Drum Brake Prices

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Aug 21, 2016 | 03:16 PM

classictruckman

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From: Ottawa, Ontario Canada

Drum Brake Prices

So I'm comparing prices between LMC and NPD for a new brake drums, shoes, and hardware front and rear(i already have wheel cylinders) for my '73 f250 4x4 and LMC comes to $460 and NPD comes to $650. Does anybody know why there's such a price difference? If I buy the LMC parts will me and my family die a firey death due to failing brakes?

Thanks.

Aug 21, 2016 | 03:44 PM

Filthy Beast

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From: Taxachusetts

I, in all honesty, would not trust LMC with something - like brakes - that is relevant to one's safety. They're too cheap for me...for instance, and I know this is not really safety related, the PO of my vehicle had LMC bumpers on the truck. I could take and bend them with my hands....as opposed to old, rusty stock bumpers which didn't budge with a 16 lb beater.

Aug 21, 2016 | 06:15 PM

Blue and White

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I don't think you will die a fiery death with either... That said, can you get some specs on the parts?

A lot of replacement brake shoes have organic lining. It is cheap and works OK but cannot take as much heat as a semi-metallic. Also organic does not last as long. When I did the rears on my '78 I found NAPA had a premium semi-mettalic for ~$40 extra. I used it.

Also the drums. It seams like drums come in 3 qualities. Low, medium and high. Medium seems to work fine. Run far and fast from the cheapest. The one time I tried the cheapies it was a mess (in stock and I needed them fast). Machining was off and while I did get the car back together and it did stop I had to re-do it a few months later to get the shake out.

The standard line of drums and rotors from both AZ and NAPA have been fine for me.

There are differences in the hardware also. The standard cheap hardware kit is just adequate and sometimes needs tweaking. A premium kit is nicer to work with.

I would suggest checking out your local parts store and Rock Auto as well as LMC and NPD.

Aug 21, 2016 | 07:31 PM

Tedster9

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From: Waterloo, Iowa

I'll bet a lot of the cost differential is due to drums, full cast cost more. My experience with anything that rotates, get it as smooth and vibration free as practical. Cheap drums may or not be balanced correctly and way out of round, stored incorrectly, dropped etc. The "kits" are convenient but ya never know what you're gonna get.

Aug 21, 2016 | 08:43 PM

mikeo0o0o0

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From: Stanley, VA

I'm with Blue and White. These parts are easy to get at the local parts store or Rock Auto. Personally I like NAPA for brake parts especially on the "heavier" trucks. NAPA, at least in my area, is much more knowledgeable on parts than AZ or Discount, especially on the older vehicles.

Aug 21, 2016 | 09:15 PM

classictruckman

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From: Ottawa, Ontario Canada

Honestly I would buy from my local auto parts store because I get a good discount and the guys are knowledgeable and honest, I just decided to get some pricing together today for some project planning and noticed a huge difference between LMC and NPD for what I really assumed was the same part from likely the same manufacturer. Because of this price difference I was expecting some horror story from somebody who had bought brake parts from LMC.

Thanks for the opinions guys, it just cements my thoughts that I should stop looking at the LMC catalog so much and try to get more parts locally.

Aug 23, 2016 | 12:35 AM

gstirewalt

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I order some brake parts from NPD and got wagner brand So I order the drums rotors and disk from o'rielly are they are the same. Based on what I could find. In Cali the ship from Stockton ca wharehouse and I live in sacramento so got them next day to my door for free. the price was less the NPD or LMC. Brake Pads: Autozone, OReillys, etc made by Morse - AudiWorld Forums

I order what I can get from the local shops from Summit or NPD. I did purchase some parts from LMC but they seem high and lower quality. Example purchased bed bolts and appear to be basic bolts I could get from a hardware store.