Hawk Performance Brakes for the Jeep Grand Cherokee: Which Parts Fit

By Core Brake Parts Tech Team — Circleville, OH warehouse

For the Jeep Grand Cherokee, Hawk Performance parts are built around the SRT: the 2012-and-later SRT8 and SRT 6.4L with Brembo six-piston front calipers, plus the Trackhawk, which shares the rear Brembo pad but runs a larger front brake. The short version is Hawk Talon rotors for the SRT front axle, Hawk HPS 5.0 or HP+ pads for the Brembo calipers, and a trim-by-trim fitment check before you order, because the SRT and Trackhawk front brakes are not the same size.

This guide walks through what each high-performance Grand Cherokee has from the factory, which Hawk parts match it, and what to replace at the same time.

What Brakes the Grand Cherokee SRT and Trackhawk Have From the Factory

Everything Hawk makes for this vehicle has to fit around the factory Brembo hardware, so start there. Jeep's own published specifications give the numbers:

Two details in that table drive every parts decision. First, the SRT front rotor and the Trackhawk front rotor are different diameters, so a front rotor or front pad for one does not automatically fit the other. Second, the rear rotor diameter is the same 350 mm on both, which is why the same rear pad shape covers the SRT and the Trackhawk. The SRT's calipers are painted red from the factory and the Trackhawk's are yellow, which is a quick visual check if you are buying for a used vehicle and are not sure which brake package it has.

Both trucks are also rated to tow 7,200 pounds. That matters for pad choice: an SRT that pulls a trailer spends far more time with hot brakes than one that only commutes, and the pad compound should match how the vehicle is actually used.

Hawk Talon Rotors: What They Are and Which Ones Fit

Talon is Hawk's performance rotor line. According to Hawk, Talon rotors are built to OE specifications, weights and production processes and are engineered to bolt onto the factory brake system without modification. The slots are CNC-programmed and precision-milled to cut harmonic resonance, keep a clean pad surface and throw off debris, and the drilled versions are designed for heat dissipation and better wet braking. Hawk casts them from G3000 iron, applies its Magni coating for corrosion resistance and easy bed-in, and salt-spray tests them per ISO-9227 beyond the 240-hour requirement.

For the Grand Cherokee SRT front axle we carry two Hawk Talon options:

• Hawk Talon HTC4203 drilled and slotted front rotor set for the 2014 Grand Cherokee SRT - the cross-drilled and slotted design, a good fit for a street-driven SRT that sees rain and occasional hard stops.
• Hawk HTS4203 Talon slotted front rotor set for the 2012-2016 Grand Cherokee SRT - slotted only, no cross-drilling, the better choice if the truck tows or goes to the track, where sustained heat is the main concern.

Both are sold as front pairs, and both are for the SRT's 380 mm-class front brake, not the Trackhawk's 400 mm brake. If you are unsure which to pick, the rule of thumb is simple: drilled and slotted for street use and wet-weather bite, slotted only for heavy, repeated heat cycles.

Hawk Pads for the Brembo Calipers

Hawk lists two front compounds that fit the six-piston Brembo on the 2012-2020 Grand Cherokee SRT and SRT8 6.4L (Hawk part family HB649, 0.605 in thick):

• HPS 5.0 (HB649B.605) - Hawk's street performance compound. Hawk describes it as delivering aggressive torque and high deceleration with smooth, predictable control and good rotor and pad wear life. This is the pad most SRT owners should start with.
• HP+ (HB649N.605) - a crossover street and race compound. Hawk rates it fade resistant with smooth, predictable torque in the low to mid temperature range and positions it for autocross. Expect more dust and noise than a street pad; it makes sense if the truck sees track days or hard towing in the mountains.

At the rear, Hawk's HPS 5.0 pad HB194B.570 fits the four-piston rear Brembo across the SRT8 6.1L and 6.4L, the SRT 6.4L, the SRT Hellcat and the Trackhawk. That shared rear pad follows from the shared 350 mm rear rotor.

One note that applies to every Hawk pad: Hawk states its compounds are not compatible with carbon ceramic rotors and are designed for iron rotors only. The Grand Cherokee SRT and Trackhawk use iron friction surfaces from the factory, so this only matters if a previous owner has fitted an aftermarket carbon ceramic kit.

The Trackhawk front is the exception to the SRT pad list. Hawk's HB649 fitment names the SRT and SRT8 6.4L, not the Trackhawk, because the Trackhawk runs a larger 400 mm front rotor. Confirm the Trackhawk front pad part number by trim before ordering. You can browse our full brake pad selection by vehicle.

Other Performance Rotors for the Grand Cherokee We Carry

If you want a two-piece rotor, or you own a Trackhawk, the fitment list goes beyond Hawk:

• DBA 5000 Series T3 slotted two-piece front rotor with NAS nuts - a floating two-piece design listed for the Grand Cherokee 6.2L V8.
• EBC Racing SG two-piece floating front rotors for the 2018-2021 Trackhawk - built for the Trackhawk's 400 mm front brake.
• EBC Racing SG swept-groove rear rotor set for the Grand Cherokee SRT-8 - a rear match if you are upgrading all four corners.

A two-piece rotor separates the aluminum hat from the iron friction ring. That cuts rotating weight and lets the ring expand with heat without distorting the hat, which is why Jeep used a two-piece front rotor on the Trackhawk from the factory. For more options, see our brake rotor collection.

Symptoms That Say It Is Time

• Pulsation in the pedal or steering wheel under braking, especially from highway speed. On a heavy SUV with big rotors, this usually means uneven pad deposits or rotor thickness variation.
• Longer stops or a softer pedal after repeated hard use, such as a mountain descent while towing. That is heat fade, and it is the main reason owners move from a stock pad to a performance compound.
• Grinding or a metal-on-metal scrape. Stop driving it. A pad backing plate on the rotor will ruin the rotor quickly.
• A visible lip on the rotor edge, or cracks running out from drilled holes. Measure the rotor against the minimum thickness stamped on it; replace anything at or below that number, and replace any rotor with cracks that connect holes.
• A brake warning light or pad wear alert. Inspect the pads at that point rather than waiting.

What to Replace at the Same Time and How Hard the Job Is

Replace pads and rotors as axle sets, never one side. When fitting new rotors, fit new pads with them; old pads carry a transfer layer shaped to the old rotor. Inspect the pad retaining pins, clips and anti-rattle springs on the Brembo calipers, and replace anything bent or corroded. Check the flexible brake hoses for cracking. If the fluid is dark or past the service interval in the owner's manual, flush it with the fluid type printed on the reservoir cap; heat-soaked, water-contaminated fluid is a common cause of a soft pedal on hard-driven SRTs. Our brake hardware kits and brake hoses cover those extras.

Pad replacement on a fixed Brembo caliper is one of the easier brake jobs there is: the caliper stays bolted to the knuckle and the pads come out after removing the retaining pins. Rotor replacement means unbolting the caliper, supporting it so it does not hang on the hose, and removing the rotor. It is a manageable home job with a floor jack, jack stands and a torque wrench. Tighten caliper bolts and wheel lug nuts to the values in the factory service manual, then bed in the new pads and rotors with a series of moderate stops from speed before any hard use, following Hawk's bed-in instructions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do Hawk front pads for the Grand Cherokee SRT fit the Trackhawk?

No. Hawk's HB649 front pad fitment lists the SRT and SRT8 6.4L. The Trackhawk has a larger 400 mm front brake and needs its own front pad part number. The rear HPS 5.0 pad HB194B.570 does fit both.

Should I choose drilled and slotted or slotted-only Talon rotors?

Drilled and slotted suits a street-driven SRT and adds wet-weather bite. Slotted only is the better pick for towing or track use, where the rotor spends a long time at high temperature.

Is HPS 5.0 or HP+ the right pad for my SRT?

For daily driving and occasional spirited use, HPS 5.0. HP+ is a crossover street and race compound aimed at autocross and track work, and it trades some dust and noise for fade resistance.

Can I put Hawk pads on carbon ceramic rotors?

No. Hawk states its compounds are designed for iron rotors only.

Do Hawk Talon rotors require any modification to fit?

Hawk says Talon rotors are built to OE specifications and fit the factory brake system without modification. Match the rotor to your exact trim and model year.

Sources

1. Hawk Performance - Talon Rotors - Talon construction, G3000 iron, Magni coating, ISO-9227 salt-spray testing, drilled vs slotted designs, bolt-on fitment
2. Hawk Performance - HB649B.605 HPS 5.0 - front HPS 5.0 fitment for Grand Cherokee SRT/SRT8 6.4L, iron-rotor-only note
3. Hawk Performance - HB649N.605 HP+ - HP+ compound description and Grand Cherokee SRT fitment
4. Hawk Performance - HB194B.570 HPS 5.0 rear - rear pad fitment across SRT8, SRT, SRT Hellcat and Trackhawk
5. Stellantis Media - 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT - SRT rotor sizes, Brembo piston counts, 116 ft 60-0, 7,200 lb towing
6. Stellantis Media - 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk - Trackhawk 400 mm two-piece front rotors, 350 mm rear, yellow Brembo calipers, 114 ft 60-0, 7,200 lb towing