I need to do some massive work on my 97. Brakes & shocks all around, and rear leaf springs. Hey, at 242k miles, I guess it's time for something new, right? Yeah, it's all original.

I've heard too many bad things about Dorman parts on this and other forums to want to trust their springs.

I've been looking at Quadratec's site, and they have everything I need. It's a bit more than eBay or Amazon, but if they are quality parts, I don't mind a bit more. They are not crazy more than similar products from Dorman.

I'm looking for OEM grade stuff - no lift, nothing special. I mostly drive streets and the odd bit of very mild off-road, so no need for uber-fantastico performance gear.

So the question - how is Quadratec's quality? Good as OEM? Better? Cheap junk with a fancy name?

While we're on the subject, any special tips on doing brakes on these things? I'm doing new drums & rotors. Would it be a good idea to do bearings at the same time?

 

They sell good products! I've bought from them several times

 

I've bought a few things, no issues. They are high sometimes so be sure and check around. I also find that some of the guys in the vendor section on our forum give discounts so you end up better off on the same stuff. But they are reputable(just my opinion).

 

I would go with a local vendor such as NAPA or O'Reilly's if you have one. Brake parts such as rotors and drums are heavy and they might cost a lot to ship.

Quadratec stuff is OK but high in my opinion. I only get stuff from them that I can't get anywhere else.

 

If i need replacement parts today i go to napa,If i don't mind waiting i go rockauto.com for stuff.

 

Seriously OP, dont waste your time. Quadratec is great. Prices are bigh sometimes but i always have good experiences with em.

With that said, these are brakes. Get some napa premium brand products and youll be golden. And if you do see something on quadratec you like, like hawk products etc, type it in advance auto search box. If they carry it, you can use discount codes. Ive gotten $50 off many times

 

i was told that Quadratec will match amazon prices if you call.

what parts are you looking to buy?

personally i'd probably order from a place like rock auto or amazon. if its all stock stuff it should be easy to get from on of those places. can also do advanced or auto zone and use their discounts they are always sending out like already stated..

 

What about Morriss4x4 they have everything. As does CSE Offroad.

 

Great input, folks.

I checked out leaf springs at NAPA and they carry Dorman. Blech. I'll check them on brakes parts, though. Yeah, the shipping is a killer.

Wish I could afford the rear disc brake conversion Quadratec sells! Nice!

Rockauto? They badly screwed me on some exhaust parts for another vehicle. It was completely their fault, and then they were nasty about it. Never again!

 

There is nothing wrong with Dorman leafs, just replaced mine from Summit a month ago and I'm happy with them.


2003 Liberty discs are cheap and bolt on, assuming you have the 8.25.

 

Great looking axle. Did you have to mod the liberty brakes to get them to fit(grinding etc)?

 

That axle is on my MJ.

No, literally bolt-on.

 

Quadratec is a retailer. From what I can tell on their site, the springs they sell are all other brands. I don't see a "Quadratec" spring pack. The quality of Quadratec's springs is no better or worse than any other retailer selling those same brands.

For example, their "Standard Duty Replacement Leaf Spring Pack" is Crown Automotive. Quadratec sells that for $115. You can get the exact same part elsewhere for as little as $82 shipped. Why spend that much more money on the same part?

If you're doing major work and buying a lot of parts, I would shop around. The frugalmechanic.com parts search is a good place to find cheaper alternatives. I will warn you that the cheapest stores in that search are usually CarParts.com, Parts Train and US Auto Parts, which are actually all the same company and have a rather bad reputation for customer service because they sometimes take a long time to ship. I have ordered from them in the past, and they're usually okay if you're buying something that you don't need right away. If you can't wait or don't want to risk it, skip down the list and find one that has better reviews.

I've never actually bought anything from Quadratec because every time I need a part, someone else has the exact same thing cheaper.

 

i'd like o see more info in that..

 

I'm glad you're happy with them, but if you just replaced them only a month ago, you really have no idea if there's anything wrong with them. All you know is that they are new and they fit. If they start sagging in 6 months are you going to go back through all the threads where you recommended them and publish a retraction?

I've seen far too many reviews of Dorman products that fail early to trust anything they make.