Well, another cry for help with this seemingly worthless Jeep I bought a few weeks ago. I got it running and put new brakes on it since the rotors were gouged out and the pads were gone. Also had a leaky wheel cylinder so i replaced that. But now it won't move unless you are in 4 wheel drive and press REALLY HARD on the gas. I thought it was a stuck caliper but i took the wheels off the front and both rotors move- but only about an inch before locking up. the wheels won't move at all. When it's in two wheel drive if you press hard on the gas, the back wheels burn out. When i lifted them up, they spun freely. Can someone tell me what on earth is wrong with this thing before i send it to the crusher? It's on strike two...

 

So with all the weight off the front end, you can only spin the wheels/rotors an inch before they lock up? Have you pulled the front diff cover? Possible your front ring and pinion are froze up for some reason (rust, broken pieces?).

 

Well, i found out i had left it in 4 wheel drive (not the problem) so i took it out and it moved with the wheel off. Then i put the wheel back on and it wouldn't move. So i backed the lugs out a few turns and it moved. Did the same on the other side, so i took it out on a drive. Drove a little better but definitely still some drag and now a clicking noise out of the front right tire. Feels like the hubs are locked for some reason. Also forgot to mention that when i was doing the brakes, the jacks came out from underneath and the jeep went forward into the dirt...

 

The problem is with the wheels.

 

The problem is incorrect rotors. There are 2 different rotors used on xjs. You have the wrong ones.

 

I thought that only applied to cast/composite on '99s.

 

So the jeep feel on all 4 rotors or just the back drums. You made sure nothings bent and damaged.

 

^Bingo!

 

 

There is also a split year in the early 90s where the hubs changed. And deeper rotors where used.

 

Wrong rotors or when it fell the rotors got bent. If with the lugs tight it'll rotate a little then stop they bent. If it doesn't rotate at all with the lugs tight then wrong offset. You could tighten the lugs with the wheels off (may need washers or something to take up the missing wheel's thickness) and see what's happening.

 

Sorry for the late response, and thanks for all the help. Turns out I had the wrong rotors. Swapped them out and it drove great. That is until I tried to bleed the brakes and found out the bleeders were stuck and stripped out. Ended up getting rid of it.