About two years ago I had a shop install new brakes on the back of my 13 Silverado. I thought they weren’t stopping as well as the previous OEM pads. The shop owner, who has always done really good work for me, said they were good Centric pads and that they may need a little time
to bed in. Anyway, fast forward to now, I’m prepping my truck to tow a travel trailer from DC to Arizona by way of Mount Rushmore in South Dakota. I had a set of new OEM drums (which I had already had turned, learned that the hard way a while back) and shoes on hand here and figured regardless of how much pad life is left on the Centrics I’m going to put the OEM’s on. Well let me tell you, I don’t know if it was the new drums (adjuster was able to be brought in by quite a lot) or the OEM formula of the shoes, but man, the pedal effort is sooo much less. The Centrics still had plenty of friction material on them, however, I just don’t think they were up to snuff. So you’ll pay about 100 bucks more for OEM, but there really is a difference. My first OEM set lasted 99k miles anyway, so I think its worth it. I have consistently had this experience with OEM vs aftermarket pads/shoes. Also, with both GM trucks I’ve owned, I’ve been really amazed with the amount of proportionate braking that’s done by the rear brakes, even when bed is empty.
to bed in. Anyway, fast forward to now, I’m prepping my truck to tow a travel trailer from DC to Arizona by way of Mount Rushmore in South Dakota. I had a set of new OEM drums (which I had already had turned, learned that the hard way a while back) and shoes on hand here and figured regardless of how much pad life is left on the Centrics I’m going to put the OEM’s on. Well let me tell you, I don’t know if it was the new drums (adjuster was able to be brought in by quite a lot) or the OEM formula of the shoes, but man, the pedal effort is sooo much less. The Centrics still had plenty of friction material on them, however, I just don’t think they were up to snuff. So you’ll pay about 100 bucks more for OEM, but there really is a difference. My first OEM set lasted 99k miles anyway, so I think its worth it. I have consistently had this experience with OEM vs aftermarket pads/shoes. Also, with both GM trucks I’ve owned, I’ve been really amazed with the amount of proportionate braking that’s done by the rear brakes, even when bed is empty.