How Do I Know If My Jeep Grand Cherokee Has Heavy-Duty Brakes?

When ordering new brakes, you would typically be asked what type of brake was installed by the manufacturer.

Also, when ordering an aftermarket tow package, you would likely be asked the same thing. The real challenge, however, is identifying a factory-installed brake.

This article shows you can identify heavy-duty brakes in the Jeep Grand Cherokee.

You can tell if your Jeep Grand Cherokee uses heavy-duty brakes by checking for the brake code. This code is located in the glove compartment or on the backplate of the brake pads. Typically it is written as BRF or BRG, which means standard-duty brakes or heavy-duty, respectively. Read further to understand what these mean for your vehicle.

What Is a Heavy-Duty Brake?

Heavy-duty brakes are vehicle brakes designed for larger vehicles with more loads. They help generate more friction that brings the vehicle to a halt even in more tasking situations.

In addition, since such forceful braking would cause more strain on the car, heavy-duty brakes are more damage-resistant. 

It is also essential to understand the difference between heavy-duty brakes and another closely related term- standard-duty brakes.

Standard-duty brakes are common on most vehicles but are limited to less stressful driving situations and less load. 

On the other hand, heavy-duty brakes are modified for vehicles that tow more weight to give them more friction when stopping the car.

For instance, on tow vehicles like the Jeep Grand Cherokee, trucks, and trailers.

You cannot overemphasize the benefits of heavy-duty brakes for such multifunctional vehicles.

However, as more demand is placed on the vehicle’s brakes because they convey more weight, they also require special attention. 

Heavy-duty brakes last longer than standard brakes, so you don’t have to change your brake pads or any components every other day.

Thus, they are better economically because they last longer.

In addition, a common problem that you could face from your truck’s braking system is the problem of brake fade due to overheating.

This occurrence is not unusual because friction produces lots of heat. The heat causes more wear and tear and damages the rotors in the long run. 

However, heavy-duty brakes are designed to reduce heat transfer by adding an insulating layer, that is, Ceramic brake pads.

So as they work harder, they are insulated to work cooler and ultimately last longer.

Of course, you’ll also agree with me that there’s a lot more to the braking system of a truck than just stepping on the brake pedal.

A car’s braking system consists of several components that transmit the driver’s actions into what stops the vehicle. These include the brake pads, brake pedals, rotors, calipers, etc.

Of all these components, brake pads are arguably the most important because they are the ones that make contact with the vehicle’s rotors.

As a result, the pressure applied to the wheel generates friction that slows the car. Ceramic brake pads eliminate frictional heat in heavy-duty vehicles.

Although quite expensive, they dissipate heat well and wear well over time.

Furthermore, high-performance brake pads such as the DFC heavy-duty brake pads are the choice pads for heavy-duty vehicles.

They have proven to deliver the best performance in the most strenuous conditions. You can purchase a DFC brake pad here.

How Do Heavy-Duty Brakes Work?    

Like its counterpart, the standard-duty brake, heavy-duty brakes use any of the two main braking systems in an automobile. These are the disc brakes and the drum brakes.

For example, the Grand Jeep Cherokee uses disc brakes on its front wheels and drum brakes on its rear wheels.

The disc brakes consist of a caliper, two brake pads, and a disc-shaped rotor. The rotor spins along with the wheels while the caliper remains fixed when the vehicle is in motion.

However, when the brake pedal is applied, the brake pads press against the rotors and produce friction that brings the vehicle to a halt. 

However, drum brakes were the first types of brakes used but are now limited to the rear wheels of most vehicles.

That is because they fail to dissipate heat efficiently like disc brakes. Aside from this, they are still relatively affordable and reliable. 

Drum brakes also work in a slightly different manner from disc brakes. This system comprises brake shoes, a wheel cylinder, and a brake drum.

When the brake pedals are depressed, the brake shoes push into the brake drums, creating friction that slows the vehicle.

Difference Between Standard and Heavy-Duty Brakes

The Jeep Grand Cherokee is factory fitted with either the heavy-duty or the standard-duty brakes.

The main difference between them is the size of components like the calipers and the rotors. Therefore, BRG refers to standard brakes, while BRF is heavy-duty brakes.

As expected, the heavy-duty brakes are more expensive.

To help you determine if you would want to spend the extra buck, I’ll be comparing the difference between both types of brakes based on specific areas of performance. 

#1. Brake Pads

The major difference between the brake pads of both is the insulating layer of the friction surface. The friction surface is the surface in contact with the rotor face causing it to stop.

Heavy-duty brake pads are made of more heat-resistant materials like ceramic brake pads. 

#2. Rotors

Heavy-duty rotors are more thermo-resistant to overheating; consequently, brake fades. They are also coated with an anti-rust layer to prevent rusting due to wear and tear in the long run.

#3. Performance

Although standard duty brakes come designed to meet the basic manufacturers’ requirements, they have limitations.

Nevertheless, heavy-duty brakes outperform their counterparts with consistent results even in tough situations like repetitive braking or higher temperatures.

Hence the braking experience is said to be smoother. 

#4. Wear-and-Tear

Heavy-duty vehicles use premium materials with higher service life and lower wear. For example, with heavy-duty brakes, the risk of brake failure due to wear and tear is significantly reduced.

The same goes for your frequent visits to the mechanic for brake pad replacement.

#5. Brake Squeal

Brake squeal is very common on standard duty vehicles, especially when worn out or affected by temperature changes.

But, heavy-duty brakes are almost sound-free even when worn out.

How Do I Know What Kind Of Brakes I Have?            

The easiest way to identify your brake type is by checking for the brake code. The BRG code means standard duty brakes, while the BRF  codes indicate heavy-duty brakes.

Another method is finding out if your Grand Jeep Cherokee has a factory-installed tow package.

The Grand Cherokee factory fitted tow package comes with heavy-duty brakes as one of the modifications.

Furthermore, you can tell if your vehicle has disc brakes on all four wheels or just the front wheels without jacking up the tires.

If you look through the top of the holes of the rims of one of the rear wheels, you should see either a brake drum or a rotor.

The rotor would be smooth, flat, and closely applied to the wheels. The drum looks round and mostly rusted.

Fortunately, both disc and drum brake systems can go thousands of miles without causing any trouble.

But it would be best if you kept an eye on your brakes and their feelings to ensure that it keeps running well.

Therefore, I will also advise that you examine and change your ceramic brake pads every 12,000 miles. 

Conclusion

A vehicle’s braking system is just as important as its acceleration components. Aside from keeping you safe by avoiding collisions, it also assists in making turns and car handling as a whole.

So ensure you pay attention to your  Grand Jeep Cherokee’s brakes to keep them working in good condition for long.

If your vehicle must remain high performance, you must optimize the brakes to be high performing.

Heavy-duty brakes are thus the best choice if you use your vehicle for towing and other multifunctional uses.