Did you replace the rotors when you installed the pads? If not they were probably glazed over to start.

 

No, they are stock rotors and they had no signs of glazing when I changed the pads. And I changed the pads with only 18,000 miles.

 

That sucks man. Super expensive mistake. Is Yellow the medium grade pad they sell? With only red (race apps) being more aggressive?

I think the stock brakes are pretty good, especially too good to be replacing after only 18k when most get well over 100k. Unless you do a lot of towing, etc.

 

If you had killed the brakes in 18,000 miles and didn't have the rotors at least re-surfaced that was more than likely the downfall of them.

I ordered drilled and slotted rotors from v12motorsports on ebay cheap and got the ebc greenstuff pads and my braking is excellent and haven't had any issues with 75lb wheel/tire combo. I would suggest this combo for your next set since you'll be replacing them.

 

If the brakes have about 500 miles on them they will need to be degalzed. If the rotors are in decant shape, and not warped you can degalze them and replace the pads. I used a 3M scotch brite pad on a orbital air sander. And yes the rotor should be removed to get at both sides.

That rotor pictured is now garbage for sure! Should have degalzed it!

And damn you are hard on brakes 18,000 miles! Mines got 38,000 miles and there is lots of life left in the front pads, the rear shoes are about 35 %.

 

The rotors had no glazing on them when I changed the pads. Its really weird to cause theres not even a lip on the rotors. I would have atleast expected the pads to make a small lip on them but nothing just cracks and glazing. Yes I am hard on brakes, always have been, but I was expecting more from them. With the power im making its not hard to kill brakes though, so in that aspect im not that surprised.

Any one have the full specs of the 09+ rotors. I think they are 11.7dia but i need the bolt pattern and width. I was gonna call wilwood to see if they have rotors that will work. Rich Im sure you'll find me a spec sheet lol

 

You can't tell really by just looking at them to see if they are glazed. Unless you see nice cross hatching, (uni-directional sanding lines). If they are smooth they are glazed. It usually takes about 500-1000 miles, and the scratches will be gone, and they will be glazed. You have to deglaze (sand them in a uni-directional patern) so the new pads will seat in. Also Drive in stop and go traffic, and no hard apply for the brakes for the first 250-500 miles, then avoid high speed freeway stops for the next 500-800 miles.

Here is the 09 specs;

 

It is weird how many different theories there are on pad break in.


Here is a link to a high performance street pad break in that essentially has you get them hot, cool by driving, get them hot again and park over-night. Obviously, follow what ever pad manufacturer's recommended procedure is. This is just an example. Though, I like this idea better than avoiding the hard highway stop for 1000 plus miles... Though, I think all manufacturers would warn against new pads on used rotors, without re-surfacing. There is imbedded material from the previous pad in the metal of the rotor.

Brake Pad Break-in

I had these pads on the last two Jeeps I built. They are a huge improvement over stock pads. Although you may not think of Jeeps as a source of great braking technology, they are limited by wheel size (off-roaders like 15s) and have heavy wheel/tire packages. So upgraded pads are a necessity on them IMHO.

 

Well every set of EBC pads I have used/installed have had a pink coating on the pad material that is used during the break in period to clear/clean the rotors while they bed in.

 

yup that coating works pretty well too, they also have instructions included for how to break them in properly and EBC have definitely done their research because I would say I got 20% better braking from the milder green pads and upgraded rotors.

Our stock rotors aren't the best quality either so don't expect too much from them especially if your tough on brakes.

 

Yeah I have been through two phases with mine:

1. PowerSlot rotors w/ GreenStuffs
2. PowerSlot rotors w/ YellowStuffs

I'm still on the same set of PS rotors that I installed in 2005 w/ 24,000 miles on the clock. Now I'm at 95,xxx with the same rotors and changed over to the Yellows. When I switched pads I did nothing more the follow the bedding process.

I have some discoloration and minor heat cracking, but the rotors are still true. There is
nothing wrong with the braking what so ever. Some discoloration and heat cracking does not automatically translate to the rotors being smoked aka unserviceable. I even had a ASE Certified Master Tech check mine to validate my finings/thoughts.

Generally if they are heated up that bad......to be NFG, they'd be warpped, causing vibration during/while braking noted at all speeds.