# jeep brakes



## de-nagorg (Feb 23, 2014)

Sometimes garbage gets in braking systems mechanical side, and causes individual wheels to lock up .

Have you done much off highway travel recently, I have seen a tiny pebble get wedged in them, or brush, or mud, even Ice can build up if you are in a snowy cold place.

Also sometimes a bit of water gets into the hydraulic side, which causes havoc.

It's best to have a qualified mechanic check this out, you don't want brake failure when you really need to stop.


ED


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## Bondo (Dec 8, 2007)

Ayuh,.... I donno 'bout diagonal brakes, but,....

Do ya drive the jeep Often,..??
If it's been sittin', I've seen 'em freeze up, til jarred harshly,....

Not a jeep, but big trucks, in winter, it sometimes takes a 20lb BFH, 'n 2' punch to convince 'em to let go, from just frost,....

Rust can do the same to jeeps, 'n such,....


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## ZTMAN (Feb 19, 2015)

Pop on over to the "Jeep Wrangler Forum." Those guys will help you out with your JK question just like the members here help with diy questions.


http://www.wranglerforum.com/


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## Guap0_ (Dec 2, 2017)

Look for a possible pinched line. Did the car hit bottom? Was any other work done on it? Was the car towed recently?


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## mark sr (Jun 13, 2017)

While my jeep doesn't always get driven daily it does get drove every week. I don't really go off roading although my gravel/slate driveway is better than 1/4 mile long and fairly steep.

It happened on my last trip to town with it. My oldest son should be back in town tonight and he's agreed to try and help me figure it out. I forgot to mention the jeep only has 67k on it, drove easy and maintained.


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## BayouRunner (Feb 5, 2016)

As a Jeep Wrangler owner they do have brake issues. Follow the advise above about going to the wrangler forum. You’ll see a lot of brake issues. I’ve had the same with mine only one wheel though. Wound up replacing the cylinder. 


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## Guap0_ (Dec 2, 2017)

I forgot to ask, do you use the parking brake? Jack up the car, put it in neutral & spin the wheels by hand.


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## mark sr (Jun 13, 2017)

I've already jacked it up, the left front is hard to turn and impossible if the wheel is removed. Both rear tires spin freely but the right rear emits a strong brake smell when you spin the wheel. I rarely use the parking brake.

If it wasn't 2 wheels having the problem I wouldn't think twice about replacing the caliper but with 2 having all but locked up it has me confused.


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## 47_47 (Sep 11, 2007)

Loosen the lf bleeder screw and let some fluid gravity out of the caliper. Tighten the bleeder. How does the wheel spin?


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## mark sr (Jun 13, 2017)

47_47 said:


> Loosen the lf bleeder screw and let some fluid gravity out of the caliper. Tighten the bleeder. How does the wheel spin?


 I tried that but it didn't make any difference .... but I only had it cracked for 30 seconds or so [only a little fluid came out] maybe that wasn't long enough.


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## Guap0_ (Dec 2, 2017)

If it's a front wheel drive vehicle, both wheels should be off the ground when you spin one of them. Follow the brake line from the master cylindar to the wheel. Look for kinks. There should also be some junction boxes in the line. I forgot the correct name. They can go bad too.

Editing Ding Ding. I just realized what the problem is. The rubber hoses can collapse internally. You can't see it from outside. I had that happen to me.


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## mark sr (Jun 13, 2017)

It's a 4 wheel drive, rear wheel drive jeep - not one of the preppy front wheel drive jeeps that aren't even worthy of the brand.

Shouldn't brake hoses last longer? I've had them collapse internally before but always on something a lot older.


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## Guap0_ (Dec 2, 2017)

Yes, the hoses should last longer but previous posts noted that Jeep has brake problems. Secondly, it's the cheapest way out. Try it on the left front wheel & see what happens. It doesn't make sense that 2 calipers went bad but 2 hoses could have easily gone bad.


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## Brainbucket (Mar 30, 2015)

When he broke the bleeder screw and let off pressure, he checked for brake hose pressure. It would have released the caliper. More than likely you have a froze up caliper. Jeeps have Phenolic Pistons in their caliper which is kind of a ceramic of some sorts. idk. Steel pistons is the way to go but sometime it's not offered. But the Phenolic do swell up in my opinion and stick. The rear would have to be disassembled to diagnose the burnt smell. The parking brake is inside the rotor. Could be a sticking caliper as well. Rule of thumb. Always replace calipers as a pair. Both front and /or both rear. Now you can replace just one but but a qualified auto tech would have to be there to make that call. Remember, it's easy to go. It's hard to stop.:vs_cool:


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## ron45 (Feb 25, 2014)

Check the front end really good for worn parts.

The front brakes heat up and cause the calipers to lock up. After cooling they will release.

On the back check the E brakes, I found mine just crumbled.

I would have a pro look at it, the death wobble is real and no joke.

Check out a few of these videos.
some will say it's from different things
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=jeep+death+wobble


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## mark sr (Jun 13, 2017)

No death wobble and the caliper doesn't release unless you pry it back .... and then it resticks once the brakes are applied, same hot or cold. The caliper seems to be fine though when it's off the jeep. Not knowing what else to do I went ahead and bought a new caliper. I intended to install it yesterday but one of my stepson's had a plumbing leak. Hopefully I'll get it installed this morning and see if it makes a difference. I hate to buy parts when I don't know for sure they need replacing!


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## de-nagorg (Feb 23, 2014)

If the caliper won't release enough for the wheel to turn, it very well could be binding due to either the little rubber seal being too rigid from age, or some crud has accumulated inside the caliper between the piston and housing.

I have also seen them bind up due to the rotor being too "true", and not pushing the piston back the required distance to release it.

So hopefully your educated guess that the caliper is failing and replacing it will make the vehicle drivable again.

Do you have to return the old caliper to collect a core charge?

Or can you take it apart to investigate if any crud is binding it up, or any pitting on the piston or caliper wall?



ED


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## mark sr (Jun 13, 2017)

It has a $45 core charge.
I've replaced many calipers over the yrs but never on something this new with low miles.


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## Brainbucket (Mar 30, 2015)

de-nagorg said:


> I have also seen them bind up due to the rotor being too "true", and not pushing the piston back the required distance to release it.ED


The rotor is not what causes the piston the retract. It needs to be true and straight. It's the square 'oring' if that's the name of it, inside the caliper. When the piston moves out, the square 'oring' tilts out. When brake pressure is released, the square 'oring' pulls back to normal position and pulls the piston back just a little bit enough to release the pads from the rotor. The boot that you can see is a dust boot to keep derbies from entering the caliper piston area. I use to rebuild a lot of calipers in my day but now you can't find a rebuild kit hardly anymore. Now you just replace the calipers.:vs_cool:


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## de-nagorg (Feb 23, 2014)

I too have rebuilt a few.

Back in "Brake School", they, stated that a rotor needed a bit of "wobble' to force the pads away from them.

This "wobble", can be as little as .005 inches, and still work.

But the expert stated that it needed some.

Maybe the standards have changed since I went to Tech school, but I doubt that the principles are very different.


ED


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## mark sr (Jun 13, 2017)

I installed the new caliper and it seems to have fixed it although I've not really test drove it [just applying the brake while on jack stand] I've got some errands to run but my wife is insisting I take her car - that often means her car needs gas.


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## Guap0_ (Dec 2, 2017)

LOL Ask her for 10 bucks.


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## mark sr (Jun 13, 2017)

Drove it down the road a few miles and everything seems ok. I'm still confused as to why the right rear got hot with had a strong brake odor and now it does not. I intend to keep an eye on it until I'm, convinced everything is ok.

While I pay at the sit down restaurants, she always pays if it's fast food. I'll not rock the boat!


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## de-nagorg (Feb 23, 2014)

The RR might have had a temporary mis in it's operation, sometimes a gravel gets hung in them, and shakes loose a few miles later, or it dislodges when you change directions, or you may never know why.



ED


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## BayouRunner (Feb 5, 2016)

Had one of my front rotors lock up once on my jeep. Thought it was a caliper. But when I looked at it there was something stuck in there. One of those stick on wheel weights had come off the wheel and wedged in by the brake. Fixed in ten minutes. I really like the jeep for the camp or riding around with the top off. But they are high maintenance compared to most vehicles. Put lockers in mine. That thing will go anywhere


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## BayouRunner (Feb 5, 2016)

Came in really handy during the flood










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## Guap0_ (Dec 2, 2017)

I always call the discs not rotors. Hence the name disc brakes not rotor brakes. A rotor is in a distributor.


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## BayouRunner (Feb 5, 2016)

Well my rotor didn't turn on the front wheel. But my distributor turned fine. Don't think my discs turn at all. But to each his own


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## mark sr (Jun 13, 2017)

> I really like the jeep for the camp or riding around with the top off. But they are high maintenance compared to most vehicles.


I agree! They are overpriced and not built all that well BUT they are one of the best stock 4 wheel drives you can buy. I have a steep driveway that winds up the north side of the hill and my jk with traction control has only got stuck once [on ice] 25 yrs ago I had a 69 bronco with posi that didn't always make it up my driveway.


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## Bob Sanders (Nov 10, 2013)

mark sr said:


> I agree! They are overpriced and not built all that well BUT they are one of the best stock 4 wheel drives you can buy. I have a steep driveway that winds up the north side of the hill and my jk with traction control has only got stuck once [on ice] 25 yrs ago I had a 69 bronco with posi that didn't always make it up my driveway.


Not over priced at all. You're just not considering all it can do. There is frankly no other vehicle like it on the road that can do what it can do.... and I'm not just talking the 4wd ability...

Top on/off
Front top on/off
hard top/soft top
doors on/off
full doors, half doors
Windshield up/down

There is simply no other mass produced civilian vehicle which has this kind of flexibility. Land rover doesn't even do all of this.


















I love my jeep and I would have even paid more for it!

As ZTMAN states, best place for jeep answers:
http://www.wranglerforum.com/


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## mark sr (Jun 13, 2017)

I bought my jeep because of what it can do but this is my 2nd jeep and they could be built a lot better! There is a plastic bushing on each end of the transfer case cable. I've replaced the one at the transfer case once and at the shift lever twice. Just $3 part but a pain to get to. There area lot of things that chrysler went cheap on that require replacing more so than other vehicles. Mine is also starting to burn oil even though it's not driven hard and receives regular oil changes. I've never had an engine that started using oil after 60k. Don't get me wrong, I like my jeep and expect I'll always have one - just wish they were built better!


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## Bob Sanders (Nov 10, 2013)

mark sr said:


> I bought my jeep because of what it can do but this is my 2nd jeep and they could be built a lot better! There is a plastic bushing on each end of the transfer case cable. I've replaced the one at the transfer case once and at the shift lever twice. Just $3 part but a pain to get to. There area lot of things that chrysler went cheap on that require replacing more so than other vehicles. Mine is also starting to burn oil even though it's not driven hard and receives regular oil changes. I've never had an engine that started using oil after 60k. Don't get me wrong, I like my jeep and expect I'll always have one - just wish they were built better!


yeah.. you have a 2010 which I believe has that crappy 3.8 motor. They got rid of that one.

That bushing is actually used on 2007 to 2011 dodge as well. If you keep breaking them then check to see if the pin on the shifter lever is bent forward or backward, or if the shifter cable is out of line with the pin. The cable is supposed to pull/push straight head on, and if it's pulling/pushing on an angle it puts undo pressure on the bushing. They tend to get a little bent when excessive force is used in getting the jeep in and out of 4low


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## mark sr (Jun 13, 2017)

I use 4 wheel low whenever there is snow on my driveway, too steep for 4 wheel high when it's slick. If/when the bushings break again I'll check for it for alignment.

My previous jeep was an xj with the 4.0 It was a sensor and relay nightmare. I don't think I ever went more than 6 months without having to replace one after it was 5-6 yrs old.

I'm convinced jeeps are the best stock 4x4, just wish they built them better. My jk has the 3.8 which they claimed was better than the previous 3.7


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## mark sr (Jun 13, 2017)

*Re: jeep brakes - not done yet*

No more than I've drove it I thought the brakes were good until this morning. I drove over to my BiL's apartment office to pay his rent but on the way back it seemed like the jeep was struggling to keep speed. Pulled into a parking lot and while the left front rim was nice and cool, steam was boiling off of the right rear brakes. Guess I'll go to town tomorrow and get another caliper and see if that fixes it.


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## Brainbucket (Mar 30, 2015)

de-nagorg said:


> I too have rebuilt a few.
> 
> Back in "Brake School", they, stated that a rotor needed a bit of "wobble' to force the pads away from them.
> 
> ...


I went to tech schools and others. Cool. But if that is true, how, when you turn a rotor (disc), can you get the wobble turned in it?
Not sayin your wrong. Just wanna learn.:wink2:


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## de-nagorg (Feb 23, 2014)

Unless they have greatly improved the brake lathe process, there will always be a little "play" in the process.

The rotor itself has a little "wobble", "play", "runout", what ever you want to call it, there is some in the casting, it is impossible to get a "perfect" turn.

You get it as close to true as possible without taking so much material that it fails the spec test.

As I said it may be as little as .005, but it is there, most mics are not calibrated to such small measurements.

Hope that this helps.


ED


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## Bob Sanders (Nov 10, 2013)

mark sr said:


> I use 4 wheel low whenever there is snow on my driveway, too steep for 4 wheel high when it's slick. If/when the bushings break again I'll check for it for alignment.
> 
> My previous jeep was an xj with the 4.0 It was a sensor and relay nightmare. I don't think I ever went more than 6 months without having to replace one after it was 5-6 yrs old.
> 
> I'm convinced jeeps are the best stock 4x4, just wish they built them better. My jk has the 3.8 which they claimed was better than the previous 3.7


You can have sensor/computer issues on anything these days. The guy across the street from me has a brand new Toyota which has probably been in the shop now more than on the road with a mysterious engine light that nobody can seem to diagnose.

I will say that if you're a single guy looking for a mate, then there is no better an ice breaker than a lifted jeep with mud tires on!

I'm a simple married guy with kids and the last vehicle I had was a mini van so I'm still not used to all the attention but wow... the women's heads that a lifted jeep turns is incredible! And in the Summer when I operate with the top and the doors off, I actually get a few coming and asking for a ride.


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## Bigplanz (Apr 10, 2009)

People still turn rotors? I just replace them. They cost about a nickel these days. Never heard before about the wobble requirement.


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