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Brake rotors.

D

dirt nugget

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Western Maryland
Well I thought for sure this would be a simple enough swap. Ive built transmissions, painted cars, rebuilt complete steering and suspension systems..but brakes are an area I have yet to be educated in..with the help of my haynes manual it was going to be a walk in the park right? WRONG!

I pulled of the wheel. Removed the caliper mounting bolts slide the caliper back and hung it out of the way. Put on the new rotor and placed the caliper back and tightened the bolts down...well we tried to take it for a drive and the front wheels wont turn.

So I blow everything apart and look around...look back through the haynes and no obvious mistakes are noticed. This time as I tightened up the lugnuts I noticed I no longer could turn the tire by hand...Once again pulled the tire off and notice the rotor looked to be dragging on the dust sheild and possibly through it and into the steering knuckle.

Is their a tech article somewhere I can read that has more clear instructions than the tech manual? Is there a step I completely missed?
 
Should be a 20 min job for both sides. You sure you got the right rotors ?
Whats the specs on your XJ ?
 
I agree...something sounds fishy. Are they aftermarket rotors?
 
It sounds like you did not disconect the brake line? I had a chevy lock up like that once due to installing the banjo fitting backward (bizarre..took two days to figure it out). Normally you wouldnt even disconnect the line so thats not an issure.
Are both sides locked up?
 
you got the wrong rotors. the difference in height is making it not be able to turn.

there are cast rotors and composite rotors i know on the later models... not sure about the 96 though

cast have a height of 3 1/16" and the composite are 3 3/16"
 
Where is the height measured? Total height? Backspace? I guess i'll have to measure.

Anyone happen to have the NAPA parts numbers offhand? Can I identify the different rotors any other way than just the height difference?
 
I always bring in my old rotors. Especially knowing that there are like 4 different kinds of them at NAPA is one reason. They have standard and premium rotors for both cast and composite. Part of that has been hoping they can turn the old ones. But I have had no such luck, both times so far. Jeep seems to be notorious for poor front brakes.

FlatLander
 
The 96 does have an option for cast and composite. I just went through that. Hopefully that's the deal.
 
If you could turn the tire when it's not tightened down, you put the pads on wrong. The pads have wear bars on them and 1 pad's is longer than the other. The pad with the longer bar goes on the inside of the axle.
 
On a quick look it seems only 2000-2001 models used the composite rotors.
per napaonline.com, correct napa parts for 96.
UP 86142
TS 4886142
By the way they say these are 3-3/23. For 2001+ the choice is 3-1/16 or 3-3/16, so apparently three different sizes they have to stock..
 
I remember composite rotors as far back as 1991 IIRC. I worked (in the parts dept.) at a Jeep dealer at the time and the composite rotors had a recall or two. The composites were(are) bad about warping issues. Oh......back to the topic. The calipers could be stuck, if all else checks out. I know the pads can be put on the wrong sides too, I just don't know if that will make things hang; I have never done it (yet!).
 
Last edited:
Calata said:
If you could turn the tire when it's not tightened down, you put the pads on wrong. The pads have wear bars on them and 1 pad's is longer than the other. The pad with the longer bar goes on the inside of the axle.
Click to expand...

I'll check this as well. But I didnt remove the pads from the caliper, i pulled them off of the rotor as a unit.
 
Calata said:
If you could turn the tire when it's not tightened down, you put the pads on wrong. The pads have wear bars on them and 1 pad's is longer than the other. The pad with the longer bar goes on the inside of the axle.
Click to expand...

Not to hi-jack the thread the front pads on my '89 Laredo have the longer pads on the outside! Can anyone confirm which side the pads belong?

Back on topic...seems like wrong rotors.
 
Did you push the piston back into the caliper before installing the new (thicker) Pads??
 
okay new rotor still thicker than old rotor, take big c-clamp and push piston back into caliper, if you did not do this the pads will be closer to the new rotor and stick. PS why just the rotors? and not new pads at the same time??
 
As I stated the caliper slide over the rotor easily with clearance. My assumption is that the only reason for pressing the piston in is to gain clearance for the new "thicker" unworn rotors. 1st try i didnt push the piston in as the rotors fit without pressing it in. After the initial test drive/ lack of; i then pressed the piston in farther and gained visual clearance between the pads and rotor.

Both times the rotor would spin between the calipers until I put the wheel on and tightened the lugs.

As per the replies in the thread im guessing that i have the improper rotor. Without seeing the other rotor my guess is the new correct rotor will have a more shallow hat, which will keep the rotor from bottoming out against the dust sheild/steering knuckle.
 
RNMedic said:
. PS why just the rotors? and not new pads at the same time??
Click to expand...

Pads seemed to have plenty of material left. Hell the rotors didnt look too old, but they were out of spec and with the discount from NAPA the rotors were the same cost as having the old ones turned.
 
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