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Upgrade: Teves to Akebono (99 WJ)

76K views 51 replies 21 participants last post by  85IrocZ-28 
#1 · (Edited)
Brake Upgrade: Teves to Akebono (99 WJ)

After years of dealing with the warped rotors, it was time for the upgrade. The stealership told me the teves were the better calipers, and I didn't need an upgrade. This is an example of why I will never trust the "experts" at the stealership. The pads I had didn't perform adequately either, I needed something that would stop the 35's better. Because I was upgrading the fronts, I replaced the rear pads and rotors as well. The rear pads were only 1/2 worn, but I wanted the higher friction pads.

Here is what I started with, front teves calipers, worn rotors, and worn pads. The front pads were on the Jeep when I bought it (3 years ago) and still had 1/3 of the pad left. They were way too hard with little stopping power. Here is what I was looking at with the tires off. Notice on the Teves Caliper, it has a spring on the front.


To remove the caliper, you will need an 7mm allen wrench. After that, you need to remove the caliper bracket, two 18mm bolts. When using a socket, you have to move the ABS wire off of its retainer prong and out of the way. Also make sure the front of the rotor is turned slightly inward towards the Jeep so that you can reach the upper bolt easier (the knuckle can get in the way).


All four rotors (I replaced all brakes front and rear) needed persuasion to come off. Here is the persuader:


You NEED Akebono caliper brackets for this upgrade, look at the difference. The Akebono caliper bracket is fully enclosed, much more rigid.


You can clearly see the difference in the caliper castings, the Akebono has ridges on the top of the casting. This will make the caliper itself more rigid, and provides larger cooling surface. The Akebono is on the ground, the Teves is in my hand..notice its smooth top.


Notice the writing on the back of the Akebono caliper:


Side comparison of the calipers:


The new calipers came with 5 small clips. I was confused at first, and really couldn't find anything online about how they went on. After simply looking at them and the caliper bracket though, they were self explanatory. Four of them slide on where the pads ride, and the fifth was just a pad life indicator that clipped onto the brake pad.


I have seen some people spread anti squeak all over the back of their pads, but I have always thought this was unnecessary. I just apply it to the pistons and the inside lip of the caliper where the pads rest. Then you don't see it all over the pad when you are done. My brother works for an automotive shop, and has countless stories of people who apply this to the pad surface!!!! Do not do that.


I used Hawks LTS pads as I LOVE Hawks, they have always performed extremely well on my Camaro. The LTS pad with Y Compound is the pad with the highest coefficient of friction that Hawk produces for the WJ, so I went with it to stop the 35's.


This was the first time I had replaced calipers on an ABS vehicle. The bleeding process was very similar to any other, but you don't pump up the pedal. You have someone apply pressure to the brake pedal, then loosen the bleed valve, the brake pedal will go to the floor. You then tighten the bleed valve, they release the brake pedal and let don't touch anything for a few seconds. Then the pedal man should apply pressure to the pedal again while you open the bleeder valve. Then close the valve again before telling the pedal man (or woman, my wife is a great help with this) to let off of the brake pedal. So instead of pumping like on the non abs setups, you don't pump as this can introduce air into the ABS system. This isn't an in depth description, make sure you read the directions. They should be included with your calipers.

I went with a flat surface rotor as drilled slotted seem to reduce pad life on my Camaro. And with occasion, I may heat these rotors up fairly warm when towing and coming down the canyon. I don't want to have a rotor fail on me and break.

The rotors are the Premium rotors offered by Napa. I also bought the Calipers there b/c it came with the bracket included.

Total Cost of new brakes

Rotors (F&R) $212 at Napa
Front Calipers (Akebono Upgrade) $145 at Napa
Brake Pads (Hawks LTS Pads F&R) $160 from Summit Racing
1 Can Brake Fluid - $3 at Autozone
1 Can Brake Parts Cleaner - $3 at Autozone

TOTAL = $523

The braking is now amazing. It stops much faster. I don't think I could have activated the ABS on dry pavement before, but it stops very quickly now. It is much safer and more comfortable. No more warped rotors...
 
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#3 ·
*knock on wood*

I had a 99 new back in march of 99, and at 10k miles the rotors warped and the dealer turned them off-vehicle. At 15k they warped again and the dealer turned them on vehicle. And at 20k they warped yet again and the dealer finally replaced the rotors, and then about 15k miles later I sold it and the brakes were still good.

My current 99 has 145k miles, and had about 122k when I bought it. I should check and see what calipers are on it, but I haven't had one single issue with the thing yet. I mean, aside from the driver's seat falling apart and then someone chucking a rock through the window, and the seal on the rear quarter window drying up, and breaking things while wheeling that is. :lol:
 
#4 ·
It is pretty easy to spot the caliper, you won't even have to take your wheels off. Just look at the side by side pic (7th pic). If you have the spring all along the side of the caliper, those are the older style. If there is no spring, but you can see the caliper bracket that is connected on the outer side of the rotor, then you have the newer style.
The calipers don't make a braking difference, it is really in the pads. The calipers will just help prevent future warpage.
 
#5 ·
Teves-Akebono Rotor Sizes?

Thanks for a very helpful post with excellent pictures. Twice in 4 months last year having been off-road in the mud I found one of my front callipers were sticking. The second time I had two hundred miles to drive home by which time the pads and rotor were shot. Both times I just installed the same type again. I then read somewhere that Teves were prone sticking and was looking for definite information on the Teves-Akebono swap. My old “breaker” Jeep has Akebono’s so I shall refurbish them and swap them over.
Do you know if the same rotor can be used for both types of brakes?

English Jeep Fan
00 WJ 4.7 Ltd
2" Rough Country BB
99 WJ 4.7 Ltd
minus t/case, window glass, handbrake, ABS etc, etc,
 
#6 ·
Sorry for the long time on the reply...I believe the rotor is the same. Your local parts store will know, just call them and have them look it up to see if the rotor pulls up different for the different calipers. 99 had Teves, and I think Mid 02+ had AKE.
 
#7 ·
Just upgraded mine. The slide system on the Ake's seems like it will require less maintenance and be less inclined to lock up as well as the other benefits given. Any design requiring a wire spring for support while rubbing against moving parts, has got to be asking for problems. Do yourself a favor and replace the brakelines too, if you can swing it. Easy job for peace of mind.
 
#8 ·
Did you replace your lines with new factory lines, or with Stainless Steel? I need to make this change, my lines are old. I just noticed that a shop that did my gears twisted the brake lines all up as they put the caliper back on...I just want to replace them know. I am always frustrated by the "work" others do on vehicles.
 
#9 ·
OEM style from Auto-value. They come with all the hardware installed, so the $40 a piece isn't as bad as it seems. The end might be frozen in the connecter on the hard line. If so, just unbolt your flexible line from the caliper and unthread it from the axle and control arm. Then you can just spin the whole flexible line off the end off the steel line so you don't crush or split it while trying to brake the nut loose.
 
#11 ·
It is pretty simple. You just unbolt the wheel, take off the caliper, remove two bolts to take off the caliper bracket, remove the brake line from the old caliper and attach to the new caliper with new crush seals, install your pads/rotor/caliper, and bleed the new caliper.

There is no custom work or fabrication involved, just a swap from the old parts to the new stuff.
 
#12 ·
Update on the Akebono's:

When I was replacing my CV's last weekend, I noticed that one of the sliders was pretty tight. I pulled it out and cleaned it up. After adding new grease, it slides freely again. Note to self...check to see how easily the caliper sliders are moving any time I have the front tires off. It must have not been too bad though as it didn't seem like it was pulling at all, and the pad is worn even.
 
#14 ·
I have between 12-15k on them now, and the brakes are working great for me. Much better stopping power (due to better pads) and no rotor warpage, even with towing the four wheelers up and down the canyon frequently.
 
#16 ·
Cool, what pads are you going with?
 
#18 ·
Not just a calliper swap.

I did the swap a few months ago but I did not get the great increase in brake performance I was looking for. It was all right on the street but bad off road especially when doing a lot of downhill work.

Thought about it a lot and then had a Eureka moment, it was not that the brakes themselves were bad but the pedal was going a long way to the floor and required a lot of push on a long descent. At one point I had thought I was losing brake fluid but could find no trace of a leak. Then I had swapped the front brake lines and was getting ready to swap the rear when I stopped and analysed exactly what I was experiencing. Then I realised.

It was the brake master cylinder. Although OK on the street, when I had to give it that really big push when everything was covered with mud it just was not efficient enough. Before I bought a new one I pulled the "spare" off my 99 breaker Jeep and having bled the brakes the difference was like chalk and cheese.
Glad I have the Akebonos on now, Can't have too much stopping power and hopefully they won't keep sticking like the Teves did.

Driving a friends old 99 Grand Voyager this week and am experiencing the same thing. Looked under the hood and it seems to be the same master cylinder! Time to get that swapped as well maybe?
 
#20 ·
The upgraded calipers are good. But the PADS are where you will see an improvement in braking. Spend the $ to get good pads. A bad master cylinder can create major problems, glad you fixed yours.
 
#25 ·
I always use solid rotors on the Jeep, and I like Hawks racing pads. I have heard good things about EBC from other tuners (mainly the mustang crowd).

With rotors, just stick with a high quality solid metal rotor. Put the $ up for some good pads, you will notice a difference. I always look at the pads with higher coefficient of friction.
 
#27 ·
Are you talking about this clip?



I put them on the caliper bracket just as you see in the picture. They stick inboard of the bracket just a bit so as the brake pad wears down, that little clip will start to make impact with the rotor and cause a squealing noise...it tells you the pads are worn and it is time to replace the brake pads.
 
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