It starts out as an annoying squeal every time you slow down or stop. And left unchecked, it can morph into a nasty grinding sound or sensation. What is it? A worn brake lining begging to be replaced. But before you automatically opt for a basic reline, make sure you know what you’re choosing – and that it’s really the right option for your truck.

Reline Versus Reman
A reline is the simplest repair option you can choose for your braking system, which is why it’s also usually the cheapest. But just stripping off worn friction material and installing a new lining won’t do anything to address structural problems with the shoe itself, such as rust, cracks or warping. Instead, it’s a quick fix that can have dangerous implications for your truck’s stopping ability.

The only way to ensure your truck can deliver the same stopping power it did when it first went into service is to replace those worn brake shoes with a new or remanufactured component. Although they can cost more than a relined shoe, remanufactured brake shoes undergo a highly sophisticated, multi-step process designed to restore them to original equipment quality – and they generally cost about 30 percent less than brand new brake shoes.

Making the Right Reman Choice
When it’s time to replace your worn brake shoes, Road Choice® is the right choice. Road Choice remanufactured brake shoe kits provide exceptional value, performance and service life. Each core is carefully sorted and inspected, and damaged components are removed. Then, the remaining cores are cleaned and heat treated to remove contaminants and worn brake blocks.

Next, the shoes are visually inspected for a second time and then passed through a 1,000-ton coining process to help eliminate any gaps that can cause cracks, rust jacking or uneven wear. After confirming proper fit and performance through multiple checks and special geometry gauges, the shoes are completely immersed in a special anti-corrosion coating and baked at 200ºF for several cycles. Then, new linings are installed using special riveting equipment that precisely controls the rivet tensions across the friction block.

Figuring out Your Friction Needs
Road Choice offers three categories of friction material to meet every budget and application: