Whether you are an everyday commuter, mild off-roader or hardcore wheeler, having brakes that work when you need them is absolutely imperative. The factory brakes on the Jeep JK Rubicon are pretty solid and have managed to get us to many trails, through hardcore terrain and back home safely. All the way from Moab Utah, Flagstaff Arizona to Big Bear California and everywhere in between.
Having reliable stopping power is very important, so when our brake pads were ready to be replaced, we opted to take it a step further and upgrade the rotors as well to the PowerStop front and rear Z23 Daily Carbon-Fiber Ceramic Brake Pad with Drilled & Slotted Rotor Kit. Not only will they perform better than the stock setup, but they look great, which is always a plus.
We ordered the kit on Thursday from Carparts.com and it was on my doorstep Saturday afternoon, which was one day sooner than anticipated. We initially planned to do the install Sunday, but since everything showed up a day early, why not get started right then and there!
First step, safely jack up the vehicle and securely put on jack stands. As an added safety precaution, we recommend placing the wheels under the vehicle, just in case something happens.
Once the wheels are removed and the brakes are exposed on the front, use a 15mm to remove the caliper bolts and depending on the length of your brake lines, either set it aside or use a bungee cord to secure it to the frame so the hose is not stretched. Now you can remove the brake pads by sliding each one out of the caliper bracket. Next use a 21mm socket to remove the caliper bracket and set it aside for now.
After the caliper bracket is removed you can now pull the rotor off, but if it’s being stubborn, like ours was, use a rubber mallet and hit the back of the rotor until it comes loose. Prior to installing the new rotor, take a minute to clean up any rust or grime on the hub that may have built up over time. This will ensure the rotor sits evenly once installed. Now you can slide on the shiny new rotor. Each rotor is labeled since they are directional so be sure you install correctly.
The Power Stop kit comes with everything you need, such as retainer clips, caliper pin boots and anti-squeak.
Find the caliper bracket and remove the old retainer clips and replace them with the new ones, keeping in mind they are also directional. At this time, get the anti-squeak and apply to all the brake pad touching points. A little trick we like to do is use a Q-Tip to apply the grease. It’s more precise and doesn’t get all over your gloves which could contaminate your rotors if you touch them.
Now you can bolt up the bracket and torque the bolts to the OE recommended spec of 120 ft lbs. Insert the pads making sure the low brake pad indicator is on the back and slide the caliper back over the pads and torque the 15mm bolts down to 23 ft lbs.
You are officially done with the front installation, so we can now move onto the rears.
Swapping out the rears is the exact same process as the fronts, but you have a 18mm bolt holding down the caliper bracket and that gets torqued to 55 ft lbs. Other than that, follow the same steps as the fronts and you are good to go.
One last thing, be sure to follow the break in instructions, which is conveniently located on the packaging, to ensure your new pads and rotors are embedded correctly.
Brake Kit:
Recommended tools:
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