Ok, my front rotors are warped so bad, I'm about ready to loose my fillings each time I come to a stop on a long hill. My KJ has 60K miles on it and is now being driven up and down a 4000' mountain each day in a commute. The downhill run in the morning really keeps me awake, it's like a massage for the arms The rotors have been turned at least twice in my history with the vehicle, so I know they can't have it done again.

Anyway, I want to put on some new rotors and was considering vented ones. Does anyone have any experience with them? Do they really stay cooler? How about in the future, when these may require turning, can they be done, or do they need to be replaced because of the holes?

Brand suggestions?

Thanks in advance!

BTW - Is this a DIY project, or should I have it done by a mechanic?

Scott B)

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2005 Liberty Sport, Full Skid Plates, Front and Rear Tow Hooks, Hella 500 Fogs, Yokohama Geolandars AT/S 235/70 16.
Julian, California

Your KJ already has vented front rotors,then again almost all(very hard to find one that doesn't)newer vehicles have vented front disc's.

Let me rephrase that, "Cross-Drilled" rotors.

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2005 Liberty Sport, Full Skid Plates, Front and Rear Tow Hooks, Hella 500 Fogs, Yokohama Geolandars AT/S 235/70 16.
Julian, California

Stay away from drilled rotors for a daily driver.Slotted rotors work for a daily driver though.I recommend the cryo frozen PowerSlot rotors with Napa ceramic pads.

to my knowledge, all vehicles with front discs have vented front rotors. and slotted rotors work well for preventing gas and water fade, dont know about heat reduction, cross drilled rotors are only going to take away from the integrity of the rotor in your case.

do you leave it in drive with overdrive on? try putting it in 3rd(overdrive off) OR drop it down into second when going down the hill, im not sure of the speed limit of that hill your on, but that will help A LOT.

i was considering trying out a set of slotted rotors and ceramic pads for my next brake front job. im happy with my rear drums

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2002 Cactus Green Renegade~OME HD/Rancho
235-85-16 Firestone Destination MT's~Detroit Locker~AL's 4.5 Arms
ARB bumper/Superwinch 9k~PIAA 540 driving lights/PIAA reverse lights~Crane 8.25 diff cover

The drive varies a LOT, from twisty mountain road, great for a sports car, to long straights and normal curves. It's 41 miles from top to bottom, with 25 stoplights in the last 1/3 of the trip (with 19 of those in the last five miles). As you can see, there's a lot of wear and tear on the brakes.

Gearing down would help if it was only once in awhile, but for a commuter, it would put a lot more stress on the drivetrain and it's far cheaper to replace brakes.

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2005 Liberty Sport, Full Skid Plates, Front and Rear Tow Hooks, Hella 500 Fogs, Yokohama Geolandars AT/S 235/70 16.
Julian, California

wow that does sound crazy! surprised your paint on your wheels hasnt bubbled off yet from the heat lol i bet they sure do get hot! lots of nasty black brake dust too

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2002 Cactus Green Renegade~OME HD/Rancho
235-85-16 Firestone Destination MT's~Detroit Locker~AL's 4.5 Arms
ARB bumper/Superwinch 9k~PIAA 540 driving lights/PIAA reverse lights~Crane 8.25 diff cover

Actually if you just locked out OD for the that drive it will save your brakes and not harm your drivetrain at all,heck even shifting into 2nd if the speeds are low enough will not harm your drivetrain.The benefit besides saving your brakes(so you don't loose them on a down hill drive) is gaining mpg's if you lockout OD since if your not on the gas pedal and going down hill the PCM senses that and cut's off fuel until you step back on the gas while slowing you down or maintaining a certain speed without frying your brakes.Basically it just turns your engine into a big air compressor and no damage will be done.


Oh and don't forget to flush the brake fluid,that amount of heat abuse wears out the brake fluid real fast which can lead to deadly results.

Why so?

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2010 JK Sport 6spd

2002 Liberty Sport ---> SOLD

For Sale: Skid Row transmission skid plate and rear headrests


ABSENCE OF EVIDENCE IS NOT EVIDENCE OF ABSENCE

I have slotted & crossed drilled rotors. I wouldn't buy them again.

When going through mud, they get clogged up and really wear down your pads. I've put many many miles on mine as a daily driver.

Another point against them is that they cannot be machined. The cutting bits will get caught on the holes & slots.

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LostRenegade - Lost # 477
2003 Jeep Liberty Renegade - Silver
Mopar Skids, Skid Row Tranny Skid, Boulder Bars, Frankenlift II, 60" Hi-Lift Jack, K&N 6x9 Air Filter, Magnaflow, Dertoit Locker, 245/75R16 BF Goodrich All Terrains, Al's A-Arms

I installed EBC pads and their slotted&dimpled rotors about 1,000 miles ago, and the braking is much better than stock

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05 KJ CRD Limited

There not ment for DD duty,as is the K&N air filter,both designed for racing and are not up to the task of long term use.

amen!

I just ordered some SP Performance slotted rotors from raceshopper.com

I've used them before on my Land Cruiser and they worked awesome with Hawk LTS pads.

I will be installing mine next week and will let you know how it turns out.

BTW, I live next to Lake Cuyamaca and have seen your Bed and Breakfast before.

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2002 KJ Limited
Select Trac
3.7L V6
45RFE automatic
OME heavy springs
Bilstein HD strut and 5125 extended rear shock (not quite bolt in - just some spacers needed)
Yokohama Geolander AT-S 245 75r16

The reason some cars come with Cross drilled rotors is they are designed for it. The the rotor it self is much thinker than it would be if it was just vented.

What the after market makes for us non crossed drill cars is way to thin for Daily driving and long term good effects.
So you will loose surface area and that is not good.

Now that sloted rotor is fine becuase you are not loose enough surface area to matter. The benifit of an escape route for the hot gasses or water is a benifit...

The Rotors tjkj2002 talk about are a good buy. they will do better for vers stock.

Also it is Must to replace your brake fluid once a year if you are heating up your brake so much, If I had your drive, I would do it every 6 months.

I would also upgrade to better gear oil and tranny fluid from Amsoil.
you can buy it here http://www.hotrodoil.com/

Also using your tranny to slow the car down will not wear it out, if you service the Jeep right. never let your fluids burn. you will want to change out your trany fluid on the Police time line and not the normal time line.

it will help out the jeep in the end....

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2008 Liberty Limited 4X4 Command Trac 2
All stock Auto with 235/60/18

Really! Well, we'll have to get together and do some trails in Borrego sometime. I'll check out the SP Performance Slotted rotors. Thanks.

And thanks to everyone else for their input, I'll avoid the cross drilled rotors and change my brake fluid soon.

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2005 Liberty Sport, Full Skid Plates, Front and Rear Tow Hooks, Hella 500 Fogs, Yokohama Geolandars AT/S 235/70 16.
Julian, California

I just pulled my new camper 855 miles. Some of that was through the mountains in Tennessee. I drove with the over drive off and had no problems going down hill. I let off the gas and she slowed down real good.

Terry

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2011 Ford F-150 XLT 4X4

Unbelieveably better.

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Bub
06 Inop Edition CRD Silver
06 Inop Edition CRD Green

Back in Auto class years and years ago, we learned that Downshifting with an auto tranny of any kind puts too much stress on the sun gears. It certainly will help with braking, but it does cause more potential for issues. Not sure if that still holds true, but it did a few years ago.

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2005 Liberty Renegade
Old Man Emu HD Coils, OME Struts, OME Shocks
Tow Package with Champion Receiver Shackle
RB1 Navigation
245/75R16 Goodyear Duratrac's (Installed November 24, 2010
Slightly Trimmed Front Bumper and Wheel Well Liner
Pinch Weld Pounded
Custom Rock Rails
Rock Crusher Diff Cover (Not installed)