Power Stop drilled & slotted rotors and Akebono Pro-ACT or Wagner OEx pads?

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Rod Knock

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It's that time to do the brake job at around 40K miles, including a brake fluid flush.

So, I bought:

- 4 x 500ml bottles of Motul DOT 5.1 brake fluid (I hope it's enough for a brake flush). I also have 2 quarts of Castrol DOT 4 Brake Fluid (also great) and can get Valvoline Synthetic DOT 3&4 for cheap from AAP. Which one do you guys recommend? They all seem to be glycol-based.
- Power Stop front and rear Z36 kit with drilled and slotted rotors
- I also have a brand new set of Wagner OEx brake pads for the front and rear
- I got Power Stop "GG" rated parking brake shoes

I just looked at the Z36 front and rear pads. They look rough and seem to be "FG" rated. From my research, it seems that the Z36 pads can cause problems (heat, warped rotors, they wear them out faster).

So, I was considering going with the Power Stop drilled & slotted rotors for improved heat dissipation, and either with Akebono Pro-ACT or Wagner OEx brake pads. What do you guys think? Which one should I get?

Also, from my research, it seems that Power Stop is getting their rotors from the same place that Detroit Axle is, in China. I am not sure about the E-Line from R1 Concepts, but I'm inclined to believe that they're using the same supplier. All I care about is that they're balanced and dissipate heat well / don't warp.

What do you guys think I should do?

@Hemi395, you have some experience with the Power Stop and Wagner brakes, what do you think?

Thank you!
 

Hemi395

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It's that time to do the brake job at around 40K miles, including a brake fluid flush.

So, I bought:

- 4 x 500ml bottles of Motul DOT 5.1 brake fluid (I hope it's enough for a brake flush). I also have 2 quarts of Castrol DOT 4 Brake Fluid (also great) and can get Valvoline Synthetic DOT 3&4 for cheap from AAP. Which one do you guys recommend? They all seem to be glycol-based.
- Power Stop front and rear Z36 kit with drilled and slotted rotors
- I also have a brand new set of Wagner OEx brake pads for the front and rear
- I got Power Stop "GG" rated parking brake shoes

I just looked at the Z36 front and rear pads. They look rough and seem to be "FG" rated. From my research, it seems that the Z36 pads can cause problems (heat, warped rotors, they wear them out faster).

So, I was considering going with the Power Stop drilled & slotted rotors for improved heat dissipation, and either with Akebono Pro-ACT or Wagner OEx brake pads. What do you guys think? Which one should I get?

Also, from my research, it seems that Power Stop is getting their rotors from the same place that Detroit Axle is, in China. I am not sure about the E-Line from R1 Concepts, but I'm inclined to believe that they're using the same supplier. All I care about is that they're balanced and dissipate heat well / don't warp.

What do you guys think I should do?

@Hemi395, you have some experience with the Power Stop and Wagner brakes, what do you think?

Thank you!
I can't say enough good about the Powerstop Z36 brakes. I have all 4 pad/rotors and they're the first set of brakes I've had on this truck that is actually standing up to the New England winters and coastal salt air. Plus they bite hard and stop much better than the factory pads/rotors. I've had to stop quick several times at highway speeds while towing my camper and had no brake fade and no warped rotors. You really can't go wrong with them.

That being said, the Wagner OEx pads and their Ecoated rotors are a great choice as well. They didn't hold up too well here to the rust, but not much does especially when your vehicle sits as much as my truck does. I like the OEx pads because they have a shape and center cut that is supposed to pull heat away quicker. I've put them on several vehicles and they are very nice pads, especially for the price.
 
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Rod Knock

Rod Knock

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I can't say enough good about the Powerstop Z36 brakes. I have all 4 pad/rotors and they're the first set of brakes I've had on this truck that is actually standing up to the New England winters and coastal salt air. Plus they bite hard and stop much better than the factory pads/rotors. I've had to stop quick several times at highway speeds while towing my camper and had no brake fade and no warped rotors. You really can't go wrong with them.

That being said, the Wagner OEx pads and their Ecoated rotors are a great choice as well. They didn't hold up too well here to the rust, but not much does especially when your vehicle sits as much as my truck does. I like the OEx pads because they have a shape and center cut that is supposed to pull heat away quicker. I've put them on several vehicles and they are very nice pads, especially for the price.

Thank you so much for your feedback. I was thinking of pairing the Wagner OEx pads with the Power Stop drilled and slotted rotors. What do you think about that combo?
 

Treburkulosis

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Either one is a good choice. I have Power stop rotors and pads on all 4 of mine. I am about 1500 miles in and I absolutely love them. It stops on a dime. I also cant speak enough good about the power stop rotors. Summit was the cheapest that I found.
 

Hemi395

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Thank you so much for your feedback. I was thinking of pairing the Wagner OEx pads with the Power Stop drilled and slotted rotors. What do you think about that combo?
No problem!
Honestly I'd just get the Powerstop pads. You'll probably be fine with the OEx pads but I don't know if the pad material is matched to rotors to provide the braking performance. Forgot to mention the pads/rotors are wearing very well too...
 
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Rod Knock

Rod Knock

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No problem!
Honestly I'd just get the Powerstop pads. You'll probably be fine with the OEx pads but I don't know if the pad material is matched to rotors to provide the braking performance. Forgot to mention the pads/rotors are wearing very well too...
Well, the reason why I asked is that the Z36 pads seem to be a bit rougher, higher friction coefficient. The Akebonos seem to be better suited for regular vehicles, while Wagner advertises the OEx for towing, heavy-duty use. I don't tow that heavy, and live in a low rust / rust-free environment, so I am looking to get the most life out of the rotors. It was something that I was considering.

I guess the folks who have problems with the install them wrong and/or don't break them in properly. I installed Carquest Premium pads on the Hyundais and broke them in properly, didn't even turn the rotors and they are working perfectly fine. And they're not the best quality pads, lol.

On an unrelated note, I replaced the transmission fluid in my 2018 Hyundai Sant Fe Sport and my wife's 2017 Santa Fe SE with Amsoil ATL. I did 3 drains and fills on each. Well, on mine I ended up doing 4 because I didn't want to mess with the trans cooler to replace a gasket, which ended up leaking, so I ended up doing the job last Sunday. The shifting quality improved vastly over the OEM fluid, especially on my wife's car. Out of the Sport, it came out brown at 36K miles, and out of my wife's vehicle, it came out black as night at 42K miles. As much as I like Red Line and its approach to solving lubrication problems, I am considering going with Amsoil ATL for the RAM 1500 as well. Especially after I read about the experience that @tfeni52355 had with Red Line D6: https://www.ramforum.com/threads/zf8-ppe-pan-install-and-d6-changeout-to-maxlife.178917/

I already prepped the new PPE aluminum pan, got a new gasket and bolts, and a stubby 10mm hex wrench to drain the old fluid before removing the ZF pan. The only downside is that I would have to do a 3x drain and refill if going with Amsoil over ZF OEM fluid. I can only wonder how Amsoil developed their ATF fluids, and my best guess is that they didn't. I think they are buying the high-end additive packages from Afton Chemicals and just adding them to high-quality base oils. And that's good enough for me, as Afton seems to know their $h1t when it comes to ATF additives. Sorry for the tangent.

This coming week is RAM 1500 week. Tomorrow I'll start with either the brakes or the transmission, depending on the weather. If I sense rain, I will do the brake job first. The only part I hate about doing brake jobs is the cleaning, and since I'm a bit OCD, I can't help myself but clean everything up and lube everything with purple ceramic grease. Maybe I'll document everything with pictures for the forum if time allows for it.

Edit: I still have to do a valve cover gasket and passenger side exhaust manifold bolts. I got a brand new Mopar exhaust manifold and will take the old one to my friend who is a machinist to rectify it and keep it as a backup.
 
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Rod Knock

Rod Knock

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@Hemi395 it seems that if I wanted an "upgrade" to the Z36, I should get the Akebono Performance ASP line of brake pads. They seem to be "GG" rated for heavy-duty use. That would be an even more abrasive/aggressive pad than the Power Stop Z36, lol.
 

Justin33

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No problem!
Honestly I'd just get the Powerstop pads. You'll probably be fine with the OEx pads but I don't know if the pad material is matched to rotors to provide the braking performance. Forgot to mention the pads/rotors are wearing very well too...
I live in Maine how will those powder coated calipers and pads hold up. Also maybe someone can answer I know they make black rotors but what is the point, won’t the black wear off the first time the pads hit that?
 

Hemi395

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I live in Maine how will those powder coated calipers and pads hold up. Also maybe someone can answer I know they make black rotors but what is the point, won’t the black wear off the first time the pads hit that?
I actually didn't get the calipers as all of mine at the time were fine. But the pads/rotors are holding up extremely well. I also live on the coast so I get the salt air year round. The powerstops are the only ones I've had on this truck that look as good as they do after 2 full winters here.
 

blackbetty14

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I'm not a fan of drilled rotors on the street unless its a performance vehicle and requires the additional cooling. I just did Wagner premium E coated rotors and performance friction carbon metallic pads and its a noticeable improvement over stock. I'm also not a fan of ceramic pads as I feel there performance isn't up to par and every pair I've had makes noise. Carbon Metallic pads have better bite, no heat fade and can withstand higher temps than ceramic.

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Ghost1500

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I thought DOT 5.1 wasn't too good for anti-lock braking systems? It's made differently than 3 & 4. The difference between DOT 3 & 4 is more or less boiling points. DOT 3 has a lower flash boiling point than DOT 4. DOT 4 has a higher flash boiling point but doesn't last as long. Basically if you go DOT 4 you'll have to change the fluid more often but it's flash boiling point is higher. DOT 3 lasts longer but lower boiling point & both are ok for ABS braking systems. DOT 3 doesn't accumulate water as fast as DOT 4 either. Sorry if I was a little redundant. lol.... Anyway, I used a synthetic DOT 4 in my Ram.

Best regards,

-Mike
 

Dodge 1500 4X4

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Yae, Dot 5. is silicone brake fluid our anti-lock systems don't like it.
 

670hoth

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I've been using the Akebonos on several vehicles and they have been great. Also, every set I have received have said Made in U.S.A. This has always been important to me but it's even more so these days.
 

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