So its time to get new breaks up front a little low on cash so with that being said. It's an 08 jku with 104k on the front brakes can i just change the pads? I only have the jk to drive it's my only vehicle .it dose stop straight without any pole when braking I have no way of getting the rotors turned without renting a car thanks in advance.

 

U can get rotors and pads for under 100 bucks and knock out the front axle in an afternoon.

 

You can do just pads if money dictates it.

The proper way to do a disc brake service is as follows:

Turn/Replace Rotors
Purchase remanufactured calipers, or rebuild yours yourself
Flush system

 

Thanks for your replies.

 

I'll disagree. I never turn rotors (or drums) unless they have scoring or some other damage -- This just reduces life and opens up the chance of machining errors. If the calipers don't leak and there are no symptoms of a stuck piston (pulling to one side or uneven pad wear) they are probably fine. Flushing is where we agree Brake fluid is hygroscopic (attracts moisture from the air) and that causes corrosion. One of the smartest things car makers did was start using clear plastic brake fluid reservoirs so that the cover doesn't have to be removed to check the level.

 

Thank you this is something i have to do this weekend.

 

Do a good visual inspection of your rotors. If you can see or feel some pretty good ruts in them I would suggest changing them. If they still feel fairly smooth you are probably Ok to just change the pads.

When changig th pads I use one of the old pads and a c-clamp to compress the piston. I also loosen the resivour cap and watch it closely as you compress the caliper piston so you don't over flow fluid everywhere. If you don't remove the brake lines you should not have to bleed the system. My father-in-law alway bleeds the lines anyway.

 

Changing just the pads is OK but not the best. The rotors usually have uneven wear, so the surface is not perfectly flat like surface of the new pads. Also, the rotor surface will be very slick and polished compared to a newly turned rotor so the new pads will be slow to break in.

But, the new pads will wear in and match the surface of the old rotors soon enough. The thing to realize is the new pads will be slow to break in and your brakes won't be fully effective until they do. Also, the rig may pull to one side when you hit the brakes until both sides have broken in evenly.

 

Rotors usually having uneven wear just hasn't been my experience. If the rotors look good, I never turn them. And when necessary, dial indicate the face runout afterward to make sure the machining was done correctly. As far as the surface being slick and polished, just use some 100 grit or a flexible abrasive pad on them and wash with brake-clean.