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brakes are grinding!!!

B

blazinjames

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Vancouver BC, Canada
so i came back from a road trip and my brakes are grinding now..im guessing my pads need replacing?

is it difficult to change them or fairly simple..i have watched brake pads changed on my old jimmy looked pretty easy

i have a 89 xj 4x4

thanks

james
 
really easy if you have any mechanical ability whatsoever. pretty much the same on all cars. just need a couple basic hand tools (wrenches and a ratchet and sockets) and something to compress the calipers like a clamp or big channel locks or something.
 
If you have any trouble buy a chiltons or haynes manual for $20 or so at an auto store. All you need (at least for a 98) is a 13mm socket(maybe 1/2" its been a month), a ratchet, c-clamp, jack, 3/4" lug wrench to get wheel off, and possibly a chisel or rubber mallet to smack on the caliper to break it loose. It takes me maybe 15-20 minutes a side with no air unless something gets stuck.
 
You live with road salt up there, right?

If you need the truck as a daily driver, start the project early on a day when an auto-parts store is open. Have a friend you can call to chase parts if something breaks(by something, I mean the 13 MM bolts that hold the calipers on - don't ask me why I know) All the tools you need should be metric. Buy that Haynes/Chilton manual when you buy the brake pads. It has some handy basic info if you've never done this before. Also buy a can of liquid wrench and hose all the bolts down good the day before you start the project.

Not much is more frustrating then breaking a bolt, AFTER the parts stores close.

It is a simple job, and can easly be done in a driveway/garage in a couple hours 1st time around if nothing breaks.

'Nother hint: When you compress the caliper cylinders, check your brake master cylinder fluid level. it is going to go up, and may overflow and make a mess if you don't catch it.
 
You need a brake change wrench,... im the only guy that sells em...
They run $250.00 + shipping
:)










Just kidding. Two bolts hold the caliper on....dont hang the caliper from the brake lines,...use a coat hanger or something to support it.Take the old ones out,...put the new ones in...going to need a c clamp to compress the pistons.....
 
x2 on watching the fluid level
Im up in mass as never had a problem with braking any bolts, well not brakewise yet. I either put the calipers on the control arms (nice balancing act) or on a box that'll fit under there.
 
Wallyman said:
MUUUHAHAHAHAH MUUUUUHAHAHAHAH!!!!!!!!!

thats the story of my life.....My rubber mallet is the best investment i ever made....ever....i mean like....ever. Especially during lift installs.
Click to expand...
Hope that wasnt sarcastic, that things a savior. What I did for the last time was use a narrow pry bar and put it in the "rectangular holes". Dont know how to describe it, but its a bit easier than the whole rubber mallet and pulling hard. Perhaps I should invest in your brake changing tool. :cheers:
 
BBeach: I'm 1 for 4: 2000 XJ spent most of it's life in centeral Ohio.

Blazinjames: While your under there, you might want to pop the drums off the rears and look at the shoes while everything is taken apart. This gives you an excuse to rotate the tires too!
 
no no it wasnt sarcastic.. you should see the thing.. its covered in battle scars.
Everyone should buy one..

I was laughing about the "unless its stuck",....which..happens every time you think itll be a quick operation... some bolt, some fitting, some thing gets stuck,...or breaks off,...or...causes another housr of work... grr....
 
Wallyman said:
no no it wasnt sarcastic.. you should see the thing.. its covered in battle scars.
Everyone should buy one..

I was laughing about the "unless its stuck",....which..happens every time you think itll be a quick operation... some bolt, some fitting, some thing gets stuck,...or breaks off,...or...causes another housr of work... grr....
Click to expand...
Sounds like my NSS, passenger hub and damn exhaust...went from an hour quick fix to an overnight fiasco. :confused1 Not that I used a rubber mallet with those, although I wish I could take a gun to my shattered NSS. Just give yourself plenty of time and you should be all set.
 
an 89 will have the allen head bolts for the caliper slides. You need a 7mm 3/8 drive socket.

If that doesn't work, pull back the boot, grind some flat spots on the head and use vise grips, but then you should get new ones, about $5 at the parts store.
 
Compress the caliper pistons slowly. I had an issue where my driver's side piston got stuck ever-so-slightly at a bit of an angle.....so I had to pop it back out and insert it back in the caliper.

Had to get the lines bled after that....
 
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