Shocks and Brake Pads for '92

Hi. I've been Googleing and arrived at the conclusion that Bilstein's would probably be a good choice for new front shocks. Everyone was saying that they were about $50 but I'm only finding them for about $70 each. Are these good shock and does anyone have a better (cheaper) source? I don't do any jumps or off-road racing but do drive on some pretty nasty dirt roads and often go where no car has gone before. Any particular model number that's best for my kind of driving? I also heard that Edelbrock, Monroe Reflex, and Rancho 9000 are good too. Any opinions?

Also I was reading that Napa brake pads are good but they want $59/set. Are they worth it? I also heard Bendix are good but can't seem to find them. I've been using Duralast and they don't last very long. I also read that I may need to do more to my calipers than just lube them and that may be part of my brake-wearing-out-too-fast problem. Either way Duralast sure make the wheels ugly in a hurry.

Thanks.

Reply to
Ulysses
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From what's been posted in the past, the Bilstiens give a fairly firm ride, firmer then the others. I"ve had Edlebrocks and would never buy them again. They went soft after 10K miles and Edlebrock won't stand behind their warranty. I've had two kinds of Monroe's, the SensaTraks and the Reflex. Both were good, the Reflex was the best. Don't know about the Rancho's. I'm going to be sticking with the Reflex till something demonstrably better comes along.

Are the Duralast the ones from AUtozone? I've been using autozones "premium semi-metallic" something or other pads and don't have any dust problem. I think they are around $30 per set. Lots of things can make the brakes wear out too fast including poor pads :-) There isn't much you can do to the calipers but lube the slide pins with dielectric grease. Your caliper piston might be getting sticky and not retracting properly. I don't think a set of rebuilt calipers costs too much so you could go that route. I've been told the factory piston is phenolic plastic and it can warp from heat making it stick. Rebuilds usually use aluminum. The downside to aluminum is that it passes the pad heat into the fluid much more quickly then the plastic does. I'm still running the original calipers at 120K with no problems even though Mienke told me they desperately needed to be replaced when the truck had 32K on it.

-- Elbridge Gerry, of Massachusetts:

"What, sir, is the use of militia? It is to prevent the establishment of a standing army, the bane of liberty. . . Whenever Government means to invade the rights and liberties of the people, they always attempt to destroy the militia, in order to raise a standing army upon its ruins." -- Debate, U.S. House of Representatives, August 17, 1789

Reply to
AZGuy

Thanks. That's another vote for Monroe Reflex ;-)

Reply to
Ulysses

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