rusty hope disc brake conversion

[JD luxury liner]

[casper50]

It's amazing how good disc brakes look on these cars.  Very nice job.

[pflaming]

I agree with casper! How much repair did you do with the suspension arms, coil springs, king pins, etc? Looks like new, beautiful!

[Captain Neon]

I'm curious if there are any kits out there that use readily available ceramic pads?  Most of the kits that I have looked into use pads from vehicles that only have semi-metallic available.

[mopar_earl]

My ECI kit uses common GM pads. Every option under the sun should be available with those pads. Lol

Earl

[Plymouthy Adams]

per the caliper application of the rusty hope kit....if you wish to pay the price for the ceramic pads they are available....

 

just remember this, if the ceramic is not wearing away....that means the rotor is....what is easier and most effective for maintenance is your logical/cost question

[Captain Neon]

Earl,

 

What's the part number you used for the pads?  I can cross reference from there to see what is available,  After working at O'Reilly's for the past 4 months, one thing I have learned that especially for GM there is no such thing as a common pad.  GM vehicles, esp. Silverado pickups, have got to be the most frustrating vehicle for a DIYer to get the parts correct for their vehicle.  The parts are readily available, but there are lots of details other than year, make, and model to do the job, and most folks won't know that until they tear it all apart and realize their parts don't fit.  Any other make and model, and there is one design of pad, rotor, and caliper that fits the vehicle.  With GM, the combinations are almost endless.

[Plymouthy Adams]

I will not run ceramic..match the pads to the caliper number...sometimes a parts house needs use a real book...

[mopar_earl]

Earl,

What's the part number you used for the pads? I can cross reference from there to see what is available, After working at O'Reilly's for the past 4 months, one thing I have learned that especially for GM there is no such thing as a common pad. GM vehicles, esp. Silverado pickups, have got to be the most frustrating vehicle for a DIYer to get the parts correct for their vehicle. The parts are readily available, but there are lots of details other than year, make, and model to do the job, and most folks won't know that until they tear it all apart and realize their parts don't fit. Any other make and model, and there is one design of pad, rotor, and caliper that fits the vehicle. With GM, the combinations are almost endless.

I will check and get back to you. They are common full size car pads. But I will check and post.

Earl

[mopar_earl]

By common, I don't mean late model GM's. I mean 70/80 maybe 90's. Back then, GM only used a couple part numbers for pads for full size cars and light trucks. My 82 caddie had the same pads, calipers and pads as a 1/2 ton GM truck.

Earl

[Don Coatney]

This is the PLYDO parts list. May be different than the Rusty Hope parts.

 

[Captain Neon]

match the pads to the caliper number...sometimes a parts house needs use a real book...

 

Walk into an auto parts store today with only a caliper number; you may walk out without pads.  Somebody like me that will take a little time, and not worry about a commission can figure it out by crossing the caliper number against our stock, checking the application of said caliper, and then looking up the pads.  It's a whole lot easier for everyone if the customer has the application: year, make, model.  Give me a lot of grief or attitude, or try to show me how "smart" they are; I may just let them walk out empty handed too.  I don't get paid enough to put up with unpleasant personalities, and I'd just as soon the jerks went next door and left me alone.

[mopar_earl]

I was in auto parts back in the late 90's early 2000's. Guys would come in, I need a fuel pump for a small block chevy. I'd ask what application, they'd say they're all the same. I'd day no, I have at least 6 on the shelf for different applications for a small block. They'd say they are all the same. I'd go grab any fuel pump. Didn't take long to get an application lol

Earl

[Plymouthy Adams]

again..therein lies a lot of the problem with parts places...I will walk in and say, give me a set of ceramic pads for a 48 Plymouth....now the look is on your face...but if I say I have a wagner caliper XXXXXX you should be able to see what pads these a loaded with....granted an application is great for retrofit and why I record sources make and model..but not everyone does so...a good parts counter man will work with folks...your store would get a black eye with attitude just as you proposed above......I go in or call with the part number I need and ask it placed aside as I will be up to get it...never have left them stranded on a phony call in....sourcing parts by number prior to the big box store is just to super easy on the internet and I would venture that if you did this prior...there would be fewer returns of anything that was purchased....if you are not part of the solution..then look to the fact that you may be the very problem..some stores have the attitude and pass it to the customer immediately....seen it too many times...

[Captain Neon]

My store; it would be no problem, we'd help you out.  It might take a little longer, and that is when the customer's attitude becomes a factor in helpfulness.  I can't attest to every store in our chain.  There are a couple others that start with "A" and have colours resembling red in their logos, and they are bad about cross-reference.  They can tell ya all about the interior accessories they have available, and even get some over-priced snacks.  We had one of their district managers in our store offering parts guys jobs as store managers.  Might as well go to Wal*Mart as go to one of those places.  I haven't stepped foot in their stores in 4 years and that was just because they were having a sale on my brand of oil.

[Plymouthy Adams]

in my area..the red and A is the better of any the local big boxes....have they had a couple bad managers...two that I recall in 20 years....do they last...not if concerned customers call headquarters....they quick to make corrections to maintain a friendly pleasant atmosphere in my area..I also have a business account with them.  the O guys just recently came to our local town...they are pretty much on par with the other now...competition makes for great manners in business...

[Don Coatney]

Having worked in retail I once had a customer come in and ask for a generic plumbing check valve. I asked for the application so I could direct him in the best area to find this part. He replied in a very non friendly manner that I had no business asking this question as it was none of my business. So I pointed him to the highest priced part that would work for his application. He said nothing and walked away.  An hour or so later this customer sought me out and said in a very loud voice in front of other customers I was assisting that he found a check valve that cost a hundred bucks less than the one I directed him to. I simply smiled at him as the store manager gave me full support and marched him out of the store.

 

I would have gladly directed this guy to the least expensive part had his attitude been cooperative.  

[pflaming]

When I meet the clerk, I always ask, " can you help me". It's hard for them to say no, yet sometimes they respond, maybe try O 'Rielieys' . . . . . . . . . . . Pub!

[Dave72dt]

I think there's a bit of stereotyping of stores going on here. I'm inclined to believe there are stores within each chain that have the personnel that are willing to provide each customer their best service, regardless of the difficulty or uniqueness of the parts requested. I work in a chain store selling parts too and I don't want to be grouped in with those who don't give their best effort for every customer. Sure GM can have some difficult parts to source correctly but so do all the others. Try some of those minivans Mopar put out that required knowing the tire diameter to correctly source pads, or the cars that had different size rotors that meant different pads. The imports aren't immune from posing sourcing difficulties either, one in particular, has, I believe, 4 different pad and rotor combos

[Young Ed]

I think there's a bit of stereotyping of stores going on here. I'm inclined to believe there are stores within each chain that have the personnel that are willing to provide each customer their best service, regardless of the difficulty or uniqueness of the parts requested. I work in a chain store selling parts too and I don't want to be grouped in with those who don't give their best effort for every customer. Sure GM can have some difficult parts to source correctly but so do all the others. Try some of those minivans Mopar put out that required knowing the tire diameter to correctly source pads, or the cars that had different size rotors that meant different pads. The imports aren't immune from posing sourcing difficulties either, one in particular, has, I believe, 4 different pad and rotor combos

Very true. I think people get used to whats in their area and push that out to the entire chain. I know many guys don't like napa but my local one does great by me.

 

My 94 dakota bought new by Dad has goofy brake pads. If you look it up in the computer you get the wrong ones. Even though mine is 2wd it uses the 4x4 pads. Must have been built on a monday....