I just replaced my front brakes and rotors on my 98 cherokee sport. After finishing I went to test them out and it takes a great deal of throttle in order to get the car to drive, like driving with the brakes on. The brakes are grinding and smoking more than I would expect. So I took everything off and put it back together again and bled the brake lines. Tried driving again with no improvement. Any suggestions of why the brakes would be doing this? Thanks.

 

Did you install new slides and lube them up?

 

Sounds like you may have the wrong rotors. See if they are rubbing on the knuckle.

 

also make sure that dust shield isn't bent... and that you used some brake cleaner to get that oil film off those new rotors before you put pads on them.

 

I did not mess with the slides during the brake job, they seemed to be workin alright. (those are in the caliper where the bolts go through right?). I was thinking that the rotors may be the wrong size as well, but they are not rubbing on the knuckle, could it just be too thick? Would putting new calipers on at this point help?

 

are your calipers hanging up? (not releasing like they should?)

I was for real about the brake cleaner too... oil will smoke... it'll also soak into your pads. And you should always grease the slides while you have everything apart.

 

do u compress the old calipers correctly without damaging them. if you replace the calipers with new ones u probably wont have an issue

 

I did compress them and from what I saw there was no damage. I may just replace them since they are cheap.

Would not cleaning the rotors well enough somehow make the pads stick that badly? I understand the smoke but not the brake pads compressing on the rotor.

 

sounds like your calipers are hanging up. I would replace the calipers and hoses.

 

Yeah it seems like the calipers are sticking, I was just surprised to see it on both sides at the same time... Ill prob just replace tonight and see.

 

my money is on incorrect rotors

 

I just wonder how auto zone would have the wrong rotors in their system. Seems like with this popular of a car, and has been around for that many years they would have caught that by now.

 

The answer to that question is in the question. You typed it as two words, but it's one word, begins with an A, ends with an E, and there's a Z in there somewhere. That and they never seem to realize there's a difference between cherokee's and grand cherokees. Did they run the same rotors?

 

Also anyone wondering on rotors, there are 2 styles dependant upon what hub assemblies you have, they changed styles in mid year 98 or 99 I forget what one, and I also don't remember if you can get it all back together with the wrong ones or not....

So it is possible.

 

x2. they always give me wrong parts for vehicles other than my jeep...i get the wrong parts more than i get the right ones