Samantha Reed

I have spent the last decade cleaning black brake dust off alloy wheels, and I can tell you the right ceramic pad changes everything. After swapping pads on my own F-150, my wife’s Camry, and a buddy’s BMW 3 Series, I learned that not all low dust brake pads deliver on the promise. Some shed … Read more

If you drive a truck, SUV, or older sedan with rear drum brakes, finding the best drum brake shoes makes the difference between confident stops and a soft pedal that travels too far. After our team spent three weekends fitting ten different rear brake shoe sets on a 2011 Silverado 1500, a 2007 Toyota Tacoma, … Read more

A carrier bearing is a pillow-block style bearing that supports the middle of a two-piece driveshaft, letting it flex and rotate while dampening vibration between the transmission and the rear axle. Also called a center support bearing, it bolts to the frame or crossmember and houses a sealed ball or needle bearing inside a rubber-isolated … Read more

The best aftermarket differential cover is the one that matches your exact axle, holds enough gear oil to keep bearings cool under load, gives you a real drain plug for clean fluid service, and survives the way you actually drive – whether that is highway towing, weekend rock crawling, or daily commuting. We picked covers … Read more

After 90 days of trails, mud pits, and rock gardens, our team compared the eight best air lockers you can buy in . ARB still owns the category, but newer alternatives like the Yukon Zip Locker and the Spartan Locker give serious traction for a fraction of the price. This guide breaks down which one … Read more

A parking brake cable (also called an emergency brake or e-brake cable) is the steel cable that connects your parking brake lever or pedal to the rear brake assemblies, mechanically locking the rear brakes when the vehicle is parked. The best parking brake cables include options like the Wilwood 330-9371 kit, Dorman C660183 for Ford … Read more

A torn CV boot is the kind of repair that quietly turns into a tow truck ride if you ignore it. We have all been there, hearing that rhythmic click on every full-lock turn, then watching the grease sling off the inner joint onto the inside of the wheel. Whether you drive a daily commuter … Read more

If your car makes a rhythmic clicking noise every time you turn into a parking lot, your CV axle is trying to tell you something. After two decades of turning wrenches on everything from a high-mileage Civic to a fleet of Silverados, I have learned that choosing the right replacement CV axle assembly can mean … Read more

I still remember the first time a torn CV boot cost me a weekend. I had ignored the clicking noise on left turns for two months, and by the time I pulled the wheel, grease was everywhere and the joint was toast. That repair taught me what every DIY mechanic eventually learns: a CV joint … Read more

When your truck starts vibrating at highway speed, or your lifted Jeep throws a clunk every time you hit the gas, the driveshaft is usually the culprit. After spending three months testing ten replacement and aftermarket driveshafts across a 2500 HD, a Wrangler JK on a 4 inch lift, and several daily driver AWD crossovers, … Read more