My 'new to me' 93 XJ has terrible brakes. For one, the pads and rotors were shot so I replaced them. Also flushed and bled the complete system and cleaned & adjusted rears. Problem is, still can't lock them up or even come close for that matter (and no, it does not have ABS). My 94 XJ which has ABS and 32" tires can easily outbrake this thing. I thought something was wrong so I paid a shop to check them out and they found nothing wrong. They re-bled them for kicks and still the brakes suck. Is this just the way it is with a 93 non ABS?
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Who can skid?
- Thread starter JKTXJ
- Start date
langer1
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Mineral City,Ohio
Good pads and shoes or the cheap AZ ones? Have they broke in yet?
dynamite44
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Northern Virginia
wow, strange.
maybe something vaccum related? something having to do with the power brake booster?
my 2000 locks up with 30s on it without too much effort.
did you put DOT3 fluid in it again or did you upgrade to DOT4? if you did the DOT4 swap, you might not have gotten all the old DOT3 fluid out of the system.
maybe something vaccum related? something having to do with the power brake booster?
my 2000 locks up with 30s on it without too much effort.
did you put DOT3 fluid in it again or did you upgrade to DOT4? if you did the DOT4 swap, you might not have gotten all the old DOT3 fluid out of the system.
They are good Bendix pads, not the cheapos.. They've been on for 2 weeks now, maybe 600 miles or so. Another issue I have is sometimes I get brake chatter when I am just coasting along... If I just tap the pedal it stops, almost as if it's just slightly dragging (and chattering), then stops by a slight application of the brakes. For days it won't do it at all, then will sporadically do it and then go away. Brake shop could not get it to do this and could find nothing wrong. What's up with the brakes??
dynamite44
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Northern Virginia
another thought: proportioning valve.
when its raining and my XJs been sitting, the brakes lock up for the first few times i try and stop. might just be water in the back drums, but a few people have told me it could be a proportioning valve.
if the valve is shot, you're not getting brake line pressure divided up the way it should be.
as far as that brake chatter goes, look through your front rim at the rotor. does it have any dark spots on it? if it does, those are heat spots from it dragging bigtime.
when its raining and my XJs been sitting, the brakes lock up for the first few times i try and stop. might just be water in the back drums, but a few people have told me it could be a proportioning valve.
if the valve is shot, you're not getting brake line pressure divided up the way it should be.
as far as that brake chatter goes, look through your front rim at the rotor. does it have any dark spots on it? if it does, those are heat spots from it dragging bigtime.
DOT 3 and 4 should be compatible- I put DOT 3 in but not sure what the previous owner used. I flushed it good though, went through 1 and a half big bottles. Plus, the bake shop flushed and filled it again today and nothing at all changed. As for power booster, wouldn't think this to be the problem because the pedal seems to go all the way through it's travel without providing the stopping power. Booster should just make the pedal easier to push (or am I completely off base with that?).dynamite44 said:
dynamite44
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Northern Virginia
the DOT4 brake fluid i sold when i worked at advance auto said to not mix with DOT3, thats why i mentioned that.
you're right about the booster, just throwing that one out as a maybe.
there should be a vaccum hose or 2 coming out of that brake booster. make sure they're accounted for and not cracked. maybe you're losing vaccum pressure.
the travel of the pedal could still be OK, but it wouldn't give you the same kind of pressure to the brakes. i don't know what else to suggest. good luck
you're right about the booster, just throwing that one out as a maybe.
there should be a vaccum hose or 2 coming out of that brake booster. make sure they're accounted for and not cracked. maybe you're losing vaccum pressure.
the travel of the pedal could still be OK, but it wouldn't give you the same kind of pressure to the brakes. i don't know what else to suggest. good luck
lunchbox643
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Dirty Jerzzz
Just wondering if you have looked at the calipers at all... Maybe the calipers are seized or just worn out, who knows?
corbinafly
"Mmmm. More please."
- Location
- lakewood,ca
The brakes just suck on the earlier models. I had a 93 wrangler which I believe had the single diaghram booster and I could never lock the brakes up on dry pavement no matter what. It was like that from the day I bought it new from the dealer.
I think they went to the dual diaghram booster in 95 or it could have been earlier. That made braking much nicer. Funny thing is I now have a 95 sport with the dual d booster and I still can't lock them up no matter what on 31s.
My cousin has an 03 TJ with 33x13.50 tires and he can lock them up with no problems at all. Go figure.
I think I'll try a new proportioning valve.
K
I think they went to the dual diaghram booster in 95 or it could have been earlier. That made braking much nicer. Funny thing is I now have a 95 sport with the dual d booster and I still can't lock them up no matter what on 31s.
My cousin has an 03 TJ with 33x13.50 tires and he can lock them up with no problems at all. Go figure.
I think I'll try a new proportioning valve.
K
