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Black Magic Brakes: initial impressions

anthrax323

NAXJA Forum User
Location
San Antonio, TX
(Subject vehicle: 2001 XJ, 5.25" lift, 265/75R16 DuraTracs)

Like many XJ owners (and Jeep owners in general), I've been fighting woeful braking since the moment I ditched the factory tire size... I swear I've been through 3 pairs of front calipers and countless rotor/pad combinations over the years trying to remedy the issue, but to no avail. I even did the rear disc conversion using a KJ donor hoping it'd help, but it yielded marginal overall improvements in braking performance (and resulted in an absolutely pitiful parking brake given the leverage provided by the factory E-brake handle).

It eventually reached the point recently where it took over 300 feet to slow down from 75 to 15 mph, while standing on the brake pedal. I was no longer comfortable towing at all, and became reluctant to even carry passengers in the vehicle. Terrifying.

I'd been researching and considering the WJ disc swap for several years as well, but ultimately never pulled the trigger as I didn't want to deal with the rabbit hole that would inevitably result from it.

Well, after years of bugging Mr. Blaine over at Black Magic about his products, the WJ swap, Vanco big brake kits, and other general braking questions, I decided it was time to spend some money. $325 shipped for Black Magic pads, Centric rotors, and fresh calipers.

I also went ahead and picked up a pair of Rough Country extended brake lines, as the K1500 lines I'd been running were stretched out like guitar strings when flexing (not an ideal limiting strap, to be honest).

On previous brake servicing occasions, I'd obsessed over the bleeding process, I'd religiously cleaned every pair of rotors with brake cleaner to remove the anti-oxidizing coating they ship with thinking it was tainting the pads and reducing stopping power. This time I said screw it, and just threw the rotors, pads, calipers, and new lines on, and did a quick gravity bleed to get things ready (bleed, depress the brake pedal gently a few times, top off the fluid, and bleed again til the fluid is a steady stream).

Holy. Farking. Shiat.

Even during the first round of the break-in/bedding process, the improvements were absolutely staggering. I finished it by about noon yesterday, coasted the Jeep into the driveway, and let it sit for the rest of the day (as he recommends letting it sit overnight, which I equate to ~8 or 9 hours). It was bizarre hearing the rotors groan, creak, and ping upon parking it.

Round 2 of the bedding process happened at about 9 PM last night. Braking power nearly doubled (!!) during this time. For the first time since I bought my XJ years ago, I was able to partially break traction while only braking at about 30-40%.

Today I took it back out again and did some more testing, and was able to fully lock my ~32's while braking at roughly 50%.

I've done my best to describe how impressed I am, but words truly aren't enough.

Mr. Blaine, you are literally a life saver. I feel absolutely appalled with myself for not doing this sooner, given how I've been endangering the lives of not only myself and my loved ones, but others on the road.

If you have ANY concerns about the brakes in your XJ, please at least buy a set of pads and rotors from him. At $235 shipped, it will be the best money you've ever spent.

If you have kids, please, please, please make the investment. I'm truly flabbergasted by the whole ordeal.

This week I'll be installing his Wizard Brackets in order to fix the lack of E-brake holding/stopping power. Per his warning, the improvement is substantial enough that if you forget to release the brake in 4-LO, you'll destroy the parking brakes. Sounds fantastic to me.

Again, thank you Mr. Blaine. You're officially on my Christmas card mailing list.
 
I know Blaine has worked very closely with team NAXJA. Cal and Richard have nothing but praise regarding Blaine and his products.

Some upgrades are better than others, but this is a no-brainer.
 
I know Blaine has worked very closely with team NAXJA. Cal and Richard have nothing but praise regarding Blaine and his products.
Some upgrades are better than others, but this is a no-brainer.

Blaine designed the Vanco brake kits, which originally came with EBC yellow pads. The Yellows were great hot but sucked when cold.
I contacted Blaine about this, about the time first started selling Black Magic pads .
He suggested trying the Black Magic pads and, yes, what a difference! the cold braking is as good when the pads are hot, great for a DD.
Pricey but worth it, if you value your life. The premium Centric rotors also help.
I'm surprised how long the pads have lasted, being that they bite so well.

When large diameter tires cause your brakes to be inadequate, big front brakes and Black Magic pads are a good cure.
Money spent upgrading the front brakes provides more bang for the buck, compared to rear brake upgrades. The front brakes, when upgraded, transfer most of the braking to the front.
For a much lower buck front brake upgrade, the Power Stop performance front brake kits, from Rock Auto, also provide great performance.
 
Just 2 weekends ago we installed a semi prototype very big brake kit (for 17" wheels) on the Team Naxja 431 road race jeep.

I havent done a full write up yet, but since its coming up here, i'll drop some pictures on you guys of the type of stuff Blaine has if you really want it.


Custom knuckles, but they sure look factory.

IMG_20150530_123604828_zpshwun5mob.jpg

IMG_20150530_123550604_zps49oekuyu.jpg


A spacer to properly center the larger rotor on an XJ hub. It does require 2000+ style XJ/TJ bearings.

IMG_20150530_130455245_zpstuwhnhxb.jpg


The 13.5" rotor next to the stock 11" rotor. Blaine says it is more than double the stopping power.

Note the stock size rotor is a performance unit from powerstop, and has less than 500 miles on it. It is destroyed.

IMG_20150530_110204042_zpsedqhiif7.jpg

IMG_20150530_110211711_zpscbxkbljr.jpg


The calipers have 2 54mm pistons in them.

IMG_20150530_155204985_zpsatapm1rb.jpg


The pads themselves don't look all that different from a stock XJ pad, but they are a lot further out on rotating mass, giving them way more leverage.

IMG_20150530_155146621_zps1xbzuq00.jpg


As an assembly. It took about 1 hour to install the kit.

IMG_20150530_163654659_zpsvij7gzh5.jpg



I don't have pictures of it handy, but we installed a Dodge Durango master cylinder onto a 1998 Cherokee power booster. It bolted right up, did require adjusting the pedal rod and making new brake lines. We also used the 1998 Cherokee prop valve, which changes the bias a little.

The rear brakes are Ford Explorer discs. New centric rotors and calipers with oreilly auto part's semi metallic pads, being modeled below by Dallas Ashley from Stinkyfab Racing - who as always, came out to wrench with us.

IMG_20150530_161425670_zpsrk4yfmjh.jpg



When he says 17" wheels required, he really means it. Less than 1/16" clearance to the wheel (which are ford mustang take-offs).

IMG_20150530_203610069_zps4krtbx16.jpg
 
One thing I will say about Black Magic (or Vanco for that matter) kits is they come with very explicit instructions. AND HE MEANS EVERY WORD OF IT.


What torque specs to use. What kind of lubricant or threadlocker to use on each bolt (there were 2 different threadlockers specified in our kit). The order of assembly. Part numbers of bearings and such. How to brake things in.

His instructions are the result of years of research and development, and help you to get every last bit of safety, durability and performance. In that order.
 
The rear brakes are Ford Explorer discs. New centric rotors and calipers with oreilly auto part's semi metallic pads, being modeled below by Dallas Ashley from Stinkyfab Racing - who as always, came out to wrench with us.

IMG_20150530_161425670_zpsrk4yfmjh.jpg

Damn, I am a sexy beast. :laugh2:
 
I'll parrot everything else mentioned here... I'm on my 2nd set of Front Black Magic pads and Centric rotors on both my '01 XJ and my wives '03 KJ... just installed the 2nd pair on my XJ ~ 1 month back... LOVE them!!
 
Good info, thanks. I'm about to swap to jk rubicons and am already thinking about improving the brakes
 
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