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I was riding with the windows down today because it's beautiful outside and I hear a grinding sound that sounds like metal against metal. I jacked up the front end and the wheels are kinda difficult to turn by hand. I went ahead and removed the front wheels to find that both pads seem to be sitting on the rotors. How do I fix this?

Link if you want to hear the noise:

PatHenry

The pad will touch the rotor as they sit. That's normal.

It appears that the passenger side is tighter than the driver's side. It's possible that the caliper is sticking, or (based on how rusty the knuckles look) that the pad is getting caught up in the extremely common grooves that form. Your rotors look pretty nasty though, indicating you haven't driven the Jeep in while. The surface rust comes off after a few applications of the brake pedal while driving.

Calipers are super inexpensive, chinese rotors are pretty inexpensive as well. I'd consider just replacing the calipers, pads and rotors with a decent brand caliper, good quality set of pads and whatever rotors are cheapest. When I replaced my knuckles due to a looseness in the tie rod tapered hole and substantial grooves I just did all that and put speed bleeders on the new calipers. I had a slight sticking on one of the calipers as well, so it seemed like a good time to just do everything.

BimmerJeeper

Don't use cheap rotors. Raybestos are good.
XJ is figuring out how to jack it up.
You've done half the work. Just replace rotors and pads while it's jacked up.

1976gmc20

You just might want to spin the rotors by hand AFTER you take off the calipers just to see if the bearings are okay ...

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The video was taken a while back when I first heard the noise, but I forgot about it. I heard the noise when I was riding along and then I remembered taking the video. I should have clarified that earlier, sorry.

There are some sets I can get from RockAuto. I don't enjoy buying individual parts because I tend to forget something or order the wrong one, and then the whole project comes to a halt until the correct part comes a week later. They have a Power Stop kit for $125 and that appeals to a broke person like me. Should I consider this purchase or pursue something of a higher quality?

My brake pedal is quite squishy and I'm considering buying a kit to replace parts and see if it helps it any.

Dave51

Is the backing plate scraping the rotor?

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1976gmc20, I can confirm the bearings are OK. Just did what you said.

Dave, it is not.

I am thinking about replacing the master cylinder and/or the front calipers. My brakes are spongy and I want the problem gone. It is not 1, 2, 3 on this list, so only 4 and 5 are left. https://blog.firestonecompleteautoca...spongy-brakes/

I should also add that the Jeep does NOT have ABS.

Dave51

11 times out of 10 that means air in the line, so IMO you should to do a really good bleed again. Like about a quarter cup per cylinder.

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I don't know about that Dave. I've bled them once about a year ago, and then a few months after that, I bled them again because I was working on my drum brakes. I've gone through quite a few bottles. The first time there wasn't any improvement, but there was a second time mainly because the rear drum brakes were shot. I can do it again, but it would feel pointless because nothing would change. I bled them using the two-person method, never let the reservoir run dry, and bled them in the right sequence.

I'm just nervous someday I'm going to have to hit the brakes because a kid is going to run out on the street, but I won't be able to stop in time...

Dave51

When you're stopped and press hard on the brake does it slowly go to the floor?

fb97xj1

That sound you hear is the rust built up. Remove everything and clean that rust off. That may be all you need. Grease the pins, calipers where the pads sit, and check the knuckles where the pads sit. I use Sylglide. If the knuckles are grooved where the pads slide, they will need welded and ground flat again. If that doesnt do it, the calipers may be sticking, and/or the hoses are coming apart on the inside, keeping the caliper piston from retracting fully. I see #2 on that blog mentions rusty lines, but nothing about the rubber hoses. They can look good on the outside, but coming apart on the inside. Also, the master cylinder can corrode on the inside with age. Even if the bore is anodized. Brake fluid is corrosive. The bore pits and the seals can tear if they are pushed too far past the corrosion. Specks of dirt or rust in the master cylinder can do the same. This is easy to do when bleeding the brakes as well, and did just that the last time i bled the brakes in the Mustang. I pushed the pedal ALL the way to the floor, more than usual. Long story short, i ruined the seals in the master cylinder. I had to grab the parking brake to slow me down.

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I'll have to test that out tomorrow, I'll let you know then. There have been times when I've hit the brake to slow down and nothing happens. So I push a little further and... nothing. By the time the pedal is on the floor, I'm finally starting to slow down. This has happened maybe twice when I was going about 50 and needed to slow down to make a turn onto another road. It might just be in my head, but it scares me sometimes.

If it's metal, it's rusted. I put tie rods on around Christmas and there are splotches of surface rust already. If I were to scrub everything down, I might as well buy some new coated parts and replace the old ones.

Dave51

Skip test. Get new master cylinder.

PatHenry

Agreed. And quickly. Your pedal should never be going all the way to the floor - that sounds unsafe to be driving, so I'd limit driving as much as possible until you have the brakes corrected.

awg

agree with above guys, if pedal sometimes goes to floor, or needs pumping, but usually works, that is a 99% sure sign of a leaking seal in the brake MC

I work on older cars quite a lot. imo, all brake rubber should be replaced after about ~20yrs, as it begins to degrade, and turn sloppy

all 3 rubber hoses on the Jeep should be replaced, unless it is known they are not original, and how long ago they were replaced.

one day soon, that seal will probably fail, and you will have absolutely no hydraulic brakes

I havent seen that Jeep MC can be overhauled, with a hone & kit??, presumably its cheaper just to buy a new one