Monroe Brake Pads

[TimothyLong]

Took my truck to the tire shop yesterday for routine rotation and spin balancing. After 114K miles the told me that I need new rear brakes. They are recommending the Monroe Ceramics. They tell me they have great stopping power and produce little to no dust. Anyone out there have any experience with Monroe brake pads? Thanks!

 

[domehead]

Took my truck to the tire shop yesterday for routine rotation and spin balancing. After 114K miles the told me that I need new rear brakes. They are recommending the Monroe Ceramics. They tell me they have great stopping power and produce little to no dust. Anyone out there have any experience with Monroe brake pads? Thanks!

Ceramics pads do not stop well when wet

 

[Andersonville]

Ceramic pads eat rotors QUICKLY

 

[steved]

Hmmm, I run Monroe Ceramics (self-installed) on two cars, I saw no disadvantage in the wet nor do I see an increase in rotor wear.

On the Subaru, I have ran them for over 90k now (same set), without a single issue. I like them because they seem to get "stickier" the hotter they get... run the brakes hard once, and the second time they will grab harder with less pedal input.

While I don't run the ceramics on the truck, I am running Monroe brand semi-metallics. I am more than satisfied with the choice.

On edit: the dust thing is BS, you will get dust from them.

 

[seafish]

Well if you got 114k out of your original, why not replace them with mopar oem, though NOT the value line??
My oem pads are wearing so slowly that I am defintely going to use mopar again.

Just my. 02

 

[steved]

Well if you got 114k out of your original, why not replace them with mopar oem, though NOT the value line??

My oem pads are wearing so slowly that I am defintely going to use mopar again.



Just my. 02

Just an FYI, you better be sitting down when they tell you the price...



The OE Mopar pads were almost $400... I was quoted $189 for each end.

 

[seafish]

Just an FYI, you better be sitting down when they tell you the price...



The OE Mopar pads were almost $400... I was quoted $189 for each end.

Was that at a local dealer, or an online discount mopar supply quote??



https://www.dodgetruckparts.net/oem-dodge-parts.html shows a price of 183. 50 front and 112. 50 rear for my 2005 2500. Sure it's expensive, but what on our trucks is NOT expensive??? At least you won't have to replce them , or the rotors if the ceramic pads wear them too quickly, except every 100k miles or so.

 

[TimothyLong]

Thanks to everyone who has replied so far!

Steve, the Monroes you are using on your truck, would they be the Monroe Dynamics? Even if I do get dust, as long as it's less than what I get from the Wagner Thermo-Quiets I have on the front (a mistake I'll never make again) I'll be happy.

Seafish, I appreciate where you are coming from with the Mopar pads and I did seriously consider that. However, like Steve pointed out the Mopar pads would be more expensive and I would have the dealer do the work anyway because I don't have the time to do it myself right now. On top of that, the dealer that I used to go to and had a really good rapport with, closed up. The next closest dealer I would go to I have no experience with save buying one or two parts from them. I am a long time customer at the tire shop I go to and I have a good rapport with all of the Techs there. They have always done really good work for me, their labor rates are less expensive than the dealer, and they are a lot closer to home than the dealer. Otherwise, I would probably get the Mopar pads if I had the time to do the work myself.

 

[seafish]

Tim, I am not sure, but couldn't you buy the mopar pads at the parts counter and/or over the internet and then have your trusted and more affordable mechanic install them?? Your experience with the Wagner pads shows that it would probably be a GOOD thing to use the pads that were designed for our trucks. I am NOT saying there are not better or more affordable pads out there, but only considering the longevity and quality of the oem pads as a justifiable expense.

PS--Just curious, how much money would one save by buying a high quality, aftremarket pad that will last AND not wear the rotors too much??

 

[MMeier]

224k on my original pads so far, most of it hauling real heavy. Care to guess whats on the shelf waiting to go on ?

 

[TimothyLong]

Tim, I am not sure, but couldn't you buy the mopar pads at the parts counter and/or over the internet and then have your trusted and more affordable mechanic install them?? Your experience with the Wagner pads shows that it would probably be a GOOD thing to use the pads that were designed for our trucks. I am NOT saying there are not better or more affordable pads out there, but only considering the longevity and quality of the oem pads as a justifiable expense.



PS--Just curious, how much money would one save by buying a high quality, aftremarket pad that will last AND not wear the rotors too much??

There was a time when I could have done what you are suggesting. However, the shop changed ownership a while back and I don't know if they will do something like that now. The Techs wouldn't have a problem with doing it, just don't know if the management will let them. I will have to inquire about that. If they will do it, that just might be the way to go. If they won't then I will most likely go with the Monroe semi-metallics like Steve has on his truck. The Wagner pads I have on the front are wearing pretty well and they do have good stopping power. They've taken a good bit of abuse (from driving in traffic), it's just that they have a tendency to squeal and they do make a lot of dust. Traits that I found out are common to Wagner pads that I didn't know at the time. Thanks for the idea though! I'll definitely check into it.

 

[seafish]

224k on my original pads so far, most of it hauling real heavy. Care to guess whats on the shelf waiting to go on ?

WOW. . I am sure that the manual transmission helps, but is that with or without an exhaust brake??

 

[SBeretz]

My truck has a little over 87K now, and every time I rotate, I take a peek at the brakes, and they just don't seem to really wear out. I do have an exhaust brake and a manual, but I think that is phenomenal. Plus, since going back to stock tires, I think I am putting even less wear on the brakes. Scotty

 

[steved]

Thanks to everyone who has replied so far!



Steve, the Monroes you are using on your truck, would they be the Monroe Dynamics? Even if I do get dust, as long as it's less than what I get from the Wagner Thermo-Quiets I have on the front (a mistake I'll never make again) I'll be happy.

They pads were the best grade semi-metallics they sold in the Monroe... the next step was ceramic. I don't get any more dust than I did with the OE; and from what I can remember, it may be less.



And FWIW, I have put 15k on the Monroes, they have not changed thickness noticeably. I replaced rotors at the same time I did pads (at 185k the way). I can replace a whole set of rotors and Monroe pads for less than the cost of a single set of Mopar pads.

 

[TimothyLong]

They pads were the best grade semi-metallics they sold in the Monroe... the next step was ceramic. I don't get any more dust than I did with the OE; and from what I can remember, it may be less.



And FWIW, I have put 15k on the Monroes, they have not changed thickness noticeably. I replaced rotors at the same time I did pads (at 185k the way). I can replace a whole set of rotors and Monroe pads for less than the cost of a single set of Mopar pads.

Steve, thanks for the info! I have to get new rear rotors as well, so I'll be costing the difference between the Monroes and the Mopars (assuming that the tire shop will install the Mopars).