better brakes

[Gren71]

I had to drive extra aggressive to get to something for work recently and afterwards I noticed just how sluggish the brakes are on this JT. They still work just fine, but they seem to be less effective at braking now. Ive read on this forum before that the "big brake" kit isnt worth it at all. Any suggestions on other upgrades that are actually worth my time? Slotted rotors? Different brake pads?

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[Renegade]

Powerstop has their Z036 Pads available. I’ve not used them, but would be interested in what anyone else who has thinks about them. They are advertised as increasing stopping power vs. stock pads.

 

[Chinz67]

Powerstop has their Z036 Pads available. I’ve not used them, but would be interested in what anyone else who has thinks about them. They are advertised as increasing stopping power vs. stock pads.

I've used Powerstop in the past. I highly recommend them!

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Interesting - after my crazy drive home during the onset of the record derecho, I was flying, hitting brakes hard, coming up on corners and exit and stomping brakes so hard my wife was tossed forward against the seat belt. When I got to our driveway, another hard braking, down to the garage, hit the brakes. No fade, among the best brakes I have ever experienced on anything, hands-down. I mean that poor truck - but my wife kept saying faster, gotta get home, pass that guy, quick, hurry. These beat the heck out of the heavy-duty brakes I've had on my other trucks.

Maybe you have glazed brakes...........
The only thing I could think of is different pads in your case. Renegade has said that, too, I see...
I still wonder about glazing.

 

[Chinz67]

I've used Powerstop in the past. I highly recommend them!

I do agree that the Gladiators brakes suck.
I have to stand on them to stop.

 

[Gren71]

Interesting - after my crazy drive home during the onset of the record derecho, I was flying, hitting brakes hard, coming up on corners and exit and stomping brakes so hard my wife was tossed forward against the seat belt. When I got to our driveway, another hard braking, down to the garage, hit the brakes. No fade, among the best brakes I have ever experienced on anything, hands-down. I mean that poor truck - but my wife kept saying faster, gotta get home, pass that guy, quick, hurry. These beat the heck out of the heavy-duty brakes I've had on my other trucks.

Maybe you have glazed brakes...........
The only thing I could think of is different pads in your case. Renegade has said that, too, I see...
I still wonder about glazing.

I dont know enough about brakes, what does glazing mean?

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I do agree that the Gladiators brakes suck.
I have to stand on them to stop.

Really? And how far back do you start, 5 feet? (joking)
This is hands down the best brakes I've ever had and in fact, I've had to be careful and it will toss things forward really hard it stops so well - and fast.
Ask my wife how many times she's had stuff thrown around in the cab when I hit brakes. ;-)

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I dont know enough about brakes, what does glazing mean?

Where something gets on the surface and/or they get hot and it creates a glassy hard surface. You lose the CoF - coefficient of friction. It's like glass on glass when they are glazed instead of the microscopic imperfections that create the friction and help stop.
The cure? Turn the rotors and replace the pads IF IF that's it in your case.
Done hundreds of brakes and that's my first gut reaction - but - it's a guess without actually looking at it.
Most pads these days don't do it very easily - better materials. Not sure if these are ceramic pads or something else on the JT.

 

[Renegade]

I do agree that the Gladiators brakes suck.
I have to stand on them to stop.

You’ve obviously never driven a YJ...

 

[BAT]

I do agree that the Gladiators brakes suck.
I have to stand on them to stop.

Really man I find mine to be great.

 

[Gren71]

Where something gets on the surface and/or they get hot and it creates a glassy hard surface. You lose the CoF - coefficient of friction. It's like glass on glass when they are glazed instead of the microscopic imperfections that create the friction and help stop.
The cure? Turn the rotors and replace the pads IF IF that's it in your case.
Done hundreds of brakes and that's my first gut reaction - but - it's a guess without actually looking at it.
Most pads these days don't do it very easily - better materials. Not sure if these are ceramic pads or something else on the JT.

thanks for the description, makes sense. Is there a way to tell without pulling the pads out?

 

[TrainMan]

I think my brakes are super sensitive. Coming from a '15 Silverado.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I think my brakes are super sensitive. Coming from a '15 Silverado.

Same here - but 2011 silverado in my case - and more sensitive than my wife's GC by a bit, a lot more than anything else we own or have owned.

thanks for the description, makes sense. Is there a way to tell without pulling the pads out?

Sometimes you can go by the surface of the rotors - the color and how "slick" they look and feel. Hard to describe, I guess I go by experience......... don't have a really good explanation, sorry - and maybe it's just late!

 

[Wbrook24]

The answers you get about how good the JT brakes are is going to depend on what else they drove recently. When I went from my 12 year old nissan pick-up to the Gladiator the brakes felt great. Then last week I spent 10 days in a 911 turbo s and getting back in my jeep my brakes felt not so great lol.
In all honesty try new pads first. If its not good enough try rotors. Still not there??? Big brake kit is your best bet if its a good quality. If your already thinking big brake kit then skip the rest and just go for it.
Glazing is a possibility. New pads and resurface rotors if it doesn't go away on it's own. Good luck.

 

[PDiddy]

I came from a 2015 4runner and these gladiator brakes are fantastic. My wife drives a infinity q50s, which has amazing brakes. The gladiator feels pretty good compared to it. Of course not as good. But I used to laugh about how the 4Runner felt, after hopping in her car.

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