TXcajun Posted October 14, 2013 Report Share Posted October 14, 2013 Just traded up our 2011 Journey Lux to a 2014 Journey Limited. Exact same options. Couldn't pass up the deal. Our note actually went down. Dealership gave us a really good deal on our trade value and the price of the new one. $1500 in rebates right now. We were having continued brake problems on the 2011. 32k miles and on our 4th set of brakes. The 2014 front brakes are MASSIVE.. They dwarf the 2011 in comparison. Rotors are a full 1" wider and calipers are darn near 30% larger. Rear discs increased, but not as dramatic. Transmission problems are gone as well. 2014 all and all is a great ride. Wife loves it. 2014jrt 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Journeyman425 Posted October 15, 2013 Report Share Posted October 15, 2013 The brake system upgrade is a significant one indeed. While I did not own a Journey prior to my 2013 Crew, I work for a dealership and saw how many came back for brake vibration issues. And while our 2013 only has 7800 miles on it, there isn't any hint of brake vibration and I'm really impressed with the power of the brake system. Much more impressive than our 300M which we ordered from the factory with Performance Handling Group which includes higher-friction brake pads and upgraded calipers. That car stops well, but the same amount of brake pedal input on the Journey will launch you through the windshield! Best of luck with you Limited. My Crew is the same as your Limited, but they have finally given it a proper name. "Crew" sounds much more appropriate for a work truck than a luxury CUV. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigtsr Posted October 15, 2013 Report Share Posted October 15, 2013 "but the same amount of brake pedal input on the Journey will launch you through the windshield!" I brought that point up to the brake specialist at my dealership after I burned out the right front rotor during a panic stop right after I picked up my '11 DJ. He said that in his opinion the amount of "brake boost" set into the DJs was one of the reasons for so many failures. Mine was a defective rotor which was replaced and brakes have been fine for over 2 years including a couple of hard stops. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Journeyman425 Posted October 16, 2013 Report Share Posted October 16, 2013 I'm not so sure I concur on the overboost theory. Once the driver learns to modulate the brake pedal, it will only apply as much braking force as the driver commands. The minivans and Journeys from 2008-2010 all suffered premature brake wear issues primarily due to undersized components. Friction=heat. Heat must be dissipated from the rotor or else it will warp, which is exactly what has been happening. Plus, the brake pad size and composition was insufficient for a vehicle of the Journey/Caravan/T&C's weight. Once those components were upgraded to the proper size, premature brake wear claims dropped precipitously. Good to hear that you had two problem-free years of braking! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TXcajun Posted October 16, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 16, 2013 I do believe the problems stem from small brake components. Judging by the significant upgrade in size on the 2014s.. I would say the engineers at Chrysler agree with that opinion as well. The 2014 DEFENITELY has a more confident feel when you step on the brakes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay Sixspeedrt Posted October 17, 2013 Report Share Posted October 17, 2013 Please someone post some photos of both front and rear so we can judge. I saw a newer Journey and the brakes to me looked visibly larger than my 2012 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGBOX Posted October 17, 2013 Report Share Posted October 17, 2013 Please someone post some photos of both front and rear so we can judge. I saw a newer Journey and the brakes to me looked visibly larger than my 2012 I don't have pictures of the rears, but here is a before & after picture of my front brake conversion: Wheels on: Wheels off: 2014jrt 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZJennings Posted November 11, 2013 Report Share Posted November 11, 2013 Agreed, the brakes on the 14's are huge. They brake so smoothly and have excellent modulation. Probably the smoothest I've felt on an SUV or Crossover. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jkeaton Posted November 11, 2013 Report Share Posted November 11, 2013 Thats the first thing I noticed when we test drove the 13's compared to our 09. The brakes are simply MASSIVE compared to the earlier models. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ignacio Rodriguez IV Posted November 16, 2013 Report Share Posted November 16, 2013 I just purchased a 13 SXT and thought the brakes looked massive. Caliper isn't very far from the edge of the wheels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rgwog Posted November 16, 2013 Report Share Posted November 16, 2013 Yes that was one thing that I noticed too on the 13s, when we were looking. They are huge compared to the earlier years. Smooth as silk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay Sixspeedrt Posted November 18, 2013 Report Share Posted November 18, 2013 That's been my only beef with my 2012 SXT, which I otherwise love - the mediocre brakes. Rears wore out at 36k, the fronts at 40k. AND.... there was vibration and noise starting about 10k.... I would 'bed' the brakes, and it would disappear for a while, and then return a few thousand miles later. And the overwhelming bulk of my miles are rural 2 lane and expressway, and I would scrupulously use auto-stick to downshift to take some of the load off because I'd read about the inadequate brakes. For the brakes to wear out in as few miles as they did was ridiculous. If I regularly carried 3 passengers, or cargo, and drove more urban or city streets, I would guess the brakes would wear out in 20k miles or less. The upgrade shows that Dodge clearly acknowledges that it was a problem - there should be some kind of monetary credit given to owners of previous model year Journeys towards an upgrade to the new rotors/calipers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rgwog Posted November 18, 2013 Report Share Posted November 18, 2013 The Same thing happened with the 2000+ Jeep Grand Cherokee WJ series. Poor brake design. Warped rotors, pulsing, They finally beefed up the calipers and everything was just peachy. (For the ones that bought newer ones.) The ones with the older smaller brake units were just out of luck and out of pocket for the upgrade. Dont count on ant offers of money for the upgrade. Its just a common theme that Chrysler-Jeep had going, go cheap or not at all. Hopefully all that is in the past. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TXcajun Posted January 2, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 2, 2014 Update... 2014 Journey Limited has 4k on it and zero issues. Brakes are still good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Journeyman425 Posted January 2, 2014 Report Share Posted January 2, 2014 We're just about to hit 12K miles, and the brakes are exactly as day one. No noise or vibration, and the car stops impressively well. Very impressive, in fact. Both my wife and I have really had to ger used to the difference in braking power over the 300M - the Journey requires much less pedal effort to stop in the same space. Even when the 300M was new, I don't remember it stopping as well as the Journey does. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChopRod Posted January 8, 2014 Report Share Posted January 8, 2014 Can you put the 2014 brakes on a 2011 R/T? Am at 30k mi and do have some rotor warpage but wheels have been off several times due to plus sizing tires, deer hit, axle seal leak. Brakes work great though and really like the E-Brake assist which requires much less pedal pressure. Any info would be appreciated. Also read somewhere last year that upgrading to WearEver rotors and ceramic pads works well too. Any opinions? Keith in Ohio Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGBOX Posted January 8, 2014 Report Share Posted January 8, 2014 Can you put the 2014 brakes on a 2011 R/T? Am at 30k mi and do have some rotor warpage but wheels have been off several times due to plus sizing tires, deer hit, axle seal leak. Brakes work great though and really like the E-Brake assist which requires much less pedal pressure. Any info would be appreciated. Also read somewhere last year that upgrading to WearEver rotors and ceramic pads works well too. Any opinions? Keith in Ohio Yes. You can source brand new factory parts for around $500 to upgrade to the larger brakes. I did it last year, but was able to find used parts at a wrecker, so saved lots of $$$, but even at $500, it is a very reasonable cost for what you get. Here is the thread: http://www.dodgejourneyforum.com/topic/4974-successful-big-brake-upgrade-on-2011-crew/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jugghead Posted May 2, 2014 Report Share Posted May 2, 2014 Hi there. Just grabbed a '14 DJ R/T. I must admit now that I'm an owner of this vehicle I have to say the brakes on this vehicle are terrible. I am not sure nor do I want to know about the previous years of the DJ as the brakes are worse.. hate to know what type of pain you all have faced. That being said, I've now at 2k on the odo and the brakes I find just do not grab at all. They suffer from heatsoak, and shutter already. Don't get me wrong, I know how to drive and work on cars. Now, I traded my BMW for this as it was a super deal and couldn't pass up. (and I know, I'm comparing apples to watermellons) but hell.. these brakes suck. My wifes '11 Ford Edge LTD stops on a dime (which I am shocked). I do like most of the vehicle however this is a real sore spot for me. I like to be able to stop when I want too and not have to gear down and brake.. This isn't a sports car. I am also not sure why Dodge stuck with DOT 3 fluid either. As I begin to tinker with the vehicle, I will be swapping out this stock set up and sourcing out a better caliper / BBK setup with a higher temp fluid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChopRod Posted May 2, 2014 Report Share Posted May 2, 2014 sounds unusual. My 11 R/T has great stopping power even with the smaller sized rotors. beleive these have brake assist meaning it adds pedal pressure while stopping.Maybew yours isn't working? I know when I get done driving and half to hop in the Dodge van, there is a big differnce. Have to apply more pressure braking than the Journey. Hopefully I understood my owners manual when it comes to the brake assist. Been awhile since I went over it. I do know that if you rung it through the gears shifting around 5000 rpm's the vehicle scoots! Plus it has a nice snarl for a V6. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rolly Posted May 2, 2014 Report Share Posted May 2, 2014 I haven't had a problem with the brakes on our 2013 Journey and we've driven it 40,000 kilometres. Other than complaints about premature wear on the earlier versions I don't recall complaints about lack of stopping power. Thank you for telling us about this problem and I imagine that you will make sure you tell us of any great product that you choose to correct the problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGBOX Posted May 2, 2014 Report Share Posted May 2, 2014 (edited) Hi there. Just grabbed a '14 DJ R/T. I must admit now that I'm an owner of this vehicle I have to say the brakes on this vehicle are terrible. I am not sure nor do I want to know about the previous years of the DJ as the brakes are worse.. hate to know what type of pain you all have faced. That being said, I've now at 2k on the odo and the brakes I find just do not grab at all. They suffer from heatsoak, and shutter already. Don't get me wrong, I know how to drive and work on cars. Now, I traded my BMW for this as it was a super deal and couldn't pass up. (and I know, I'm comparing apples to watermellons) but hell.. these brakes suck. My wifes '11 Ford Edge LTD stops on a dime (which I am shocked). I do like most of the vehicle however this is a real sore spot for me. I like to be able to stop when I want too and not have to gear down and brake.. This isn't a sports car. I am also not sure why Dodge stuck with DOT 3 fluid either. As I begin to tinker with the vehicle, I will be swapping out this stock set up and sourcing out a better caliper / BBK setup with a higher temp fluid. The earlier Journeys had undersized brakes, but had a different (softer) compound brake pad. The older pads gripped better, giving the brakes pretty good stopping power. But the problem with the older brakes were rapid heat build up due to heat soak. The smaller the rotor size (mass), the quicker it absorbed the heat. The older pads were also VERY dusty and wore out quickly. When they changed the late 12's to bigger rotors & dual piston calipers, they also changed the pad material to ceramic. The ceramic compound typically doesn't grab as well, but it lasts longer and is a much lower dust producer. Perhaps Dodge thought the increase in brake size and the decrease in pad grip would offset each other and the braking feel between the 2 would be similar??? Anyway, if you want better grip, you could simply swap the pads for a different compound, like a semi metallic pad. It will grab better, but they won't last as long, will wear out your rotors faster, and will make your wheels dusty. Its only $60 for a set of pads, so pretty cheap to try it out. Just make sure to bed them properly for best performance. EDIT: I couldn't find much in the way of aftermarket pads for the 2014 models that are not ceramic. Raybestos make a hybrid pad - part number EHT1589H Edited May 2, 2014 by FROGBOX Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Journeyman425 Posted May 3, 2014 Report Share Posted May 3, 2014 Hi there. Just grabbed a '14 DJ R/T. I must admit now that I'm an owner of this vehicle I have to say the brakes on this vehicle are terrible. I am not sure nor do I want to know about the previous years of the DJ as the brakes are worse.. hate to know what type of pain you all have faced. That being said, I've now at 2k on the odo and the brakes I find just do not grab at all. They suffer from heatsoak, and shutter already. Don't get me wrong, I know how to drive and work on cars. Now, I traded my BMW for this as it was a super deal and couldn't pass up. (and I know, I'm comparing apples to watermellons) but hell.. these brakes suck. My wifes '11 Ford Edge LTD stops on a dime (which I am shocked). I do like most of the vehicle however this is a real sore spot for me. I like to be able to stop when I want too and not have to gear down and brake.. This isn't a sports car. I am also not sure why Dodge stuck with DOT 3 fluid either. As I begin to tinker with the vehicle, I will be swapping out this stock set up and sourcing out a better caliper / BBK setup with a higher temp fluid. I'm really surprised to hear this. I wrote about my observations with the brakes on my Journey earlier on this thread. 17,800 miles and still the brakes perform as new with zero vibration and excellent pedal feel. They haul this car down to zero with seemingly no effort. They inspire greater confidence than the brakes in my 300M, which perform well but feel somewhat vague and not as powerful. If you already have vibration issues at 2K, that can be corrected under warranty for you. Consider having that repaired first before spending the money to upgrade. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jugghead Posted May 5, 2014 Report Share Posted May 5, 2014 I'll give you an update now.. up to over 3k on the vehicle. The brakes seem better however I have definitely changed my braking habits as if I use the brakes alot (stop and go traffic from 60-0) I do notice heat soak. So I just flip over to manual and gear down to assist with the braking. Maybe I am used to german braking and how it stops on a dime but still monitoring it. If I find that it continues, I will definitely return to the stealership and have them look it over. I can look and fix, reseat, replace the brakes myself but why would I.. its under warranty and I shouldn't have too. I've also looked at possible new pads but as Frogbox mentioned, not much out there since so new.. Side note, as I know the brakes will wear on me.. has anyone ever attempted to swap brakes from one of the SRT models (Cherokee, etc.) to this? I am interested in possibly this as Dodge parts are quite interchangable with little mods and the clearance wont be an issue as I'm running 19s... Any thoughts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGBOX Posted May 5, 2014 Report Share Posted May 5, 2014 (edited) Grand Cherokee SRT brakes would be way cool. 6 piston calipers on 15" rotors up front and 4 piston calipers on 13.8" rotors in the rear. Now that would stop you in a hurry. BUT, I don't know if it would work off the shelf. The wheel bolt pattern is the same, so no need to change hubs. The rotors should fit. The spindles (knuckles) however, are very different between the 2 models. Unlike our vehicles with floating calipers, the SRT calipers bolt right to the spindles (no brackets required). Since the calipers have multiple pistons on both sides, they do not need to float, so can certainly be bolted in place of where the slider bracket would go. The question is, do the the bolt holes line up? If not, It's certainly possible to have some custom brackets machined. I compared the part numbers for the brackets between our Journeys and the Grand Cherokees and they do not match. that doesn't mean the bolt holes are different though. Even if it does fit, it will NOT be cheap. The calipers are around $300 each. OEM rotors are around $200 each. Total parts cost to do the upgrade on the front alone (if it fits) is over $1100. If machined brackets are required, add another couple hundred. Here is a breakdown of the part numbers for the front: Left Caliper - 68146611AA - $291 Right Caliper - 68146610AA - $300 Rotors - 05181513AB - $204 x 2 - $408 Pads - 68144427AA - $105 Shims - 68144779AA - $32 The rears are ever so slightly cheaper by about $10 as the rotors are a bit smaller. So around $2200 for a complete SRT Brembo brake upgrade. On the plus side, brake pad replacement would be super simple. Here is a picture to drool over: Edited May 5, 2014 by FROGBOX jugghead 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGBOX Posted May 5, 2014 Report Share Posted May 5, 2014 (edited) I did some searching. If anyone is serious about trying the Brembo brake upgrade, it can be done for half the price for all 4 corners with used calipers and aftermarket (powerstop) pads & rotors from the previous generation Grand Cherokee SRT-8. The Powerstop kit is K2867 and sells for around $400 + shipping A set of used calipers from a 2006 (fits 2006-2010) is around $650 on E-bay: Canada: http://www.ebay.com/itm/360923345717 US: http://www.ebay.com/itm/271471597911 I have no idea if it will work or not, just throwing out what i found. Edited May 6, 2014 by FROGBOX jugghead 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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