I thought I was set on getting the NAPA Ultra Premium - Ceramic Pads, but I started doing a little more research on the Adaptive One pads.

Has anyone had any experience with these? My dad recently put them on his '04 Ram, NAPA guy suggested that those were the ones to go with, and they seem to work well, but I think it is to early to tell.

Is their inner/out pads thing a gimmick, or is it for real? Would you put them up against the Ultra Premiums, or just go with the Ultra Premiums?

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I'm right 97% of the time. Who cares about the other 4%.

What if the Hokey Pokey is what it's all about?

2005 Jeep Liberty Limited - Bright Silver Metallic

Has your jeep been stopping well with out those fancy pads so far...I would just get oem replacements imo

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Steve
2018 RAM 1500 Rebel
2003 KJ
Mods:Exterior: Frankenlift + 2 extra rear iso, JBA UCAs, ARB Bumper w/XRC8, Safari Snorkel, 265/75/16 AT, Mopar Skids, Boulderbars, RL Gecko Sport Rack
Interior: Infinity Reference speakers, 12" Alpine Type R Sub, Alpine radio, Gauge Pods (Oil, Volts), Cobra Cb, All J Interior Rack

No, they warped my rotors. From what I read on here and on another KJ forum, the OEM pads tend to warp the OEM rotors. They also pulse when I get to lower speeds. As hard as I push my brakes sometimes, I'm looking to upgrade as well. I want pads and rotors that are going to last, not ones that are toast after 30k miles.

I'm not the type to ride my brakes or abuse them, but I do live in the mountains and I tow a camper or trailer fairly often. I've owned other vehicles with disk brakes and towed with some of them as well and I've never had brakes warp on me. The stock brakes on the KJ apparently can't handle it and I wouldn't really say that I am pushing it to hard.

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I'm right 97% of the time. Who cares about the other 4%.

What if the Hokey Pokey is what it's all about?

2005 Jeep Liberty Limited - Bright Silver Metallic

For what you pay for the NAPA brakes you could get a nice set of EBC red stuff of green stuff 7000 series. They will stop alot better then the NAPA pads and i swear by NAPA parts. And if you really want some stopping power get a set of there slotted rotors to they won't warp i have had mine in pulling 3000+lb loads in 6% grades stopping without a problem.

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I have not used either of those pads.

Having said that, I have used C-Max ceramic pads from AutoZone and they were the WORST pads I have ever used. I hated them so bad that six months later I ripped them off the truck and took them back to the store and exchanged them for regular semi-metallic.

They dusted (which ceramic supposedly won't do), they had less stopping power (which is common with ceramics), they made the pedal feel spongy due to the backing on the pads, and they cost twice as much as regular pads.

F ceramic if you ask me.

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2005 Stone White KJ Limited CRD 4x4
Off-Road Pkg
Trac-Lok
Emu 790s/948s
Skyjacker H7088s rear/Bilsteins front
15x7 Black Rock Lobos/31x10.50 Firestones
GDE HOT Tune + TCM Tune
Euro TC
CB radio
Thrush Turbo muffler
AEM DryFlow filter

I've read that the EBC green stuff pads can be noisy and that the NAPA Ultra Premium Pads will be quiet and brake just as well. I started looking at EBC's stuff to start with.

I also have a thread out asking about sloted rotors and mud. I was looking at some slotted rottors, but I don't want them if they get caked with mud and mess with the pads.


I wouldn't trust any pads from Auto Zone or Advance Auto. My dad uses them because they are cheap, but they are garbage. He changes them more than he should have to.

With that said, I've rode in other vehicles with good quality ceramic pads that performed very well. It is all about getting a quality set. I've read a lot of good about EBC and the NAPA Ultra Premiums, but I was wondering how the Adaptive Ones compared.

_________________
I'm right 97% of the time. Who cares about the other 4%.

What if the Hokey Pokey is what it's all about?

2005 Jeep Liberty Limited - Bright Silver Metallic

The Adaptive One pads are awesome and blow away the Premium ceramic pads away(hence the high cost),wish they made them for my brake setup(need front pads for a '75 K10).Probably the best pads on the market and I've used alot of different pads(EBC is way overrated,I know I have them on right now and will be swapped out real quick) so I've had alot of experience with many brands.make sure you use the Napa Premium rotors with the Adaptive Pads,they are made to work together.

Very good to know. Thanks for chiming in.

For the Liberty though, the Adaptive on Pads are $6-$8 cheaper per set than the Premium pads on the NAPA website. Even better.

I actually have another thread asking about the NAPA Ultra Premium rotors vs. their Hi-Perf rotors. I was going to purchase one of the two. The Hi-Perf ones have slotts in them, and I think the consensus is that slotts and mud don't mix.

So, I am pretty much set on the Ultra Premium rotors and the Adaptive One pads.

I also hear you on the troubles of finding the correct replacement parts for a vehicle that is made out of multiple vehicles. While mine isn't as extreme as yours, my '67 Mustang has the motor of a '85 Mustang(warmed over), the trans of a '67, the rear axle and driveshaft of a '65 Hi-Po, front spindles of a Granada and a few aftermarket parts. I hate finding the correct parts to fix things sometimes.

_________________
I'm right 97% of the time. Who cares about the other 4%.

What if the Hokey Pokey is what it's all about?

2005 Jeep Liberty Limited - Bright Silver Metallic

Based on the recommendations here, I have a set of Ultra Premium rotors and Adaptive One pads sitting in the back of the Liberty right now that we are going to put on tomorrow.

When I went to order them from my local NAPA store, one of the guys there (a Toyota pick-up off-road enthusiast) said for our applications that should be perfect, but he did say that he had the same combination on his large (3/4-ton, maybe?) pick-up that he towed his trailer and trail-rig (with trailer break controller, et al), and said that unloaded it was fine, however, fully loaded the stopping distance was subpar. But he also said that we would never (based on the 5,000 lbs towing weight spec of the KJ) be towing so much that it would cause that problem...

Remember, if you don't have any other discount arrangement set up, you get a 7% discount with NAPA for being a AAA member...

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Colin
LOST#85291
"Blue Bunny"
04 KJ Sport 3.7L AT 4x4
Steel IFS/DL&DTT/4.10s/Tow Pkg/Mopar-Rusty's-Skid Row skids&sliders/OME struts&springs/Rancho shocks/Terraflex bumpstops/Landy FRH/Gen Steel/Grabber AT2s/Spidertrax/Rockcrusher/Hella/Smittybilt XRC8/Bulldog wiring/NAPA brakes/JBA UCAs&spacers/Deka Intimidator