The brake pad and its assembly are among the most essential components to treat carefully in a car. If your car brakes aren’t working, it’s best to never drive the car until the brake is fixed.
Also, as a way of tuning up a car, some drivers purchase aftermarket (performance) brake kits, which are believed to deliver better performance than stock kits.
Well, whether you’re tuning up your car for better performance, or you need to replace your failing brake system, the Power Stop Z36 Truck and Tow brake kit is an ideal choice.
Power Stop as a brand is notable for manufacturing heavy-duty parts for vehicles of different types and kinds.
This brake kit from the brand is robust and reliable; thus, here’s our comprehensive Power Stop Z36 review.
Power Stop Z36 Truck and Tow Brake Kit Overview
This particular kit comes with a 6-lug setup and can be paired with the Power Stop Z36 Carbon-Fiber Ceramic performance friction formulation for maximum performance.
It is meant for vehicles that are used for towing or heavy-duty activities. Notwithstanding, this kit is also suitable for cars with big wheels.
The kit contains everything you need; perfectly matched pads and rotors, upgraded stainless steel hardware, pin bushings, and high-temperature brake lubricant.
It is an ideal kit to upgrade your F-150 pickup brake system.
However, this brake kit works on other vehicles too (not only F-150 Ram Pickups).
What’s Included in the PowerStop Z36 Brake Kit?
You’re getting the following items when you purchase this performance brake kit for your car.
- Z36 carbon-fiber ceramic brake pads
- Premium stainless steel shims
- Drilled, slotted & zinc plated rotors
- Premium stainless steel hardware & new pin bushing kit
- Hi-temp brake lubricant
The carbon-fiber ceramic pads have severe-duty stopping power, while the premium steel shims are engineered for excellent heat dissipation.
They are also designed to guarantee to hear noise-free braking. Generally, this brake kit is specially designed for trucks & 4x4s.
Also, the drilled, slotted, & zinc plated rotors provide optimal cooling, as well as protect against rust and corrosion. So, the Power Stop Z36 brake kit is sure to last for a long time.
With the premium (upgraded) stainless steel hardware and new pin bushing kit, the Z36 brake system clips onto your vehicle easily. It is also “bolt-on” ready, so you need not modify your car to install the kit.
There are a few optional items you could add to the kit at the point of purchase. The optional items include powder-coated calipers and stainless steel brake lines.
What’s Power Stop Z36 Brake Kit Best For?
- Towing
- Hauling
- Big Tire Upgrades
- Mountain Driving
- Off-Road
You can use this brake kit on any vehicle, but it is best for trucks, 4x4s, and SUVs that perform heavy-duty functions like towing, hauling, and carrying heavy items.
The kit comprises everything you need in a brake upgrade kit. Ceramic brake pads don’t attract/retain dust, and that’s what the Z36 pads are made of.
This brake kit is also recommended for vehicles that travel across rough/tough trails; and off-road paths such as mountainous trails.
Features of Power Stop Z36 Brake Kit
1. Silver Zinc Plating
The silver zinc plating/coating helps to protect the brake hardware from rusting or corroding easily. It also gives it a “killer” shiny look from behind-the-wheel rims.
2. Bevelled Drilled Holes
High-precision drill holes allow for maximum cooling rotors. This helps to control the brake temperature from going too high during extreme driving conditions.
3. Carbon Fiber Ceramic
The carbon fabric ceramic is fortified for reliable, fade-free braking power, and to help promote cleaner wheels.
4. Premium Hardware
This is another thing to love about this upgraded brake kit. It is built with premium, upgraded stainless steel hardware, along with pin bushings for seamless installation.
5. Stainless Steel Shims
There are some aftermarket (upgrade) brake kits that make noise when you install them.
However, Z36, with the help of the stainless-steel shims provides better heat dissipation, and that guarantees to avoid noise when braking at low speed.
6. Rounded Slots
The rounded slots wipe away gas or debris; thus, maintaining a constant clear patch on the rotor surface, which guarantees smooth braking.
Power Stop Z36 Review
Alright, here’s the main section of this article; how does the Power Stop Z36 perform in vehicles?
Starting from the installation, it is pretty easy.
However, if you aren’t good at following DIY practices to fix issues with your car, it is best to get to a verified car brake installation shop and have a professional mechanic fix the Z36 brake kit on your car.
Power Stop provides detailed step-by-step guides on how you can install the Z36 brake yourself. But then, you should note that any defect in workmanship would cause poor performance of this brake kit.
But, if everything is installed properly, the kit performs very well, regardless of the vehicle model and type.
One of the reasons why people think the Z36 brake kit doesn’t work on their vehicle is due to poor workmanship.
If the pads are installed with the ears on the wrong side, you’ll experience poor braking.
One important thing to note when installing a new brake system is the break-in procedure.
This is practically the last installation step and it’s really important as it helps to condition the newly installed brakes for more efficiency.
The required break-in procedure for this Power Stop brake is explained below.
Required Break-In Procedure For Power Stop Z36 Brake Kit
This break-in procedure works for all Power Stop performance brake kits that are drilled/slotted.
Firstly, you have to complete five (5) moderate-to-aggressive stops from 40 mph to 10 mph.
These stops should be done in rapid succession, and you shouldn’t let the brakes cool off in between the stops; don’t completely stop the car too.
Secondly, complete another five (5) moderate stops from 35 mph to 5 mph following the same rules as with the first. This will heat the brakes, and you may hear some resin smell.
After this step, you can continue driving normally; this time, don’t heat the brakes excessively unless you’re coming to a complete stop.
When all these steps are accomplished, your brakes will cool down to the normal operating temperature, and you can drive normally.
Caution: Do not try to cool the brake with water; it would cause damage to the system. If your brakes are heated excessively, drive moderately for a couple of minutes (let’s say 5 minutes), and the system will cool down naturally.
Does Power Stop Offer Warranty On This Brake Kit?
Yes, the company offers a 3-year/ 36,000-mile warranty (whichever comes first).
In other words, the company warrants the Z36 brake kit to remain in good shape and run efficiently for the first 3 years or 36k miles without having any defects.
Also, Power Stop offers a 60-day hassle-free return window for this product. This implies to say that you can send back the kit within 60 days of purchase and it’d be changed for you – you’d be given a new one.
Well, there are terms and conditions for this warranty and return policies. The terms are indicated in the manual.
What More?
Summarily, the Power Stop Z36 brake kit is a reliable, highly efficient brake upgrade system built to last and for extreme braking conditions.
It comes with evolutionary rotors, and it’s pretty easy to install.
