2001 dodge ram 2500 3/4 ton - pickup Brakes

Shop Replacement Brake Parts

How often are you checking your brake system?

Does your car squeal or come to a grinding halt at red lights? It may be time for a brake service. The bad news is that these parts aren't typically included in a car's warranty, as they are considered preventative maintenance/wear and tear items that need to be regularly replaced.

The good news is that NAPA AUTO PARTS carries a wide selection of auto brakes and brake parts online for you to reserve and pick-up in store.

Find a local store near you if you are comfortable doing the work yourself and speak with one of our qualified associates. They will be able to offer the best brake inspection and replacement parts in the area.

Making sure you and your passengers are safe is our main priority.

When you're faced with hazards on the road, you need to make sure you're equipped with stopping power. Save on great prices on premium quality brake pads, brake rotors, drum brakes, calipers, wheel bearings, brake fluid, brake master cylinders, and more.

If you're shopping for brake parts for your Ford F-150, Honda Civic, electric vehicle, or any other car or motorcycle, NAPA AUTO PARTS has you covered.

What Are The Different Types Of Auto Brakes?

When looking for the correct brake components, it's essential to know how vehicle braking systems work and their different components.

At its core, a brake system is a device that converts energy to something else using one of three systems. Almost all automobiles use friction brakes, but others machines use pumping brakes or electromagnetic brakes to stop motion.

What Are Friction Brakes?

This is a catch-all term for brakes that use friction to slow a vehicle or wheel. They can often be divided into two types of frictional brakes: shoe brakes and pad brakes, which use a component that presses against a brake rotor or brake disc. Hydrodynamic brakes are used by certain bus manufacturers and are technically frictional but are incredibly rare.

Drum Brake

This is a vehicle brake that pushes a set of brake shoes against the interior of a rotating brake drum with the help of a wheel cylinder. The drum is connected to the tire's hub for stability. As they compress, the energy is converted into heat.

These are more common on older cars and trucks but can occasionally be found on budget models of newer cars. Some brakes (called a band brake) press around the drum to scrub speed these are sometimes seen as a secondary braking system in older car models.

Within drum brakes, brake shoes are often made of special compounds designed to handle immense forces during every braking situation. Over time that protective lining wears away and needs to be replaced.

Putting off replacing pads and shoes can mean decreased braking ability, as well as severe damage to rotors and drums. Your local NAPA AUTO PARTS location has the right brake pads and brake shoes to keep you safe on the roads.

Disc Brakes

This brake configuration takes a device called a brake caliper located on the outside of a brake rotor which is attached to the wheel hub. Like a drum brake, the driver activates the brake pedal to squeeze the brake pads against the rotor, which scrubs speed by converting the energy into heat.

Rotors are made of cast iron and different metallurgy which helps determine the good, better, best grade of the rotor.

Disc brake rotors take tremendous amounts of punishment during everyday driving. While the disc brake pads are designed to bear the brunt of the braking force, the brake rotor surface itself will also wear away over time. Just changing brake pads without paying attention to rotor thickness can lead to less effective overall braking.

When brake rotors become too thin for service or too warped, the best solution is a pair of new rotors. Just like brake pads, brake rotors should be replaced in pairs to provide balanced braking.

Your local NAPA AUTO PARTS location has the right disc brake rotors for your vehicle.

What are Common Brake Concepts and Issues?

A few issues tend to determine the lifespan of vehicle brake pads, and it should be noted that brake manufacturers often price their products accordingly. So if you are in the market to replace some worn brakes, it's important to know your driving style and what type of brakes your car uses.

Car brakes are often measured by a few standard terms, no matter their style.

Peak Force - This is the upper limit of brake control, and when the threshold is exceeded, the driver will often experience wheel skid.

Brake Fade - As brake pads or drums heat up, they can become less effective and result in less braking power. Large vehicles are particularly prone to this phenomenon, and you will often see 18-wheelers pulled over to the side of steep descents in hilly regions to allow their brakes to cool.

Brake Hydraulics - Modern brakes are almost all powered by hydraulics, which use liquid force to move the caliper pistons that press the brake pad against the rotor more easily than a direct pressure system. This is where you hear brake technicians talking about "bleeding brakes" to ensure no air in the brake fluid reservoir.

Brake Pedal Feel - This is the overall feeling of how a brake pedal affects perceived brake power output regarding how far a brake pedal is depressed.

Brake Drag - This is how much the brake pad drags against the rotor even when it's not engaged. Often brake drag can be from worn hardware, so be sure to inspect and replace worn brake hardware

Brake Noise - We've all heard brakes that were past their prime coming down the street, but even the quietest friction brakes still make some nominal amount of sound, if not all components were checked and replaced if worn.

How Much Does It Cost To Replace Car Brakes?

If you've finally settled on replacing your auto brakes, it will likely cost anywhere from $100 to $1,000.

Pads can be found at very affordable prices, but a complete brake replacement of all four corners would be more, it is best to do a complete brake inspection before buying parts.

To determine the cost for your car, truck, or SUV use our search by vehicle feature. Simply click here and select your vehicle, ex. '2013 Ford F-150', '2008 Chevrolet Silverado 1500', or '2001 Dodge Ram 2500'. Then, head over to some of our helpful videos or a local store near you to make your next brake repair!