Anyone replaced their front brake pads yet?

[ShadowsPapa]

Hate to be seat of the pants, but a brake flush and DOT 4.....
Like the response from the pedal.
Probably in my head....but JT stops nicer.

I've heard that said before - but a fluid can't be compressed.......... and if you have the same pads, same rotors, no change in the surfaces of either..........

Now since you have moved to DOT 4 - you will need to flush/change fluid more frequently because DOT4 absorbs water a lot faster than 3, although when it does, it still maintains a higher boiling point with the same amount of moisture (the wet boiling point.) but that moisture will cause other problems.
You gain a higher boiling point, but need more frequent service.

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[seven30]

There was a study out around the time I retired that I read. It was about the life span of retired people and their life style. What it boiled down to. Is that if you don't have a hobby or stay active. You're dead in 5 yrs

Too true! Lots of guys from work retired and poof, gone. Ill never retire, just switch to the same mode of working before I got married: for my self.

 

[seven30]

My kid is going through all his ASE certs and I had him flush the brake system and opted for DOT 4.
Wanted the higher boiling point. Heavier truck now with all the mods and lots of mountain driving.
Pads arrive today from NAPA.

Whats the wet boiling point of that fluid?

 

[ShadowsPapa]

DOT 3 - minimum dry boiling point of 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
DOT 4 - has a minimum dry boiling point of 450 degrees.
(that would be when new, no moisture absorbed)

There's a similar difference for wet boiling point (after they have absorbed water - and they do) -
284 vs. 311 for DOT4

 

[Rusty PW]

To add to ShadowPapa's post. There is Dot 3, Dot 4, Dot 5, and Dot 5.1 brake fluids. Each has a different dry boiling points. Most HiPo cars use Dot 4 mostly. A few use Dot 5.1. 5.1 is more hygroscopic. Meaning it has the ability to suck moisture out of the air. So it is more maintenance required.

Motul 600 Dot 4 brake fluid has a dry boiling point is 593F and a wet boiling point of 420F. It's around $20.00 per bottle. A lot of people I know use this.

Castrol SRF Racing Dot 4 brake fluid has a dry boiling point of 590F, and a wet boiling point of 518F. It's expensive. Around $70.00 a liter. I have a case of it. As I change the brake fluid and clutch fluid in my Nismo twice a year, sometimes 3 times. Depending on the number of trackdays I do. I use a brake fluid tester to measure the amount of moisture in the brake fluid.

DO NOT USE Dot 5 brake fluid. It is silicone base and does not mix with other brake fluids.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

DO NOT USE Dot 5 brake fluid. It is silicone base and does not mix with other brake fluids.

Good reminder for folks. 5 is an animal all on its own.

Unless you really need the higher boiling points (and those I posted are minimums meaning they can be higher for the better fluids) there's really little reason to use them.
For racing, high performance, a lot of mountain driving while towing, things that get brakes hotter than "normal" yes, but there's really no reason for most of us with our Jeeps.
(unless you like more maintenance, more frequent flushes)

High speed, high performance is different.

 

[Rusty PW]

Good reminder for folks. 5 is an animal all on its own.

Unless you really need the higher boiling points (and those I posted are minimums meaning they can be higher for the better fluids) there's really little reason to use them.
For racing, high performance, a lot of mountain driving while towing, things that get brakes hotter than "normal" yes, but there's really no reason for most of us with our Jeeps.
(unless you like more maintenance, more frequent flushes)

High speed, high performance is different.

A lot of people I know that tow campers use the Motul 600. I mention the Castrol brake fluid as an example of the top shelf stuff

 

[ShadowsPapa]

A lot of people I know that tow campers use the Motul 600. I mention the Castrol brake fluid as an example of the top shelf stuff

I keep my trailer brakes adjusted so that I really don't feel the truck working any harder while braking.
Same pedal pressure stops the truck in the same distance as usual, with or without the trailer. That means the trailer brakes are handling the trailer, the truck brakes are handling the truck. I shouldn't really see much if any difference in wear. I don't want the truck brakes working to slow the trailer, and it's safer if the trailer brakes keep it pulled back and the trailer doesn't push my truck at all while slowing or braking while towing.

For extreme driving, performance, racing, you want the best brake fluid. They get rather important.

 

[Rusty PW]

I keep my trailer brakes adjusted so that I really don't feel the truck working any harder while braking.
Same pedal pressure stops the truck in the same distance as usual, with or without the trailer. That means the trailer brakes are handling the trailer, the truck brakes are handling the truck. I shouldn't really see much if any difference in wear. I don't want the truck brakes working to slow the trailer, and it's safer if the trailer brakes keep it pulled back and the trailer doesn't push my truck at all while slowing or braking while towing.

For extreme driving, performance, racing, you want the best brake fluid. They get rather important.

You're a flat lander. You really don't have to many hills to deal with. I've got nothing but hills. Brake adjustment is important. Nothing like having a 10,000 lbs camper pushing you down hill with a T intersection at the bottom.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

You're a flat lander. You really don't have to many hills to deal with. I've got nothing but hills. Brake adjustment is important. Nothing like having a 10,000 lbs camper pushing you down hill with a T intersection at the bottom.

I remember towing to and from Reading, PA from here. I was SOOOO glad that F250 had good big brakes. It's one reason I bought that truck - it had the heavy options for brakes and front hubs. Those hills were long and curvy in places. I'm also glad it had that tow mode switch - engine braking helped with no OD.

 

[Rusty PW]

I remember towing to and from Reading, PA from here. I was SOOOO glad that F250 had good big brakes. It's one reason I bought that truck - it had the heavy options for brakes and front hubs. Those hills were long and curvy in places. I'm also glad it had that tow mode switch - engine braking helped with no OD.

You come across the turnpike or I80? These really ain't that bad. Go across the state on RT30. It's another matter.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

You come across the turnpike or I80? These really ain't that bad. Go across the state on RT30. It's another matter.

16 years ago. Don't fully recall. It was I80 part way. A guy lost the big garage he shared with 3 other guys who worked on their own cars. He had to get rid of a couple of cars and offered up a very nice 1980 Eagle Limited wagon - for free. It wasn't free by the time I paid gas, food, hotel and TOLLS but still....... Man, try maneuvering a big F250 with a big flatbed trailer behind it in some of those narrow places Reading calls streets.
Had to unhook and manually swing the trailer around and drive in from the other end of the street and hook back up to get in and out of there. That town was made for horses and buggies.

 

[Rusty PW]

16 years ago. Don't fully recall. It was I80 part way. A guy lost the big garage he shared with 3 other guys who worked on their own cars. He had to get rid of a couple of cars and offered up a very nice 1980 Eagle Limited wagon - for free. It wasn't free by the time I paid gas, food, hotel and TOLLS but still....... Man, try maneuvering a big F250 with a big flatbed trailer behind it in some of those narrow places Reading calls streets.
Had to unhook and manually swing the trailer around and drive in from the other end of the street and hook back up to get in and out of there. That town was made for horses and buggies.

Here, Indian foot paths became settler trails. That became wagon trails. Then they paved them. So we have some interesting roads. Every little patch town was at a coal mine or a coke oven. The coal mines and coke oven are all gone. The patch towns are still there.

 

[DocMike]

And in Colorado you are both flatlanders.
I live at 6,100 and wheel about 10k on the regular. Imogene is 13,100.

You're a flat lander. You really don't have to many hills to deal with. I've got nothing but hills. Brake adjustment is important. Nothing like having a 10,000 lbs camper pushing you down hill with a T intersection at the bottom.

 

[DocMike]

Thankfully we have a power bleeder at the school. You are correct and I did say seat of the pants. The full bleed and new pads both helped I'm sure

I've heard that said before - but a fluid can't be compressed.......... and if you have the same pads, same rotors, no change in the surfaces of either..........

Now since you have moved to DOT 4 - you will need to flush/change fluid more frequently because DOT4 absorbs water a lot faster than 3, although when it does, it still maintains a higher boiling point with the same amount of moisture (the wet boiling point.) but that moisture will cause other problems.
You gain a higher boiling point, but need more frequent service.

Sponsored