New pads and rotors now clunking under braking.

[97jeepxj1]

They can be pretty "clicky" as far as who the deal with whether your a member or not so I don't deal with them much.

 

[97jeepxj1]

Got the knuckles welded up and ground smooth, all new upper and lower control arms and bushings including the axle side uppers, new pads/rotors, new calipers both sides, dropped the front drive shaft drove it around and the clunking while braking is still there. Tie rods, links, swaybars bushings are all still tight. Any other ideas?

 

[Green Mesa XJ]

Is it possible there something inside the axel clunking?

The only things left seem to be the hub and the axel. front brakes should be sorted. It's not a ABS system is it?


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[97jeepxj1]

I jacked it up and spun the tires on the front because I thought the same thing and heard nothing unusual. Mine is not abs. Also checked new u joints in the axles to see if I got a bad one, no play in them either. Wheel bearings also seem tight.

Short of finding someone crazy enough to hang from the bottom and watch/listen while I'm braking I am out of ideas...that was a joke btw

 

[four_shot]

My 97 clunks from the drums when braking. The shoes have worn grooves in the backing plate. I'd try looking into that.

 

[97jeepxj1]

Sorted it all out finally. Ended up trying a higher level pad and it's gone. Now I need to work on my other problem of have way to much brake travel and under powered brakes. Should probably make a new thread

 

[Ecomike]

From my experience the guide part of the old pads was probably worn by the gouged out knuckle spots eating at the pad slide area, and were doing the clunking after the knuckle was fixed. New pads had a tighter slide area. My pads were getting very bad in that area in 100-300 miles easy, from the gouges.

Sorted it all out finally. Ended up trying a higher level pad and it's gone. Now I need to work on my other problem of have way to much brake travel and under powered brakes. Should probably make a new thread

 

[tebbsjeep]

I run the Duralast Gold rotors and Duralast ceramic pads. I get a steady grinding noise whenever I really step on the brakes or when they heat up. I have new calipers, ball joints, and knuckles. I don't have any grooves in the rotor or chunking of the pads. The pads and rotors have been swapped out before, with the same results. I think with the harder, higher carbon content of the rotors combined with the ceramic pad material, this combo is just noisy.

 

[97jeepxj1]

I have the max semi metallic pads now with no noise at all. After bedding them in and rebleeding the system numerous times I finally have enough braking power to lock em up. Pedal still seems soft though but I'm starting to think that is just normal for an xj

 

[Green XJ Jeep]

Pedal still seems soft though but I'm starting to think that is just normal for an xj

Kind of.
In my opinion the single best thing a person can do to improve braking is rear disc brakes.

 

[RCP Phx]

While rear disc brakes are nice for simplicity, they do nothing(other than handling higher temps for longer) for the actual stopping power. If you want brakes with both, you have to try WJ!

 

[Green Mesa XJ]

I have the max semi metallic pads now with no noise at all. After bedding them in and rebleeding the system numerous times I finally have enough braking power to lock em up. Pedal still seems soft though but I'm starting to think that is just normal for an xj

Maybe. The 95 up XJ have dual diaphragm boosters for much better braking. Might check the rear are adjusted properly, makes a big difference.


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[Green XJ Jeep]

While rear disc brakes are nice for simplicity, they do nothing(other than handling higher temps for longer) for the actual stopping power. If you want brakes with both, you have to try WJ!

Then by your philosophy WJ's wont increase stopping power either.

I know that since the rear brake swap my 96 it stops way better and easier when its pulling my trailer than it ever did with drum rears.
Stopping distance in general loaded, pulling a trailer or empty is also greatly reduced.

 

[Ecomike]

I always thought my rear drums were as good as they could get,

WRONG.

Two weeks ago my adjuster fell out, came loose, rattled around in the drum after the second panic stop of the week, playing dodge car with the idiots here.

Careful reinspection determined that the the little half moon part that the wire cable wraps around and puts tension on the Adjuster clip thingy, were both too worn to keep the clip up against the adjuster and keep tension on the adjuster, and so the adjuster was free to close up

I replaced that half moon wire guide and wire assy, and drove around the block, stomped on brakes (which still have a mushy pedal) and for the first time in 15 years with five late model 1980s XJs, I locked the rear brakes almost instantly and left one hell of a tire tread mark on the street. They had never, ever done that before.

:roflmao:

My rear brakes finally work!!!!! :guitar:

I suspect that may be the real problem for most of us on the rear drums. I know every one complains the adjusters on these rigs just do not work. Well after 15 years I think I find the secret.

Maybe. The 95 up XJ have dual diaphragm boosters for much better braking. Might check the rear are adjusted properly, makes a big difference.


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[techno1154]

Then by your philosophy WJ's wont increase stopping power either.

I know that since the rear brake swap my 96 it stops way better and easier when its pulling my trailer than it ever did with drum rears.
Stopping distance in general loaded, pulling a trailer or empty is also greatly reduced.

I am happy you finally got your rear brakes to work. I am on my second XJ. Both had the (I think) 8 inch drums that are standard on the Chry 8 1/4 rear diff. I changed this XJ to rear disc from a ZJ and they are good. I my opinion, the only advantage the disc have over the drums are less maintenance and they tend to hold better when wet.

I always thought my rear drums were as good as they could get,

WRONG.

Two weeks ago my adjuster fell out, came loose, rattled around in the drum after the second panic stop of the week, playing dodge car with the idiots here.

Careful reinspection determined that the the little half moon part that the wire cable wraps around and puts tension on the Adjuster clip thingy, were both too worn to keep the clip up against the adjuster and keep tension on the adjuster, and so the adjuster was free to close up

for the first time in 15 years with five late model 1980s XJs, I locked the rear brakes almost instantly and left one hell of a tire tread mark on the street. [/B]They had never, ever done that before.

:roflmao:

My rear brakes finally work!!!!! :guitar:

I suspect that may be the real problem for most of us on the rear drums. I know every one complains the adjusters on these rigs just do not work. Well after 15 years I think I find the secret.

Both my XJ's locked up the drums before the front brakes in a panic stop which made them scary on wet road when the back is trying to pass the front going down the highway.

 

[Ecomike]

Should 10 or 11 inch drums.

 

[RCP Phx]

Then by your philosophy WJ's wont increase stopping power either.

Couldn't be farther from the truth! With the WJ's larger diameter and ventilated front rotors and dual piston calipers, the clamping force and heat dissipation is far above the XJ's.

 

[97jeepxj1]

I'm wondering if my prop valve is actually working at all. I was reading that if you have a pressure failure that it is supposed to shut down that line. I blew a hole in the hardline for the rear. the long one that runs along the frame rail. I know that it never shut off fluid to that line because it leaked like crazy. Both with the vehicle on and off whenever the pedal was touched. It was close to the end of line where it bolts into the flex hose for the rear actually so I was trying to make sure it wasn't the fitting. Also it rained last night and I found my self locking up the front wheels a few times fairly easily on the damp road. Still getting used to the new stopping power but I am not sure my rears were locking up at all. I know the fronts locked up because I lost all ability to steer. I also know if I adjust the rear much more they drag enough to actually smell them.

 

[Green XJ Jeep]

Couldn't be farther from the truth! With the WJ's larger diameter and ventilated front rotors and dual piston calipers, the clamping force and heat dissipation is far above the XJ's.

The same arguement can be made about rear disc brake conversions over stock drum brakes also. More volume, better clamping force, better heat dissipation, and so forth.
The only thing i would say is superior with drum brakes are the emergency brake

 

[97jeepxj1]

Its raining and I'm bored heres my jeep.