Picked up a '99 cherokee recently and long story short replaced pads and rotors in the front on the driver's side. Don't worry, I have parts for the passenger side, but I can't get the wheel off so I was planning to take it to a tire shop down the road to help with that. But in the meantime....

Replaced pads and rotor and went to drive the Jeep and the driver's side front wheel is LOCKED. Figured the sliders locked up so I got new sliders and boots. Replaced them, still locked. So I replaced the caliper and the soft brake line, and the hard brake line (because the old one broke off from rust). Put everything back on and STILL locked! What?! So I jacked up that wheel, and tried turning by hand. I can get maybe 3/4 revolution in one direction, then it locks. I can then turn it back almost a whole revolution and then locked again. So there is a small area in which I can turn the wheel. So I took the wheel off and tried turning it by hand with the wheel off. That turns fine! No problems! So I put the wheel back on but kept the lug nuts SUPER loose. The wheel turns totally fine. If I tighten down the lugs enough, I get the wheel to lock.

I have absolutely NO idea why this would happen. Any ideas?!?

 

Wrong rotor.


You are most likely running the wrong rotor/hub combination. If you didn't touch your hubs then you have the wrong rotor. There are two different rotors (1999 is the split year) and one is taller than the other and if you run the wrong taller rotor then it will bind against the knuckle when you tighten the lug nuts. Your front tires will not turn when this happens. Just look down from the top of the rotor and you'll see the edge of it touching the knuckle.

 

How do you figure? I know that the XJs had two different sized rotors, but I remember measuring the old one and ordering a new one accordingly and they seemed to match up. But if it was the wrong size I assume it would have been pretty obvious, no?

 

Sorry just saw the rest of your post. Thanks man! That makes sense. I guess I am bad at measuring! But thanks for the info. I'll order a set of the other size. I guess this rotor is too tall, right?

 

I just googled it and copied a post....https://www.cherokeeforum.com/f2/new...nt-spin-98658/

 

Yup, this makes sense. Thanks guys! Looks like I ordered the 82mm rotors initially, so I just ordered a set of the 78mm ones. I assume this will resolve the issue.

Thanks!!