Chopd Top

I need some insight into this issue I just started having with my '01 Grand Cherokee Laredo 2 WD with a Dana 35 rear. I bought the thing new back in '01 and have put 100K miles on her without any major problems. I recently went in and had brakes put on it all the way around, rotors and pads. The guy that did the work informed me that the seals were bad and I should probably replace the bearings since they most likely were the cause of the seal failure. I went out into the shop and checked it out, a little differential fluid had seeped out but not enough to get on the E-brake pads or anything else. I figured since it had 100K miles on it, it wouldn't hurt to replace them. I agreed and he went ahead and did the work. To make a long story short, he replaced the wheel bearings and seals twice because differential fluid started running out both sides of the axle housing. After a 20 mile trip the driver side wheel got so hot you could have lit a match off the thing. After his last attempt to correct the problem, I was able to get about 500 miles out of it before the fluid and hot wheel syndrome started back up. The mechanic is a good, honest mechanic and he is at a lost as to what is going on with it. Short of taking this to the dealer and getting financially violated, are there some other alternatives or hidden issues with these rear ends that isn't common knowledge outside of the 4X4 community? Any and all help will be greatly appreciated!!

Chopd Top

Well, I had this at the dealership today and all three mechanics were scratching their heads over it. They couldn't find anything wrong with it either. The only suggestion was that it could be a sticky caliper, but only periodically. WEIRD! One thing they DID find unrelated to the topic was the motor mounts were going bad. I passed on having them put them in and stopped at the local parts store to get a set. HOLY S***!! $122.00 for the right and $109 for the left. The tranny mount was was $85!!! I was completely floored. I have NEVER seen a motor mount THAT expensive. Shoot, for that price, it had better buy me dinner and kiss me good night!! I did get a turn signal flasher....$52 later.... and got it installed. I never paid that much for a flasher before either. Enough whining, I'm going out to beat the Jeep up!!

BowtieGuy3

First off...is the rotor on that side discolored at all? And pics of the violating wheel/brake assembly would be helpful too.

Chopd Top

No, the rotor isn't discolored at all. Thats part of the confusion. I would think that if the caliper were sticking intermittently that it would be a blue-ish hue, but it's not. The fluid this time around isn't running but rather weeped a little bit, much like it looked before this whole thing started. I'd post some pics but the weather hasn't permitted it yet (I park it outside). I took it back out for some running around and logged in about 160 miles yesterday, everything was cool as a cucumber.

BowtieGuy3

I know the feeling with parking it outside... It's a balmy -5F with a -30F wind chill (12-21-2008, 9:30am CST)... I had all I could do to get my car started for work, and I think my 98 is dead in the water...