Brake rotors (Power Stop)

[enuser]

I had installed back in 2021 the Power Stop Front & Rear Brake Kit for my Ram. Now I’m experiencing weak braking power so I took my truck to the mechanic today to inspect my brakes and they are saying “All rotors glazed, slotted and drill so replacement of rotors only option. However, all pad thickness is good and no safety concerns at this time” I was shocked to hear that since my truck is not an everyday driver. Anyone have similar experience?

 

[chopperman1]

Been running PowerStops in all 4 of my vehicles for years and years, not 1 single issue with them.

 

[CanuckRam1313]

- Did you bed in the brakes and season the rotors properly after you initially installed them
- How old is the brake fluid in the truck
- Did you do a thorough flush and fill of the brake fluid (Motul DOT5.1 is a fantastic upgrade)
- Did you inspect all the rubber brake flex hoses to ensure they are in top condition (not dried out, maybe brittle, swelling when brakes are applied, etc.)
- Did you perform a thorough brake caliper service on the fronts and rears when installing the new brakes (new rubber slider pin boots, new caliper slider clips, use the wire wheel to clean up all the caliper slider pins and then use a good heat/moisture resistant grease on them when reinstalling them)
- When you do drive your truck, albeit on a casual basis, do you give them a good workout (cycling), or just a store runner and back home to park it
- How long does your truck sit between uses
- Have you verified all four calipers are operating normally and well with no piston hang ups

I would block sand the front and rear pads so they are clean of any glazing and are straight & true.
I would purchase new front and rear quality rotors
I would do a thorough brake caliper service all around
I would then do a proper bed/season process

 

[RamDiver]

^^^^ Ditto to everything mentioned above!

I used PowerStop brakes on my Tundra for years.

They improved the brake quality considerably over the OEM brakes. The 07 Tundra brakes sucked.

I did eventually neglect the brakes on the Tundra when I started using the car more often to save gas money. The drilled and slotted rotors did not age well, sitting in the barn and did require a premature replacement.

My lesson learned is that drilled and slotted rotors are a bit less tolerant to neglect than standard rotors. I suspect that had I stayed on top of maintaining the brakes and used the truck more regularly, the rotors would have continued to outperform the OEM equipment.

And the other lesson I learned, is don't neglect brake maintenance and expect them to last.

.

 

[crash68]

I’m experiencing weak braking power so I took my truck to the mechanic today to inspect my brakes and they are saying “All rotors glazed, slotted and drill so replacement of rotors only option.

Taking a guess but most people ride their brakes when stopping without realizing it. If you're not progressively apply more braking force when stopping, then your "riding the brakes"
Learned a lot about brakes when working at a shop that did brake test, the engineer stated he does more brake jobs in a month than a Midas does in a year. He stated any time the pads are in contact with the rotors they're wearing, how much force doesn't effect the wear as much as one would think. Not enough pressure will cause the brakes to polish themselves in turn causing them to not grip as much requiring more pressure to stop.

 

[CalDad14]

When you replaced the rotors, did you replace the pads as well?

If not, that's where I'd put my $.

Was always taught, never install new w/used when dealing w/break pads & rotors.

If you replaced rotors, you should've installed new pads w/them.

If you replace pads, you have to, at least turn rotors(if material allows it). If rotors are too thin and can no longer be used, replace w/new.

 

[enuser]

- Did you bed in the brakes and season the rotors properly after you initially installed them
- How old is the brake fluid in the truck
- Did you do a thorough flush and fill of the brake fluid (Motul DOT5.1 is a fantastic upgrade)
- Did you inspect all the rubber brake flex hoses to ensure they are in top condition (not dried out, maybe brittle, swelling when brakes are applied, etc.)
- Did you perform a thorough brake caliper service on the fronts and rears when installing the new brakes (new rubber slider pin boots, new caliper slider clips, use the wire wheel to clean up all the caliper slider pins and then use a good heat/moisture resistant grease on them when reinstalling them)

Hey thanks. I took them to be installed at my mechanic shop so no idea if they did any of what you list. Guess I assumed they would do all that.

- When you do drive your truck, albeit on a casual basis, do you give them a good workout (cycling), or just a store runner and back home to park it

No good workout just regular braking

- How long does your truck sit between uses

2 - 3 days

- Have you verified all four calipers are operating normally and well with no piston hang ups

Not verified will do that next along with the other points you list.

Thanks!

 

[enuser]

Taking a guess but most people ride their brakes when stopping without realizing it. If you're not progressively apply more braking force when stopping, then your "riding the brakes"
Learned a lot about brakes when working at a shop that did brake test, the engineer stated he does more brake jobs in a month than a Midas does in a year. He stated any time the pads are in contact with the rotors they're wearing, how much force doesn't effect the wear as much as one would think. Not enough pressure will cause the brakes to polish themselves in turn causing them to not grip as much requiring more pressure to stop.

I did not know that. I fall in the "Not enough pressure".
Thanks for that info!!

 

[enuser]

When you replaced the rotors, did you replace the pads as well?

Yeah it was a kit the came with pads

If not, that's where I'd put my $.

Was always taught, never install new w/used when dealing w/break pads & rotors.

If you replaced rotors, you should've installed new pads w/them.

If you replace pads, you have to, at least turn rotors(if material allows it). If rotors are too thin and can no longer be used, replace w/new.

 

[Sherman Bird]

- Did you bed in the brakes and season the rotors properly after you initially installed them
- How old is the brake fluid in the truck
- Did you do a thorough flush and fill of the brake fluid (Motul DOT5.1 is a fantastic upgrade)
- Did you inspect all the rubber brake flex hoses to ensure they are in top condition (not dried out, maybe brittle, swelling when brakes are applied, etc.)
- Did you perform a thorough brake caliper service on the fronts and rears when installing the new brakes (new rubber slider pin boots, new caliper slider clips, use the wire wheel to clean up all the caliper slider pins and then use a good heat/moisture resistant grease on them when reinstalling them)
- When you do drive your truck, albeit on a casual basis, do you give them a good workout (cycling), or just a store runner and back home to park it
- How long does your truck sit between uses
- Have you verified all four calipers are operating normally and well with no piston hang ups

I would block sand the front and rear pads so they are clean of any glazing and are straight & true.
I would purchase new front and rear quality rotors
I would do a thorough brake caliper service all around
I would then do a proper bed/season process

NEVER put DOT 5 fluid in an ABS/traction control equipped vehicle!

 

[CanuckRam1313]

NEVER put DOT 5 fluid in an ABS/traction control equipped vehicle!

I indicated DOT5.1!
There is a difference (;

 

[Sherman Bird]

Taking a guess but most people ride their brakes when stopping without realizing it. If you're not progressively apply more braking force when stopping, then your "riding the brakes"
Learned a lot about brakes when working at a shop that did brake test, the engineer stated he does more brake jobs in a month than a Midas does in a year. He stated any time the pads are in contact with the rotors they're wearing, how much force doesn't effect the wear as much as one would think. Not enough pressure will cause the brakes to polish themselves in turn causing them to not grip as much requiring more pressure to stop.

Did the engineer tell you about the friction coefficient code on the pads? EE is industry base standard. FF is a step up to more severe duty, GG or FG is severe duty and GH is super high heat capacity. These letters are printed in the midst of the engineer numbers on the pads.
The other thing I've noticed is the resin binding material which is the literal "glue" that holds the friction material together AND onto the steel backing plate part of the pads. On the lesser EE ones, I see the resin leeching out of the friction material more often. It stains the material's edges an orange color. The thinner the pads get, the less material there is to absorb and dissipate heat. Therefore, I advise for a brake job at about 1/4 remaining pad material. I also practice that on my own vehicles.

I also replace rotors every time. This ensures a proper bedding and eliminates crystallized hot spots. I replace the fluid if it exceeds 3 years of age in this humid climate, due to the hygroscopic nature of brake fluid. I also never settle for the lowest price/quality brake parts.

Lastly, the rotor surface rust which forms on a seldom driven car will shorten the life of the pads markedly. In a perfect world people would park their vehicles in a dehumidified garage.

 

[RamDiver]

Taking a guess but most people ride their brakes when stopping without realizing it. If you're not progressively apply more braking force when stopping, then your "riding the brakes"
Learned a lot about brakes when working at a shop that did brake test, the engineer stated he does more brake jobs in a month than a Midas does in a year. He stated any time the pads are in contact with the rotors they're wearing, how much force doesn't effect the wear as much as one would think. Not enough pressure will cause the brakes to polish themselves in turn causing them to not grip as much requiring more pressure to stop.

Thanks for posting this information.

I've been reassessing my use of the brakes since reading this post and realize I may not be quite vigorous enough.

I tend to coast more and brake less and concluded that I rarely stomp the brakes or decelerate rapidly.

I'd hate to look at that as riding the brakes but I suppose it translates to the same result, glazed pads & rotors.

And I'm now reminded that my Warlock has fabulous brakes, when you actually apply them sufficiently.

.

 

[GTyankee]

I try to Stop at a Stop Light or Sign, without doing a nose dive & sudden stop.
So i guess i baby the brakes, but i get 100,000 on the factory brakes, but i don't usually drive in town/city

 

[crash68]

I tend to coast more and brake less and concluded that I rarely stomp the brakes or decelerate rapidly.

coasting more isn't the problem, I do a bunch. I'll see people applying the brakes the better part of a football field away from a stoplight which only need about 20 yards. Even still giving the brakes the occasional hard stop isn't going to hurt them or if it does you need the brakes fixed anyways.
As for the brakes on the Gen4 trucks, you can exceed the braking coefficient of all four tires simultaneously, so those that say that OEM brakes suck don't have a clue.

 

[RamDiver]

coasting more isn't the problem, I do a bunch. I'll see people applying the brakes the better part of a football field away from a stoplight which only need about 20 yards. Even still giving the brakes the occasional hard stop isn't going to hurt them or if it does you need the brakes fixed anyways.
As for the brakes on the Gen4 trucks, you can exceed the braking coefficient of all four tires simultaneously, so those that say that OEM brakes suck don't have a clue.

Yes, I'm familiar with the chronic braking types. They're annoying to follow and likely to cause premature wear, warped rotors and glazing etc.

I suppose I was just self-critiquing my own braking habits and identifying a deficiency.

Most of my driving is rural but the same driving behaviours I use can apply to an urban area, just slightly modified and obviously more frequent braking than rural driving.
I use cruise, 95% of the time.

Besides the chronic braking/annoying-to-follow humans, I suspect that I am not alone with my brake behaviour.

Whenever I follow a clot of moving vehicles, (think rural highways) I purposely leave sufficient space such that I never require to touch my brakes. Sometimes a large space is required depending on the size and dynamics of the rolling clot, but it seems like a no-brainer in my mind.

So the deficiency I've identified for my driving is that I seldom brake while driving and mostly coast to stops until very close and then apply mild pressure to stop. I'm not one of those A-holes who coasts while traffic piles up behind me, I try to go with the flow in those circumstances (within reason LOL).

So, I believe that I should start to exercise my brakes a bit more often and periodically make an abrupt stop, besides when I'm being tailgated.

I think this will reduce the glazing effect, keep the brakes moving and identify potential problems sooner.

.

 

[kdoublep]

Pretty sure the avg person does not do any of that cautious brake stuff, etc. They just drive. Lol. Sometimes I drive to have some fun, sometimes I'm cruising with the family.

 

[CanRebel]

I had installed back in 2021 the Power Stop Front & Rear Brake Kit for my Ram. Now I’m experiencing weak braking power so I took my truck to the mechanic today to inspect my brakes and they are saying “All rotors glazed, slotted and drill so replacement of rotors only option. However, all pad thickness is good and no safety concerns at this time” I was shocked to hear that since my truck is not an everyday driver. Anyone have similar experience?

Below is my opinion. I'm not expert brake person.

“All rotors glazed, slotted and drill so replacement of rotors only option. However, all pad thickness is good and no safety concerns at this time”

If someone said that to me. I'd tell them to **** off and leave.

1. slotted and drilled? And??????? I put slotted, drilled, vented on all cars/trucks/jeeps. Usually with PowerStop. The fact they are slotted and drilled is meaningless statement.

2. Rotors are glazed ?? but your not replacing pads???? Morons.

3. Rotors are glazed but not warped? Depending how much, sand them.

@crash68 mentioned above. Riding the brakes likely was cause. Since they aren't very old, and you mentioned not many miles.
If the Truck was sitting for while, it is possible that caused issue. Likely not based on your listed location.


If it was me. I would lightly sand rotors with fine block sand paper. Then check them. Still an issue. I'd replace rotors/pads again. Then change your braking habits.

Or Go to at least two difference professional brake shops, get their advice.

 

[Sherman Bird]

Thanks for posting this information.

I've been reassessing my use of the brakes since reading this post and realize I may not be quite vigorous enough.

I tend to coast more and brake less and concluded that I rarely stomp the brakes or decelerate rapidly.

East coast, or west coast?

.

 

[RamDiver]

Funny guy.
You placed your smart remark inside the quote and it's hidden. Time to edit with the BB code enabled.

I've driven to the East Coast many times in my life, but never to the West Coast, it's much too far, for me.

.