Hey guys, wanted to share my experience with the set of Black Magic pads I tossed on the front of my TJ.
Let me start by saying I'm very thankful I made the brake upgrade after last night's experience. I don't want to hear the sound of 33s locking up again...
The Story
Driving on my way to volleyball practice last night around 7:30 on a 4 lane road and coming up on a blind intersection around a bend in the road. I notice that a pickup is stopped in the right lane (my lane) as myself and a few other cars are approaching the truck and the intersection at around 40 mph. No turn signal, no hazards, just brake lights and sitting halfway into the intersection. So in an attempt to avoid having to come to a stop at a green light in flowing traffic, I switch over to the left lane and the car that wasn't far behind me followed suit. About the time that I'm 50 feet or so out from the intersection the truck decides it actually wanted to turn left and steadily started putzing across all 4 lanes of traffic to the left, clearly oblivious to the cars traveling towards them and closing ground fast. My right hand lays on the horn and right foot punches the brake pedal to the floor before I can blink. Immediately my 33s light up with a deep angry growl as they cut momentum as fast as they can. My TJ rocks backward after coming to a dead stop now in the middle of the intersection not 5 feet from the bed of the truck that is still crawling through the intersection. I then remember I had another SUV not very far behind me. Eyes dart up to the rearview and see the SUV switched back to the right lane, presumably when I locked my brakes, and was still slowing down as it moved slowly past me on the right.
The Review
It had definitely taken some adjustment in my driving to properly use these pads and keep them 'primed'. I was always the driver that would engine brake way back from the intersection as a light turned yellow and really only used my brakes to slow from 20 - 0 most days. That said, I have had to 'break-in' my pads a few times over the last few weeks as my driving style was adjusting. Let me say, there is a noticeable difference in stopping power when these pads are 'primed' and when they aren't and you recognize it as soon as you ask for anything more than light braking.
Installation was pretty simple. I bought a pad and rotor kit since my current rotors were starting to show a bit of wear and had a hint of warping to them. Not to mention I didn't know what brand they were or when they were put on as that work was done before I bought this Jeep. Flushing the brakes, solo, was the difficult bit and required some contortionist-level moves and a broom handle to get it done with little enough air in the lines to feel comfortable driving it (bled the brakes with a buddy the next day) to begin the break-in process that night.
Similar to my rotors, I have no idea what sort of pads I had installed. My old pads didn't leave me questioning if I was going to stop in time very often but they weren't very confidence-inspiring either. The Black Magic pads. Totally different story. While I didn't know if my old pad could lock up my 33s if I really needed them to, I know for a fact the new pads are capable of doing that with some bite to spare.
Now being about a month in, I can say that dust does build up a bit on the wheel but it doesn't take much to clean it up and honestly, it doesn't bother me much. It did take some time for the dust to build up to noticeable levels but since I've never been the type to clean my wheels very often it might take less time for someone that cleans everything up more frequently than I.
TL DR
Love the switch to Black Magic pads, they do produce more dust than most, but they will not leave you wishing for more stopping power
Let me start by saying I'm very thankful I made the brake upgrade after last night's experience. I don't want to hear the sound of 33s locking up again...
The Story
Driving on my way to volleyball practice last night around 7:30 on a 4 lane road and coming up on a blind intersection around a bend in the road. I notice that a pickup is stopped in the right lane (my lane) as myself and a few other cars are approaching the truck and the intersection at around 40 mph. No turn signal, no hazards, just brake lights and sitting halfway into the intersection. So in an attempt to avoid having to come to a stop at a green light in flowing traffic, I switch over to the left lane and the car that wasn't far behind me followed suit. About the time that I'm 50 feet or so out from the intersection the truck decides it actually wanted to turn left and steadily started putzing across all 4 lanes of traffic to the left, clearly oblivious to the cars traveling towards them and closing ground fast. My right hand lays on the horn and right foot punches the brake pedal to the floor before I can blink. Immediately my 33s light up with a deep angry growl as they cut momentum as fast as they can. My TJ rocks backward after coming to a dead stop now in the middle of the intersection not 5 feet from the bed of the truck that is still crawling through the intersection. I then remember I had another SUV not very far behind me. Eyes dart up to the rearview and see the SUV switched back to the right lane, presumably when I locked my brakes, and was still slowing down as it moved slowly past me on the right.
The Review
It had definitely taken some adjustment in my driving to properly use these pads and keep them 'primed'. I was always the driver that would engine brake way back from the intersection as a light turned yellow and really only used my brakes to slow from 20 - 0 most days. That said, I have had to 'break-in' my pads a few times over the last few weeks as my driving style was adjusting. Let me say, there is a noticeable difference in stopping power when these pads are 'primed' and when they aren't and you recognize it as soon as you ask for anything more than light braking.
Installation was pretty simple. I bought a pad and rotor kit since my current rotors were starting to show a bit of wear and had a hint of warping to them. Not to mention I didn't know what brand they were or when they were put on as that work was done before I bought this Jeep. Flushing the brakes, solo, was the difficult bit and required some contortionist-level moves and a broom handle to get it done with little enough air in the lines to feel comfortable driving it (bled the brakes with a buddy the next day) to begin the break-in process that night.
Similar to my rotors, I have no idea what sort of pads I had installed. My old pads didn't leave me questioning if I was going to stop in time very often but they weren't very confidence-inspiring either. The Black Magic pads. Totally different story. While I didn't know if my old pad could lock up my 33s if I really needed them to, I know for a fact the new pads are capable of doing that with some bite to spare.
Now being about a month in, I can say that dust does build up a bit on the wheel but it doesn't take much to clean it up and honestly, it doesn't bother me much. It did take some time for the dust to build up to noticeable levels but since I've never been the type to clean my wheels very often it might take less time for someone that cleans everything up more frequently than I.
TL DR
Love the switch to Black Magic pads, they do produce more dust than most, but they will not leave you wishing for more stopping power
