Southcoastphil

Greetings gents, (and thanks in advance for helping out this XJ NOOB)

My (new to me as of a few months ago, with 175k on the clock) 2000 XJ shows a ton of brake dust, even as soon as a week (so let's say *maybe* 200 miles) after cleaning the rims.

There's some judder when braking, which could be a function of the rotors, and/or some front suspension parts.

Notes:
It is stock. I have only used it on the road so far. There is a 1% chance that I might use it for some ORV on MA beaches while chasing striped bass. I do not drive it fast, nor herky/jerky from one stoplight to another.
Braking does not cause any pull to either side
Stopping power is fine
Brake pedal travel seems fine to me at this time.
No "squishy' brakes, no need to pump the pedal, consistent and predictable results from pedal pressure.

Since I am trying to simply "fix things right, right off" I am planning to replace front rotors n pads right off. I have not yet had the time to pull the wheels (which I will do tomorrow) to look at the calipers, dust shields, etc. I'll check the calipers for smooth travel in both directions as well.

I'll also bleed or fully flush the brake lines if you all think that it is needed.

Q1: Is that amount of dust typical?
Q2: If not, is it typically caused by worn (or cheap) pads n rotors? (Or maybe a stuck caliper?)
Q3: Are any aftermarket rotors and pads significantly better than others? (I am not looking for high-performance brakes here. Much as I do not mind spending $$$ for brake parts on other vehicles, I just want a setup that will work for every day driving.) Metallic, semi-metallic, etc. pads? Brands and styles of rotors? (I doubt that my usage will require anything fancy like cross-drilled or slotted rotors.)

Thank you in advance for your answers and any other ideas!

jordan96xj

Generally, this just means that you currently have metallic pads on the front. They will generate a ton of dust, and it will be hard to keep the wheels clean. I switched to metallic for a little while (there are some things to like about them), but ultimately, I switched back to ceramic pads. The rotors won't have much to do with the problem, so unless they are really warped and need to be replaced, simply switch over to ceramic pads and you'll likely find the dust problem to be a lot less (there will still be some, but not nearly as much).

jordan96xj

1. Yes, with metallic pads it is pretty bad on the XJ
2. Unless you are getting a lot of dust on one side, but not the same amount on the other. It sounds like typical metallic pad brake dust
3. This is like asking what the best oil is. Lots of opinions, a premium grade ceramic pad from a place like Napa, Advance, etc. will usually work just fine and will be pretty close to original specifications. Things like slotted and drilled rotors are probably not going to make any significant difference for you. There are some specialty pads you can buy online that can be up to 4x as expensive. Whether they are worth it or not I can not say. I've seen people swear by them on here, and other people say that they tried them but thought it was a waste of money.

I pull a camper with my XJ (about 2000lbs), so I fuss over my brakes a little, and want them to be as good as possible. The premium line ceramic pads from the local parts store have functioned just fine. Like I said, I switched to metallic for a time to see if I would like them more, but they were more mess than they were worth. They had the benefit of not fading as bad when really hot, and they tend to function a little better when soaked. Ceramics can feel a little dead when they are wet, but as soon as you start using them the heat tends to dry them up and they feel normal. Ceramics also tend to suffer a little more when they are very hot. Though the only time I notice this is when I am riding the brakes down a very long fast decline. Near the bottom, I can tell they are weaker. But if I use the lower gears to reduce speed instead of riding the brakes (and generating a ton of heat) this generally is not a problem.

Southcoastphil

thank you Jordan for your help.

As I'd mentioned, I plan to replace pads and rotors, completely understanding that the rotors will have little to do (directly) with the dust issue, but perhaps they contribute to the judder to which I'd referred.

I didn't ask for "What's THE best brake pad?", for I am well aware that the pads that I use for my track car have dramatically different attribute profiles than those I use on my sport sedan and what I will use on my XJ.

I tried to provide a use-case for the XJ to enable folks to make better recommendations, but I omitted the fact that I won't be doing much towing with it, and what little towing I do will be a 14' tin boat, for maybe 30-40 miles at a time on flat ground.

I'll try to clarify my request:

1. For brake pads in the $45-$100/set price range, which of the brands and models that are available at the typical auto parts stores (e.g., Advance, AutoZone, NAPA, etc.) have any of you used and found to provide either satisfactory or horrible performance along the criteria of minimal dust, good pedal modulation, low noise, minimal rotor wear and wet performance?

For example, do Akebono ProAct OE pads (~$81/set) perform significantly better than CarQuest WearEver Platinum Pro (~$52/set)?

NOTES:
All is a trade off, I know.
High-temp performance is not an important criterion.
I am indifferent re pad material (semi-metallic vs ceramic), as long as they work for what I need.


2. For rotors in the $40-$60/rotor price range, which of the brands and models that are available at the typical auto parts stores (e.g., Advance, AutoZone, NAPA, etc.) have any of you used and found to provide either satisfactory or horrible performance along the criteria of ease of installation/fitment, remaining true (not warping, at least when properly cared for), not scoring (assuming proper break-in procedures when installing both new pads and new rotors at the same time) and any other criteria that I might have omitted?

My XJ is a DD. I know that I can buy any number of high-performance parts for it but I don't need them.

I apologize for perhaps having been somewhat unclear in my original post/request and I hope that the information that I have just provided is helpful to you.

Many thanks in advance for your help.

jordan96xj

Sorry for not being more specific.

My XJ is a 80/day daily driver and does weekend camping duty with a small popup.

My last few rotor/pad replacements have been with the Wearever products from Advance Auto. For pads, they were they Platinum Ceramic option. Platinum in this case typically means they come with new hardware (shims for the pad ears) and some brake lube. I have had some other rotors and pads, all of them were ok, but I don't remember the brands specifically. I'm pretty the sure that the Wearever rotors I get from Advance only have one option (as in they don't have various types/grades of them). With the Wearever rotors and ceramic pads, I get what I would call minimal dust on my silver wheels, and their performance has been very satisfactory over the course of 2-3 times using them (the last several years). I would get them again if I had to do the job tomorrow. Also, if I do the job correctly, and lube where I should (I usually use permatex extreme ceramic brake parts lube), there have been absolutely zero noise issues with these rotors and pads. (When I tried out metallic pads for a while, they were considerably noisier, but not squealing, just the noise of the pad gliding on the rotors).

Southcoastphil

Jordan,
Thanks. That is super helpful!

IJM

I've been very happy with Hawk LTS pads, but they're a bit outside your price range. From what I can tell, the compound is similar to HPS. It holds up well to heat, which isn't a priority for you, but they also have good bite at "regular" street temps. One variable to eliminate before blaming it all on the pads is brake drag. Do the front wheels turn freely when you jack it up? Another way to test it is take it out on the highway for a few miles without touching the brakes, then gently coast to a stop. Since we're testing the fronts, you can use the handbrake to do the last bit of stopping. Get out and feel the rotors. They should both be equally cool. If not, then one or more is dragging, which will certainly cause dusting.

Southcoastphil

Good points. I do not know the answer, yet. But I will in the next few days. Will post my findings.

I have used various Hawk pads over the years and I am a huge fan. Just seems like overkill for what I need right now.