Hello,

While driving on highway today, I smell burning metal coming from the front. I pulled over into a parking lot and I traced the smell to left front wheel. Rotor looked a little scratched. A very high possibility that the driver side front brake components need replacement

So, on the safe side, I am going replace the both left and right calipers, rotors and brake pads. Is the job any difference from changing calipers from a regular sedan or Grand Cherokee? Any wheel bearings inside this rotor? (an online video seems to suggest so)

A detail parts list, torque specs. and suggestion will be extremely helpful to me.

Plan to get the parts from local part stores such as Napa, Carquest, Auto Zone, O'Reilly's, or Advanced.

Any advice and suggestion will be greatly appreciated. This is my daily work van. Can't afford to let it sit till Monday.

Thanks.

Kin

 

I got it done on driver's side. New bearings, rotor, caliper.

While bleeding the system BEFORE installing the new caliper, discover tiny bubbles came out. It might have been the cause of the stuck caliper.

My removal and installation steps are:

I would suggest taping a doggie training pad on a piece of cardboard to absorb brake fluid and brake cleaner. Cardboard make moving the pad easier.

1. Detach brake line bolt from caliper.
2. Remove old caliper and brake pad clips from the knuckle frame
3. Remove old rotor.
4. Use grease packers and grease gun to pack new inner and outer bearing with grease.
5. Deglaze new rotor with brake cleaner.
6. Install new bearings into rotor.
7. Put some bearing grease on axle.
8. Install rotor with bearing. Slide them assembly in carefully. Hold it with one hand because it might slide back out.
9. Smear bearing to fill the space between axle and and bearing. i used a grease gun.
10. Install bearing washer and lock nuts.
11. Clean rotor one more time with brake cleaner.
12. Loosen new caliper bleed valve, pour brake fluid into the brake line bolt hole until brake fluid came out from the bleed valve.
13. Install new clips onto the knuckle.
14.Install brake pads and smear anti squeak on to brake pad where caliper piston cintact the brake pad.
15. Dab brake lube between brake pad and clips to prevent them from sticking.
16. Bleed the new caliper.
17. Clean up excess grease and brake fluid from the assembly with brake cleaner

I haven't start the driver side yet. If I make any mistake on the above procedure. Please let me know.

I appreciate any feed back.

Thanks.

Kin

 

Were the pads worn, Kin?
The right front on my 88 jammed after slamming on the brakes while backing up to avoid a parking lot speeder. Once I got going forward, the steering wheel shook and soon after that asbestos smell. I nursed it home, 3 miles in town, and the right front disk was well-done toast.

I found a shim on the back side of one pad that had slipped out causing the piston to jam in the caliper after the pads had worn halfway. jim

 

Exact same situation happened to me. Brake pad was only half way worn but rotor had visible shallow lines all around. Metal shim fell off back of brake pad. Steering wheel shook. Had burnt rubber smell.

Still haven't figure out what actually went wrong. Van has 250K miles on it so I might as well replace all the brake components.

Forgot to change out the brake fluid hose. Need to go back and replace them. Hopefully it will not stick any more.

 

HELP!!!

Replaced both brake fluid hoses. Brake pedal sank very low after system was bled.

Anyone knows what caused it?
Do I need to adjust the rear brakes to get the pedal back up due to multiple pumping of the pedal to bleed the system?


Thanks.

Kin

 

Do bleed the rear brakes. Start in the RR, LR, RF, LF. If you have anti lock, you may have to research bleeding that.

Rear drum brakes will absorb water more easily than disc brakes, due to the design of the wheel cylinders. You may be surprised how bad the fluid looks when you first start bleeding them.

 

Bled and adjust rear brakes twice. Pedal comes back up half way but there is a lot of free play between the brake pedal and the booster rod. Took it for a test drive both front calipers lock up after driving a mile or so.

Is the master cylinder shot, brake booster shot or is there something else?