Brakes are smoking and feel stuck

mbloom said:
Reviving an old thread. Rotors, pads and front brake lines changed about a year ago. Yesterday, my 1999 TJ was pulling hard to the right and seemed as if I was driving with the brakes on. Got home and there was smoke coming from behind the right front wheel. I suspected a seized caliper. Took it to a shop (I haven't used before, but was recommended). Driving on the way to the shop it rode fine. When the mechanic looked at the brakes the next day, he said all was fine, calipers were smooth. He suspected the brake hoses. When I told him they were new, he said new is not good. It rode fine today.

Here is a video of them smoking...thoughts anyone?
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1SNFUmrdbfbZ3glIDKljL-ubxZbsMIeNV
Click to expand...

Sounds to me like you have a caliper that is (or at least was) frozen.
 
I had a caliper on my Dodge truck that seemed to check out fine when "cold", but would start to bind up if I had to brake a lot, as you might do in stop-and-go traffic. One time, I had to pull over and let the brakes cool for about an hour and a half before I could make it home. I replaced the calipers immediately after that. Point is, maybe that's what is happening with yours, as well. Just a thought...
 
mbloom said:
Reviving an old thread. Rotors, pads and front brake lines changed about a year ago. Yesterday, my 1999 TJ was pulling hard to the right and seemed as if I was driving with the brakes on. Got home and there was smoke coming from behind the right front wheel. I suspected a seized caliper. Took it to a shop (I haven't used before, but was recommended). Driving on the way to the shop it rode fine. When the mechanic looked at the brakes the next day, he said all was fine, calipers were smooth. He suspected the brake hoses. When I told him they were new, he said new is not good. It rode fine today.

Here is a video of them smoking...thoughts anyone?
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1SNFUmrdbfbZ3glIDKljL-ubxZbsMIeNV
Click to expand...
The all-to-common divots/grooves in the steering knuckle where the pad rides can mimic a seized caliper. you can replace calipers weekly and not solve that problem.
 
Xposure said:
When you guys are doing your own pads are you heavily lubricating the slider pin/bolts?
Click to expand...
I lightly lubricate em. The problem with any kind of grease/oil lubrication is that it attracts dirt and/or brake dust like a magnet. Still, I think the benefits outweigh that issue, so I do lube the pins/sliders, albeit somewhat conservatively.
 
mbloom said:
Reviving an old thread. Rotors, pads and front brake lines changed about a year ago. Yesterday, my 1999 TJ was pulling hard to the right and seemed as if I was driving with the brakes on. Got home and there was smoke coming from behind the right front wheel. I suspected a seized caliper. Took it to a shop (I haven't used before, but was recommended). Driving on the way to the shop it rode fine. When the mechanic looked at the brakes the next day, he said all was fine, calipers were smooth. He suspected the brake hoses. When I told him they were new, he said new is not good. It rode fine today.

Here is a video of them smoking...thoughts anyone?
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1SNFUmrdbfbZ3glIDKljL-ubxZbsMIeNV
Click to expand...


I had same issue a couple of months ago ...actually right front. It turned out that it was the caliper. I ended up doing front brakes both sides calipers ,rotors , and pads. It is easy to do your self. Lots of Youtube videos (TJ specific) to walk you thru the whole thing if you are not familiar with the process. Will also save you lots of $$$$ to do yourself.
 
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I had the same issue a few months ago it was the right-front caliper frozen up.
$23.00 @ O'Reilly's and a bottle of brake fluid. Took about 30 minutes.
Remember, you'll need to bleed the caliper when you finish, it will need to fill up with fluid the first few times you pump the brakes. Also remember to keep fluid in your master cylinder.
 
Squatch said:
I had a caliper on my Dodge truck that seemed to check out fine when "cold", but would start to bind up if I had to brake a lot, as you might do in stop-and-go traffic. One time, I had to pull over and let the brakes cool for about an hour and a half before I could make it home. I replaced the calipers immediately after that. Point is, maybe that's what is happening with yours, as well. Just a thought...
Click to expand...

Thanks, I always assumed a seized caliper was forever seized.
 
mbloom said:
Thanks, I always assumed a seized caliper was forever seized.
Click to expand...

Nope, not always. Sometimes they just get stuck, then get un-stuck by themselves. Either way, when that happens, it's time to get a new one!
 
JeepinJerry said:
I had the same issue a few months ago it was the right-front caliper frozen up.
$23.00 @ O'Reilly's and a bottle of brake fluid. Took about 30 minutes.
Remember, you'll need to bleed the caliper when you finish, it will need to fill up with fluid the first few times you pump the brakes. Also remember to keep fluid in your master cylinder.
Click to expand...

Did it free up when cool? I have been driving without issue all weekend.
 
I purchased a 1998 TJ last week with 61K miles, drove it 60 miles home. The friend who had given me ride to pick it up jumped in for a quick ride. We did not make it a mile until the front right side was almost locked up. Got it home and replaced calipers and lines. Seems to be a common item.
 
Thanks everyone. Have not seized since that day, but l'll assume it was a caliper. Curious if the location of the smoke in the video link I posted is consistent with a caliper. Also, I searched, but could not find a good detailed description of the steering knuckle divot... what causes it and how it mimics brakes seizing. Asking for future reference.

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk
 
So never got around to changing caliper and problem did not return. Today brake on the opposite side did the same and after cooling was fine. I will change the calipers and brake hoses were changed about a year ago, but possible they are clogging. The Jeep is a weekend ride so don't need high end calipers was thinking Advanced Auto re-manufactured, but open to suggestions for the calipers and lines.

Side note, the rust concerns me, but I'll need to man up. Changed the alternator and serpentine belt yesterday and spent more time on the bolts that hold in the air filter housing than the alternator :(
 
mbloom said:
So never got around to changing caliper and problem did not return. Today brake on the opposite side did the same and after cooling was fine. I will change the calipers and brake hoses were changed about a year ago, but possible they are clogging. The Jeep is a weekend ride so don't need high end calipers was thinking Advanced Auto re-manufactured, but open to suggestions for the calipers and lines.

Side note, the rust concerns me, but I'll need to man up. Changed the alternator and serpentine belt yesterday and spent more time on the bolts that hold in the air filter housing than the alternator :(
Click to expand...
If I may make a suggestion, check out Rock Auto. Huge selection, and prices usually can't be beat. I entered in your Jeep as a 4.0, not knowing what it was for sure. Have a gander at it. Their website it super easy to navigate, as well.

https://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog....0l+l6,1431777,brake+&+wheel+hub,caliper,1704
 
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