Topic: EBC 7000 Series Brake Pads

[chrisfranklin]

So I get this Aussie autolocker installed in the front-end and, after the all the running-around involved with that, I was planning to just kick-back and enjoy the vehicle for a while -- no mods, no installs, just hit the OHV trails.

Then, about three days ago, the front brakes really started to squeel badly.  I had figured that there might be a downside to the outstanding braking performance of the Hawk pads I had been using -- short life span.  And, I had also been noticing that I was having to put the Jeep in gear to hold it in place anytime I was engaging the emergency brake when parked on inclines -- emergency brake wasn't doing the trick alone.  Sounds like a possible "loss of friction material" to me.  But, will, of course, let the technician conclude on the problem.

Since I don't enjoy service and inspections on this Jeep without doing some kind of upgrade at the same time   I went ahead and ordered some EBC GreenStuff 7000 Series pads designed for  Light Trucks/SUVs, instead of using the same Hawk pads or the Hawk low-dust Ceramic versions.  (In addition to Hawk, have also used Performance Friction pads also on a different vehicle and those were some improvement over stock).

Supposedly these EBC 7000 pads will wear better and longer than the regular EBC 6000 GreenStuff truck pads.  And, if Pad-wear is, in fact,  the issue, I wanted something that would wear longer than 25,000 miles -- which is about how long the Hawk pads have apparently lasted.  
So, may have the rotors turned and new front pads installed in a few days.  

About 25,000 miles ago, I had the brakelines replaced (w/ Goodrich steel; produced awesome, positive brake feel), brakes line bled and filled with DOT 4 Synth. brake fluid, front rotors examined (apparently no turning was needed) and Hawk pads installed front, new drum shoes rear.   Braking performance improved dramatically.  But, something had to pay for all that postive stopping performance and since front brakes do approximately 80% (have read 75%-90%) of the work of stopping a vehicle, figure the Hawk pads have just been collected upon  :roll:

[Jeffy]

So how does this relate a trip?

(moving to general)

[chrisfranklin]

I don't follow?  But, ok with general, jeffy

[Jeffy]

You posted it in the road trips forum  There is no mention of a trail other then your first sentance.  (ie, it's about brakes not trails.) :wink:

Funny thing is I'm still on my original front brake pads.  I must not use them that much.     My rears are standard Raybestus brakes.  I probably should have upgraded to softer compounds so they brake better but they seem to work well enough.

Oh and you should be able to adjsut your rear brakes with the adjuster cog in the drums.  Then adjust the e-brake cable at the yoke under the Jeep.  The yoke is where the single line for the ebrake splits to the drums.  You could see a J bolt and a nut.  Tighten the nut and the slack in the cable will lessen.

[chrisfranklin]

Ok, thought was Mess Hall post.  never intentionally posted anything in trips before.  Will have to start  

[Erik]

i've been on advance auto crap pads for 2.5 years with no problems and over 40k miles.....   maybe because i downshift a lot?  or because my tires suck at rolling and slow themselves down when i let off the gas?

[chrisfranklin]

Then, about three days ago, the front brakes really started to squeel badly. I had figured that there might be a downside to the outstanding braking performance of the Hawk pads I had been using -- short life span. And, I had also been noticing that I was having to put the Jeep in gear to hold it in place anytime I was engaging the emergency brake when parked on inclines -- emergency brake wasn't doing the trick alone. Sounds like a possible "loss of friction material" to me. But, will, of course, let the technician conclude on the problem.

Well, shot myself in the foot on that one.  Hawk Pads are actually still in good shape -- went to have the EBC pads installed and the tech said that Hawk pads were ok, but the rotors were below spec width and needed to be replaced.  Don't know if this is from too many rotor "turns" (new rotors needed after 3-4) or aggressive pads coupled with firm application brought on by stainless lines.  Anyway, if you are getting brake pads, Hawk actually appears to wear pretty well -- Sorry Hawk for the first post. :oops:

They didn't charge for the inspection and I returned to my place to by some EBC rotors which will be installed shortly.

[chrisfranklin]

http://www.autopartswarehouse.com/performance/basket.php?makeid=14&modelid=155&year=1994&partid=78&brandid=1422

These are the new EBC rotors I am picking up. They're BLACK which, thus makes them work better    

Figure the EBC company probably configured them to work well with their own pads, I hope.  And, not going to drop $250 bucks for frigging "cryo" rotors by Powerslot ... Geez.  The other Drill-through designs scared me a little (probably way too much) as far as "no return if rotor develops crack" and loss of rotor surface area issues were concerned.  If I didn't already have the EBC 7000 Green Stuff pads, I probably would have gone with Powerslot standard rotors.

Hear that the cadmium or zinc plating on any "performance" rotors doesn't last, at least where the pad contacts the rotor surface.  But, I guess the plating does something to prevent rust on the outside circumference of the disks, for what it's worth.  See how they work.

This Jeep has gone multinational -- it's going to have Japanese-made  tires, English-made brakes, German-made shocks and air horn, Austalian lockers and steering stabilizer,  alot of U.S. designed and made gear and the usual plethora of U.S./Japanese company-designed gear/electronics that are manufactured in mainland China & Taiwan and various US garages.  Got to find a way to get the Russians in on this somehow :)

[SMC4WD]

Oh wow Chris, those look cool!!  There's no question in my mind that your stopping power will incease 10-fold...  

I've always had a worry about slotted or drilled rotors on the trail.  I worry that it leaves a place for mud, dirt and pebbles can collect.  

Let me (us) know how it goes.  If I saw those on a rig, I'd be impressed.

[chrisfranklin]

Finally. got the new EBC rotors and Greenstuff 7000 pads in there and after the inital break in, the Jeep is stopping like a giant hand reached down to grab the Matchbox YJ More braking than really needed, but a lot of fun.

Yeah and much better bite and less fade, but really way too early to comment on it. But, the low-speed scrape/squeel is gone, at least, apparently from the rotor replacement.  The HAwk pads may have done the job too well wore through the stock rotors.  

Know of any good OHV trails to hit around the Mt Whitney area? Going up to day-hike it on July 5 with my Dad as a post-Fathers Day deal; already did reservations and everything. What a deal they make so people can  climb that frigging mountain!  Its the highest in the lower 48, but you have like 54 mountains in Colorado that are within a skyscraper's height of it.  experienced hikers and especially the hardcore mt climbers get ticked off/ snippy talking about it because of too many people.  I said yeah, but it's so my Dad can break about being on the highest when he's back in DC  

[Jeffy]

Oh wow Chris, those look cool!!  There's no question in my mind that your stopping power will incease 10-fold...  

I've always had a worry about slotted or drilled rotors on the trail.  I worry that it leaves a place for mud, dirt and pebbles can collect.  

Let me (us) know how it goes.  If I saw those on a rig, I'd be impressed.

Pebbles can still get stuck in between teh pad and disc anyway.  Although the slot should clear then.    If you're going to do brakes anyway, it's probably better to get new rotors and drums rather then turn them.

Those EBC's are $$$ though.

[chrisfranklin]

Yeah, I had to buy the new rotors.  Mechanic said that the rotor thickness on the originals was below spec.  I was under the impression that the rotors had only been turned once or twice at most over 135k.  Perhaps aggressive Hawk pads accelerated wear?

Will watch out for pebbles and stones and so forth.  Each EBC disc has three slots a side and each is also "dimpled," rather than drilled straight through.  The dimple thing is probably supposed to discourage the "cracking" that seems to (rarely) occur with straight-through drilled discs.  If any particulates are going to get trapped on the discs, its probably going to be in the slots, rather than the concave dimples.  Like to believe that the discs will self-clear due to RPM on-road.

But, the deal about reduced fade after repeated hard stops, when using slotted or drilled/dimpled rotors, seems to be holding up thus far.  Is better braking really needed for a small tire jeep? Probably not, but its fun.  And, the intersection cameras are everywhere on the roads here, so stopping hard seems to be more on people's minds lately.