- Location
- Roanoke VA
I haven't contributed in a while so I thought I would do a DIY write up.
I have fixed about 10 XJ's like this over the years and the fix lasts a good long while.
As our XJ's get older the brakes tend to wear a groove on the knuckle where the brake pad guides rest on them.
*There will be a groove on the upper and lower pad guides*
See pic below;
What happens is the caliper can no longer retract as far as it should after the brake pedal is released. So your brakes drag, wear prematurely and chirp. You also will loose power and economy!
My repair is to fill in the grooves with weld and grind the weld back down to match the contour of the knuckle brake pad guides.
You will need a MIG welder, 4.5" grinder and flapper wheel, and a wire brush or wire wheel. You will need to remove the wheel, disc and caliper. Hang the caliper securely out of the way.
I start by cleaning the area to be welded with a wire wheel on my right angle die grinder. A wire brush will work as well.
*BEFORE WELDING*, You might want to disconnect the battery to protect the ECU(I don't, never had an issue), its up to you! Clean an area on the knuckle to attach the ground clamp to. Make sure you clamp to the knuckle! Not the frame, axle or whatever, keep the circuit close!
Now, fill in the grooves with weld! You can bugger snot the welds here if you want to, no need to lay down rows of nickles! Just fill in the grooves, your gonna grind the welds anyway.
Now, grind the welds! Start with the horizontal surface first. Don't grind too far, you will have to do it again!
Then grind the vertical surface, matching the contour of the knuckle.
Once the grinding is done, put it all back together and enjoy properly working brakes again!
Another note;
Faulty calipers and constricted flex lines(rubber brake lines) will also cause your calipers to drag. So if the problem still exists, check/replace those as well.
I have fixed about 10 XJ's like this over the years and the fix lasts a good long while.
As our XJ's get older the brakes tend to wear a groove on the knuckle where the brake pad guides rest on them.
*There will be a groove on the upper and lower pad guides*
See pic below;
What happens is the caliper can no longer retract as far as it should after the brake pedal is released. So your brakes drag, wear prematurely and chirp. You also will loose power and economy!
My repair is to fill in the grooves with weld and grind the weld back down to match the contour of the knuckle brake pad guides.
You will need a MIG welder, 4.5" grinder and flapper wheel, and a wire brush or wire wheel. You will need to remove the wheel, disc and caliper. Hang the caliper securely out of the way.
I start by cleaning the area to be welded with a wire wheel on my right angle die grinder. A wire brush will work as well.
*BEFORE WELDING*, You might want to disconnect the battery to protect the ECU(I don't, never had an issue), its up to you! Clean an area on the knuckle to attach the ground clamp to. Make sure you clamp to the knuckle! Not the frame, axle or whatever, keep the circuit close!
Now, fill in the grooves with weld! You can bugger snot the welds here if you want to, no need to lay down rows of nickles! Just fill in the grooves, your gonna grind the welds anyway.
Now, grind the welds! Start with the horizontal surface first. Don't grind too far, you will have to do it again!
Then grind the vertical surface, matching the contour of the knuckle.
Once the grinding is done, put it all back together and enjoy properly working brakes again!
Another note;
Faulty calipers and constricted flex lines(rubber brake lines) will also cause your calipers to drag. So if the problem still exists, check/replace those as well.
Last edited:
