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.

On Fri, 12 Nov 2004 11:35:40 -0800, "Ulysses"
> wrote:

>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?

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.



>
>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.
>

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

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