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Just replaces pads and rotors all around

14K views 40 replies 21 participants last post by  dirtrcr 
#1 ·
I went with the Hawk HPS pads and EBC rotors. I went with the small slotted ones as I had 2 sets of the dimpled and large slotted one on the wk1 and they made the fan noise.

IDK if it is just me but the Hawk pads seem to be noticeably less grippy when cold. I am 165 mi on this set up and their braking power when cold is pretty horrible. There is very little friction and 0 modulation, no matter how hard I dig into the pedal. I did the bedding process at about 70 mi and once hot these pads work very well. I admit the rotors still have the grinding swirls on them so I guess I will try to bed then in again. Once the brakes get warm they work real well but when cold I am amazed how much of a difference there is...


I had the EBC red stuff pads with the G3D rotors on the wk1 and those pads grabbed real well cold. The also get better when hot but there wasn't such a difference. I am assuming this is a pad problem as rotors probably don't vary much and are casted by only a few manufacturers. The pad is where the compound difference really is so that is where the friction constant carries more. Or to put it simply pads have more effect on the initial bite compared to rotors. 2 bad there is no red stuff pads for the wk2
 
#2 · (Edited)
Update, I am at 400+ mi and I am not 2 impressed with the Hawks! Man these things are FOR SURE a downgrade... The feel when they are cold are near terrible, once the heat up though they have good power and GREAT initial bite (which I am really a fan of), however when pushed hard with repeated braking the power fades REALLY quickly WTF?!!! Also that awesome power when warm fades away about 20-30% if I drive for a few mins and cool them off. This is their "high performance"? It could be that these are "track" pads that have to run warm to show their full potential, but that doesn't explain the quick fade from awesome to just ok.

I know many love these pads and I cannot dismiss the potential for the EBC rotors playing a part in the fade. However I have had the same EBC rotors several times with the EBC pads and they worked just as well as OEM.

Here is another good way to put it I think... Your "performance parts" are only awesome if you never think about them! If I get into my car int he morning and I think I ahve to warm up my pads so I have full braking power in case somebody cut me off a mile down the road, I probably want to buy something different next time. Same does for tires, shocks....

Bottom line I would give these brake pads a B-
 
#3 ·
I have the Hawks and am pleased with the stopping power. I dunno what your idea of "cold" is, but when outdoor temps up here reach -20*F, nothing works "normally" 'till it all warms up.

My Hawks do squeal like stuck pigs for the 1st 2-3 braking cycles after sitting overnight in humid environments. I can live with that. The lack of that nasty black $hit on my mags is a worthwhile trade-off.
 
#4 ·
On my 07 i had the HP HAWK PADS and had no problems with sweeking or stopping at our 1/8 mile drag strip and we have 1 short turn off and 1 long turn off and i used the short turn off every time with out and problems stopping.
 
#6 ·
It seems like there is a 50/50 split on the Hawks. Half the people say significantly reduced stopping power, the other half say they don't notice much of a difference if any.

My conclusion is the stopping power is reduced, but the Jeep brakes are already so damn good that when you slam them it still stops on a dime...so it's harder to distinguish the difference.

One thing I've seen at least 3/4 of all users say is that they don't bite as hard in normal driving. You have to really get on them
 
#7 ·
Huge difference with the Hawks, I'd love to compare side by side with someone on stock. There is no brake dust with the Hawks but it also has increased my stopping distance significantly.
 
#9 ·
I can see how some don't like the dust. It bothers me a little bit, but I would never trade function for looks. I would rather have dust coated wheels and great brakes compared to clean wheels and ok brakes. I just wanted to share my experience for others who feel the same way. I feel that the car has such great brakes why put on inferior pads. That's like feeding your car 87 fuel because the exhaust gets your trail gage dirty...

BTW I did another bed in procedure and the initial bite when cold is about 30% better but still IMO way shy of oem. Stopping part when hot is great but there is such a narrow window of optimal performance it seems only usable if you really track your car and your brakes are constantly hot. Over and out!
 
#10 · (Edited)
To answer why I prefer the trade off for me is; 90% of my driving is NYC stop and go doing 0mph to 35mph. So the very little loss of the initial bite doesn't make a difference. Whether I'm detailing my truck or paying to have it hand done (winter time) having my black chrome wheels staying clean from mountains of brake dust for more than a day of driving is worth the trade off. My opinion only (=
P.S if I lived in a more rural area where it allowed me to get in some more spirited driving then I would deal with the dust and keep the stock pads.
 
#11 ·
You just can't beat the stopping power of the stock pads. If it wasn't for the squeak and dust I would probably switch back.
 
#12 ·
As far as I am aware you also can't get the stock pads now. I tried to order some and was told, we don't know when they will be available, and won't know when we will be able to give you a date....something to think about if you are forecasting a brake pad replacement in the next few months....
 
#13 ·
Man I tried and tried, but I just cannot get over how much worst these brake pads are. I cannot have them on my car any longer. I do not know why but I did not realize that EBC makes Yellow Stuff for the WK2 (I guess I had Red Stuff on the WK1 and they do not make the Red for the WK2 but they make the Yellow, which I thought was track use, but I guess was wrong again).

Anyhow I am going to order the fronts only since I only have only about 1000 mi on the new ones.
 
#16 ·
I pre-emptively replaced them at 16k miles. The tech at the service shop told me the rears were pretty worn and at the time there was scuttlebutt about pads being back-ordered. Didn't want to end up wrecking my rotors....
 
#17 ·
Mine's a (2012) that I just hit 19,500 miles and I was told 2 contrasting answers last week.
I asked a very reputable frame and axle shop (OWNER) who did an alignment for me to check out my brake pads and he said the pads still have "quite a few miles left in them". Then just 2 days later I had my dealership check out a bad end link issue and on the bottom part of the invoice it says URGENT: Front Brake Pads Need Replacing and Rotors Need Resurfacing. (I never asked the dealership to check the brakes though, and they never actually said anything about it to me in person, just a generic little blurb on the invoice).
 
#20 ·
No Ma'am! :eek:

And because I didn't do the brakes myself, the rotors weren't rough-sanded by the tech who did the work. When I asked him, he sorta looked sheepish and reported that he hadn't bothered.

Regardless, she brakes well enough. However, I think you're on the mark about the braking being slightly reduced, with owners not really noticing due to the normally ridiculously awesome braking of these trucks to begin with.
 
#21 ·
Mine was at about 20k. I know the guy who did my brakes (by the way you can look and see how much meat you have left very easily, but that is only on the outside) and I was there to look at my pads. Although the dealership said I needed the brakes replaced months ago, I learned to not listen to them and use my own good judgement and common sense. My fronts were almost at the feelers and the rears were 3/4 done (so they had a bunch of life to them). I replaced all 4 corners just to be on all fresh stuff. When he removed my pads I looked at them and there was almost no difference between the inside and outside pads wear on each caliper. Bottom line looking at you pads form the outside is a very good way to tell what is going on, you do not need to listen to anyone else as they are probably doing the same thing (unless they actually remove the wheels and look from the top or bottom).
 
#22 ·
Resurrecting an old thread LOL


I'm at around 36k miles now, and getting prepared for brakes again. This time I'll be going with new rotors/pads all 'round.


Like others, I can...and will, gladly trade-off a slight decrease in brake performance in order to greatly reduce that bloody dust. Washing car and driving 20 miles just to have the wheels looking like shit again is unacceptable. If I was tracking the car, I might think otherwise. But the accumulated demerit points on my driver's permit in the last 2 yrs have convinced me to slow it down LOL


So I'm thinking, and I quote (from R1);


F/R Premier Series Rotors (Any Drilling Pattern)
Total: $520

F/R Hawk HPS Brake Pads
Total: $210


Shipping to Canuckistan is another $140


Do I go with drilled or slotted? I'm leaning towards drilled as I believe they'd help keep the rotors cooler.
 
#23 ·
Been out of touch a bit but you are going with Hawk over StopTech (309 series)... maybe they don't make them for wk2? Granted I have a wk1 but my StopTechs have been great. Not quite the same feel, but I did some extensive testing and the stopping power is near the same as original with less dust. YMMV

Not sure it really matters between slotted and drilled (or both) for a DD... it is more your choice on what you like.

It is SO much better having other factors making me wash the Jeep vs the dirty wheels!

R1 has been the best... use them for brakes on my other cars as well.
 
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#24 ·
PS: Been awhile... did they change the forum? My sig is gone and unless old age is really creeping up on me, it looks different...

Edit... haha, now sig is back [confused]
 
#26 ·
R1 is great, had their rotors on my first two GCSRT's. Great guys, great products, all around great experience.

I am interested to know how the pads work out for you. I too am tired of dust and will be switching out to another pad when it comes time for brakes. Was thinking ceramics, but I hear so many mixed reviews on them.

Keep us posted Peter and thank you!
 
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