and drums as I don't trust the PRC to
> stop my Jeep. Where should I buy the rotors and drums? Autozone used
> to be where I bought most of my parts, but now they seem to be
> marketing to the hip-hop crowd putting neon on their hoopties.

Re: Where should I buy Rotors and Drums?
 

Usually there is nothing wrong with MADE IN CHINA parts.
America is full of "hip-hop crowd putting neon on their hoopties"
who think that answering a telephone or preparing a cappuccino
constitutes manual labor, so you are going to have a tough time
finding MADE IN USA parts. Look around and you might find
HECHO EN MEXICO or FABRIQUÉ EN CANADA. :o(

Earle

"Barry R." <barry@nationalbeer.com> wrote in message
news:8o8llvcjlqp2qarvhtvidakaegbbhhrf6a@4ax.com...
> The brakes on the 99 TJ have not been performing as good as the should
> so I decided to do a brake job on it (62K). I felt kinda weird
> driving the CJ to fetch parts for the TJ as it sat up on jack stands
> with no tires. Anyway I took the drums and rotors to Autozone and
> they said they could not machine them as they were too warn. So I
> told them to just give me new ones and the parts guy plops down a
> rotor box with a big ole MADE IN CHINA sticker on it. I promptly
> decline to purchase the rotors and drums as I don't trust the PRC to
> stop my Jeep. Where should I buy the rotors and drums? Autozone used
> to be where I bought most of my parts, but now they seem to be
> marketing to the hip-hop crowd putting neon on their hoopties.

Re: Where should I buy Rotors and Drums?
 

Barry R. wrote:

> The brakes on the 99 TJ have not been performing as good as the should
> so I decided to do a brake job on it (62K). I felt kinda weird
> driving the CJ to fetch parts for the TJ as it sat up on jack stands
> with no tires. Anyway I took the drums and rotors to Autozone and
> they said they could not machine them as they were too warn. So I
> told them to just give me new ones and the parts guy plops down a
> rotor box with a big ole MADE IN CHINA sticker on it. I promptly
> decline to purchase the rotors and drums as I don't trust the PRC to
> stop my Jeep. Where should I buy the rotors and drums? Autozone used
> to be where I bought most of my parts, but now they seem to be
> marketing to the hip-hop crowd putting neon on their hoopties.

Honestly, I had a service manager at a car dealer tell me that rotors are
pretty much rotors unless you're buying something cross-drilled or
something.

Re: Where should I buy Rotors and Drums?
 

Barry R. wrote:

> The brakes on the 99 TJ have not been performing as good as the should
> so I decided to do a brake job on it (62K). I felt kinda weird
> driving the CJ to fetch parts for the TJ as it sat up on jack stands
> with no tires. Anyway I took the drums and rotors to Autozone and
> they said they could not machine them as they were too warn. So I
> told them to just give me new ones and the parts guy plops down a
> rotor box with a big ole MADE IN CHINA sticker on it. I promptly
> decline to purchase the rotors and drums as I don't trust the PRC to
> stop my Jeep. Where should I buy the rotors and drums? Autozone used
> to be where I bought most of my parts, but now they seem to be
> marketing to the hip-hop crowd putting neon on their hoopties.

Honestly, I had a service manager at a car dealer tell me that rotors are
pretty much rotors unless you're buying something cross-drilled or
something.

Re: Where should I buy Rotors and Drums?
 

"Big Daddy" <DontBother@nowhere.com> wrote in message
news:3f5aa965$0$43885$a0465688@nnrp.fuse.net...> Honestly, I had a service
manager at a car dealer tell me that rotors are
> pretty much rotors unless you're buying something cross-drilled or
> something.

That service manager would be way off then... factory rotors went to
ultra-lightweight composite material rotors right after the EPA fuel economy
mandates. Automotive manufacturers lightened everything possible, including
our brakes and brake rotors. The lighter weight composite rotors are far
less able to withstand heat and are thus very prone to warping.

For that reason, aftermarket all-cast rotors are popular and a very good
investment... these are what used to be used on vehicles. My first rotor
replacement was to an all-cast design which holds up very well.

So there are very real differences in factory and aftermarket rotors, if you
know what to ask for. Which reminds me, few sales clerks in auto parts
stores know the difference between composite and cast rotors and will likely
give you a blank stare if you ask for cast rotors... as happened again
recently to me when I had to buy new rotors while installing new larger
diameter front manual hubs on my TJ.

Jerry
--
Jerry Bransford
To email, remove 'me' from my email address
KC6TAY, PP-ASEL
See the Geezer Jeep at
http://members.cox.net/jerrypb/

Re: Where should I buy Rotors and Drums?
 

"Big Daddy" <DontBother@nowhere.com> wrote in message
news:3f5aa965$0$43885$a0465688@nnrp.fuse.net...> Honestly, I had a service
manager at a car dealer tell me that rotors are
> pretty much rotors unless you're buying something cross-drilled or
> something.

That service manager would be way off then... factory rotors went to
ultra-lightweight composite material rotors right after the EPA fuel economy
mandates. Automotive manufacturers lightened everything possible, including
our brakes and brake rotors. The lighter weight composite rotors are far
less able to withstand heat and are thus very prone to warping.

For that reason, aftermarket all-cast rotors are popular and a very good
investment... these are what used to be used on vehicles. My first rotor
replacement was to an all-cast design which holds up very well.

So there are very real differences in factory and aftermarket rotors, if you
know what to ask for. Which reminds me, few sales clerks in auto parts
stores know the difference between composite and cast rotors and will likely
give you a blank stare if you ask for cast rotors... as happened again
recently to me when I had to buy new rotors while installing new larger
diameter front manual hubs on my TJ.

Jerry
--
Jerry Bransford
To email, remove 'me' from my email address
KC6TAY, PP-ASEL
See the Geezer Jeep at
http://members.cox.net/jerrypb/

Re: Where should I buy Rotors and Drums?
 

"Earle Horton" <enfermero_diabolico@registerednurses.com> wrote in message
news:bjecb8$ht57r$1@ID-147790.news.uni-berlin.de...
> "Jerry Bransford" <jerrypb@mecox.net> wrote in message
> news:vXx6b.46448$Qy4.42539@fed1read05...
> --snip--
> > So there are very real differences in factory and aftermarket rotors, if
> > you know what to ask for. Which reminds me, few sales clerks in
> > auto parts stores know the difference between composite and cast rotors
> > and will likely give you a blank stare if you ask for cast rotors... as
> > happened again recently to me when I had to buy new rotors while
> > installing new larger diameter front manual hubs on my TJ.
> >
> Maybe if you asked for the "heavy" rotors instead of "cast." ;o)
>
> Why did you go to the larger hubs, if you don't mind my asking? Did you
> turn the stock size into metal shavings, or is this just a precautionary
> measure?

The Warn manual hubs have a larger hub diameter, too large for a standard
rotor to fit over. So I had to have the center hole for the rotors turned
to a larger inside diameter to fit over the new Warn hubs.

Jerry
--
Jerry Bransford
To email, remove 'me' from my email address
KC6TAY, PP-ASEL
See the Geezer Jeep at
http://members.cox.net/jerrypb/

Re: Where should I buy Rotors and Drums?
 

"Earle Horton" <enfermero_diabolico@registerednurses.com> wrote in message
news:bjecb8$ht57r$1@ID-147790.news.uni-berlin.de...
> "Jerry Bransford" <jerrypb@mecox.net> wrote in message
> news:vXx6b.46448$Qy4.42539@fed1read05...
> --snip--
> > So there are very real differences in factory and aftermarket rotors, if
> > you know what to ask for. Which reminds me, few sales clerks in
> > auto parts stores know the difference between composite and cast rotors
> > and will likely give you a blank stare if you ask for cast rotors... as
> > happened again recently to me when I had to buy new rotors while
> > installing new larger diameter front manual hubs on my TJ.
> >
> Maybe if you asked for the "heavy" rotors instead of "cast." ;o)
>
> Why did you go to the larger hubs, if you don't mind my asking? Did you
> turn the stock size into metal shavings, or is this just a precautionary
> measure?

The Warn manual hubs have a larger hub diameter, too large for a standard
rotor to fit over. So I had to have the center hole for the rotors turned
to a larger inside diameter to fit over the new Warn hubs.

Jerry
--
Jerry Bransford
To email, remove 'me' from my email address
KC6TAY, PP-ASEL
See the Geezer Jeep at
http://members.cox.net/jerrypb/

Re: Where should I buy Rotors and Drums?
 

"Jerry Bransford" <jerrypb@mecox.net> wrote in message
news:zMy6b.46457$Qy4.7893@fed1read05...
> "Earle Horton" <enfermero_diabolico@registerednurses.com> wrote in message
> news:bjecb8$ht57r$1@ID-147790.news.uni-berlin.de...
> > "Jerry Bransford" <jerrypb@mecox.net> wrote in message
> > news:vXx6b.46448$Qy4.42539@fed1read05...
> > --snip--
> > > So there are very real differences in factory and aftermarket rotors,
> > > if
> > > you know what to ask for. Which reminds me, few sales clerks in
> > > auto parts stores know the difference between composite and cast
> > > rotors
> > > and will likely give you a blank stare if you ask for cast rotors...
> > > as
> > > happened again recently to me when I had to buy new rotors while
> > > installing new larger diameter front manual hubs on my TJ.
> > >
> > Maybe if you asked for the "heavy" rotors instead of "cast." ;o)
> >
> > Why did you go to the larger hubs, if you don't mind my asking? Did you
> > turn the stock size into metal shavings, or is this just a precautionary
> > measure?
>
> The Warn manual hubs have a larger hub diameter, too large for a standard
> rotor to fit over. So I had to have the center hole for the rotors turned
> to a larger inside diameter to fit over the new Warn hubs.
>
Oh, I thought you might have gone from the small Warn hubs that fit stock
Wrangler wheels, to the larger hubs that fit CJ wheels. Do you have any
thoughts on that? I am going to go to Warn hubs sooner or later, and I
don't want to have to buy new hubs twice...

Earle