How To Avoid Purchasing Brakes That Don't Fit

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The most important part of purchasing your own brakes is that you need brakes that will fit your vehicle. To purchase the right type of brakes, you'll need to gather information about your vehicle so you can select the right brake for your brake installation.

The Production Date

Look up the production date of your vehicle. You usually do not need the production month, but when a vehicle has a split in production, there might be differences in the type of rotor used depending on the month the vehicle was manufactured.

The Drive Train and Body Style

Whether or not your vehicle is 2-wheel or 4-wheel drive will affect the size of the brakes you should put on your vehicle. The body style also affects the type of brakes you need. Also, whether your car has heavy-duty suspension can affect the type of brakes you need. 

The OEM Parts Number

One of the best ways to choose the right brakes for your car is to look up the OEM parts number. This will allow you to obtain the original brakes for your vehicle so you will know for sure that they will fit. 

The Brake Kit

You may have had the original brakes for your vehicle replaced with brakes from a donor vehicle. If this is the case, you will need to know the donor vehicle that the brakes came from so you can purchase parts that correspond with the donor vehicle. 

If you will be using your car for something more demanding, such as racing, you may want to obtain a big brake kit. This is a kit that comes with brake pads, rotors, calipers, and brake lines.

The Wheel Hub Assembly

The wheel hub assembly affects the type of brakes you need. This is the center of the wheel and houses the bearings that hold the wheel together. Some wheel house assemblies have a rotor and hub assembly. This can either be one piece or can be several separate pieces. You must know which type of wheel hub assembly you have so you can order all of the necessary parts.

One of the easiest ways to make sure that you obtain the right brakes is to have your brakes professionally installed. Professionals will be able to locate the right type of brakes so you'll be certain that your brakes will fit. They may also recommend brakes that will better fit your lifestyle.

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