i was driving around in my jeep last friday and noticed a burning smell near the end of my drive.....when i stopped at a stoplight near my house there was billowing smoke from the front passenger side.

i drove it home and turned it off, then took a look. the smoke was coming from the axle, passenger side, right around the brake caliper area. I really have no experience in this area, but i thought maybe the brakes were rubbing. Then i noticed that further in from the brake, there was a bunch of a black substance on the axle, as if a leak had sprung somewhere. It did continue smoking for 10 minutes or so, then stopped. I noticed that there was some splattering of what i assume is that same substance on the inner wheel arch.

I am planning on replacing the front axle anyway, I just want to know what this might be and how bad it is...

 

1. If you saw smoke why keep driving???

2. Its possible you might not of had enough fluid in your front axle(driving down the higway once and seen a guys rear axle burst in flames due to this)

3. Does your rotor look more worn on the passenger side than driver side? Its possible your caliper may have been sticking.

4. Why would you keep driving if you saw smoke???

 

1. i was less than a quarter of a mile from home
2. possible....i got all the axle seals replaced when i bought it (less than 500 miles on new seals)
3. brakes were also replaced (rotors and pads) when i bought it
4. Didn't want it on the side of the road, and i knew i was getting a new axle anyway




honestly.....im just glad the smoke wasnt coming from the engine, like i originally feared.

 

1. But if it was on fire, that could have been bad
2. I would check the level just to be sure
3. what do the rotors look like?
4. Hopefully soon lol

 

Did the Jeep have a pull to one side while driving? The pads and rotors may have been new, but an old caliper can lock up easily. The resulting excessive brake friction heats up the rotor, hub, and axle seal to a point of smoking. Mine did this and all of the years of cruddy build up on the axle around the hub almost went up in flames. This amount of heat may have destroyed the hub and the axle seal causing the splatter.

 

black substance and smoke are we not looking at a leaking seal? fluid coming out getting hot and smoking? if your brake fluid is not low then check and see if axle seal is leaking....

 

The top ball joint will drip grease onto the caliper and rotor if not wiped clean after it's lubed. I suppect that's what happened. Your pads on that side are likely soaked with grease and will need replacing (both sides) along with a good cleaning of the rotors and surounding area.