Need advice on front driver side brake problem

[DB04RedJeep]

I'm not sure how to proceed with this issue, so any help/advice would be greatly appreciated.

Last Friday we took the Jeep out for a ride and everything was fine until I had to make a left hand turn. When I pushed the clutch in to downshift the Jeep seemed like it was not coasting freely.

When I applied the brakes to stop it pulled real hard to the right, when I released the brakes I was able to straighten everything out. So I pulled to the side of the road and got out to check the the front wheels figuring a caliper had frozen up. Put my hand near the front driver side wheel and there was a lot of heat coming off the rim, not good. Passenger side I was able to touch the rim with no issue.

So I made a u-turn to head back home (about 10 miles) as I was making the turn to the left I heard a grinding binding sound. Not sure what it was? There was some brake pad smell not as much as it was when this happened a couple of years ago. We made it home, but it took some effort to get up some off the hills to get there. When I got home I grabbed my heat gun to check the temperatures. The right front was ~550 deg (F) on the rotors and caliper, left front was ~180 deg (F). Got it in the garage and let it sit until tonight when I had a chance to get the wheels off to start trying to figure out the problem.

This is what the rotor and pads looked like.

Another thing I noticed when I moved the hub slowly back and forth it feels like the bearing is rough.

I pulled the passenger side wheel to look at the rotors and pads and rotate the hub back and forth, but did not have time to take the caliber off to allow me to move the hub the same as the drivers side.

Passenger side rotors.

Both side were replaced 2 years ago and have a little over 2k miles on them.

So now the questions.
1. Do I have a frozen caliper? If so can it be rebuilt or just replace?
2. Is the rotor junk and need to be replaced?
3. Are the pads junk and need to be replaced?
4. Is the feeling I have slowly rotating the hub need to be looked at?
5. Do I even push the brake pedal down to see if the piston even moves?
6. Is it time to replace the brake lines? (21 years old)
7. Is the brake fluid contaminated and needs replacing?

I apologize for the novel on what has happened.

I really don't want to have to bring this to my mechanic because I feel I can do this myself and with the help and guidance of the forum.

I probably won't be able to respond until tomorrow night.

Thank you in advance.

 

[GATORB8]

Rhythmic grinding in a turn is a a sign of a bad wheel bearing. If it’s grinding when you rotate it by hand it’s toast.

If you can wait a day or two, check rockauto for pricing.

If you’ve gotten this far, you are certainly capable, but I have a feeling that axle nut is going to be a bitch. Hit it with PB Blaster while you wait for the part. I’d be ready with an impact and heat.

Sucks that the pads have so much meat, but I’d swap them while you are at it. You can price check a new rotor vs having Oreillys turn it (if yours still will).

If the caliper is stuck, you can rebuild, but it may not be worth the effort compared to new.

 

[macleanflood]

How old are your soft lines?

-Mac

 

[DB04RedJeep]

@GATORB8, Thank you for responding. I just came in from removing the passenger side caliper to see how the hub feels on that side. It does seem to rotate better than the other side. So I think I'm going to replace the hub. I sprayed some Kroil on the nut and bolts and will do it again tomorrow hoping removal will not be a pain in the ass, but will be prepared.

@macleanflood the Jeep is a 2004 so 21 years. I will be replacing those also because of the age. Mac I wish you were closer, you would have this all back together and working before I finish typing this.

What is bothering me is the passenger side rotor still has the crosshatch marks on it and the pads look brand new. I would think with a little over 2k miles the crosshatching would have started to go away.

So l'm wondering if that caliper is frozen also? Possibly from contamination in the fluid? Do I get (2) new calipers, (1) new rotor, (1) new set of pads and new lines and then flush the system per Blaine's instructions I see posted? I really don't want to shot the parts cannon at this.

I'm going to reach out to Blaine with some questions on how to proceed with this.

Thanks again for the support.

 

[macleanflood]

I guess I'd look at the color of the brake fluid.

I had a sticky passenger side caliper but a couple of mallet wacks would unjam it for a bit.

You've the right questions.

-Mac