brake fluid...

3110 Views 17 Replies 11 Participants Last post by rebelBullDawg325, Jun 19, 2007

tiny terror

Discussion Starter · Jun 19, 2007

I've been having issues with my brakes, I assumed it was the bigger tires. But.... AD pestered me about checking the fluid.... fluid? fluid? there's fluid in there? Course there is idiot.

I set out to find the place to fill it... the book called it the master cylinder? Yes? It's low but the manual acted like it was weird for it to be low and I should have my brakes looked at....

What do y'all think?

(it's a automatic by the way)

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Joe Dirt

· #2 · Jun 19, 2007

I've got an automatic also. With bigger tires it eats brakepads fast. Your fluid might be low if your pads are worn out. You could also have a leak. Pull your tire off and see how much pad is left. Also look for leaks from the master cylinder and wheel cylinders. I hope this helps.

AzTJ

· #3 · Jun 19, 2007

Tiny, I thought you had a manual tranny?

Anywho - did ya find the master cyl? But like joe said, if the pads are worn pretty good, a lot of fluid will be down there in the calipers, and thats why it looks low. Check your pads, may be time for new breaks.

richp

· #4 · Jun 19, 2007

If the pads are worn replace the pads, don't fill the master till AFTER you put the pads in. When you recompress the caliper all that fluid goes back up to the master.
Jack up, remove wheel, put one lug nut back on, remove the two caliper bolts and lift caliper off. Take a 'C' clamp and use it to squeeze the piston back into the caliper. Unsnap the old pads and stick the new ones on. As for rotors, I never turn them, at $30 it's easier to just replace them at the same time. Don't let the caliper hang by the brake line, use a piece of coathanger or something if you need to hang it. The lug keeps the rotor from landing on your foot or a more sensitive area if you are sitting cross legged when you remove the caliper... when you do the rotor, put a nice thin coat of anti-seize on the hubs and wheel studs.

erickpl

· #5 · Jun 19, 2007

Pad wear will mean the caliper pistons will be extended further out. As a result, the fluid level will look 'low'. Change the pads and be sure to check the rear brakes as well. They take longer to wear, but check em for pad thickness.

If you have drums, be sure that they are in proper adjustment. When you do the front, check for grooves and wear on the rotors as well. Once the front disc pads are replaced (and possibly the rotors too) AND you've checked, replaced, and/or adjusted the rear, THEN top off the fluid with a FRESH bottle of brake fluid, not one that has been opened and sitting in your garage.

tiny terror

Discussion Starter · #6 · Jun 19, 2007

Thanks guys, think I'll let someone look at the brakes if I don't find a leak or something. I'm not to the point where I feel skilled enough to work on the one thing that keeps me shooting off a cliff

JCS05Rubi

· #7 · Jun 19, 2007

tiny terror said:
Thanks guys, think I'll let someone look at the brakes if I don't find a leak or something. I'm not to the point where I feel skilled enough to work on the one thing that keeps me shooting off a cliff

I felt the same way awhile back, tiny. In all seriousness, paying someone to just check/change brake pads and rotors, is the single most waste of money you can spend. I swear, on some cars changing the pads/rotors is easier than changing your oil.

Just as many bad things can happen from you doing your own lift, why are you so worried about your brakes? Are your brakes really going to help you when you get deathwobble from an incorrect lift install, and you go end over end without warning?

That may have gone a little far, but you get the idea. Many other things are just as important as brakes. Brakes just happen to be VERY easy to change yourself. Really. The only tools you need are your tire iron from the jeep, a 3/8 drive 1/2 socket, some anti squeak stuff (front counter at auto parts stores), and a C clamp. Take off your tire, unbolt the TWO bolts holding your caliper to your bracket, yank off the caliper, compress the pads back to the sides of the caliper with the C clamp, yank the pads out, put the new ones in, put the caliper back on, put in your TWO bolts, tighten them down (Dont try and tighten them to 3,000ftlbs either..) and put your wheel back on. Done.

Not complicated. Dont touch the bleeder, Dont let the caliper hang on the brake line, and make sure your fluid level is good when your are done. Adjusting your rear drums is even easier, just more time consuming. The only time it gets harder, is if you decide to change your rotors too. Then you will need to take out TWO MORE bolts per wheel, and a pair of needle nose pliars to remove the factory lock washer thing.

Stop being a wuss, hurry up!!

At the very least, yank off your wheel and just use a flashlight to see how much pad life ya got left.

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tiny terror

Discussion Starter · #8 · Jun 19, 2007

Did you just call me a wuss you wanker?

compshooter

· #9 · Jun 19, 2007

Yup, he called you a wuss! However, JCS is correct. Brakes are easy and don't pay Midas or someone to do them. It's easy (at least dor disc's). Drums are not hard, but more complicated. Your fronts (disc's) take more abuse since they brake harder (usually a 70/30 ratio or something, hence the proporting valve). Someone posted up excellent directions for the disc's, follow them and you'll do fine. If you run in to a problem, call me and if I cannot fix it over the phone, I'll shoot down there and help.

Now quit being a wuss and go check your brakes!

tiny terror

Discussion Starter · #10 · Jun 19, 2007

You're too kind, Comp. Wish I coulda got up there to fix my vibe problem... and now this.

I'm not a wuss, shut up all you all.

richp

· #11 · Jun 19, 2007

Auto parts store, set of pads, 2 steel rotors, some anti-seize and a couple of ketchup sized squeeze packs of anti-squeal, thats it for the supplies for the front.
If you decide to tackle the rear pickup shoes, drums, hardware kit and do one side at a time, use the undone side as a reference and don't take it apart till you have the one side done. Then go have your old drums turned at your leisure for the next time.

1BLKJP

· #12 · Jun 19, 2007

Okay I gotta ask before we tell her to go tearing her brakes apart.

TT, when you did your lift did you actually disconnect any brake lines at all and have to bleed them?

tiny terror

Discussion Starter · #13 · Jun 19, 2007

No, I didn't disconnect anything but I was careful not to stretch the lines or rest my foot on them or anything.

The master cylinder is at the fill me line and I was hoping I could just stick some fluid in there, but I suppose there's a bigger reason it's low. I couldn't fathom though that it would be the pads needing replacement since I don't have gobs of miles on them. Freaking big tires..... and I need bigger ones too.

1BLKJP

· #14 · Jun 19, 2007

Okay I just had to rule out that it was low because of bleeding them.

However I do not profess to be an expert on brakes at all. So this is where I will have to defer to the others.

4.0l sahara

· #15 · Jun 19, 2007

Since your jeep is a 05 you shouldn't need new rotors. Unless you ride your brakes and over heat them or are hard on the brakes. Your back brakes should be fine since the rear drums will wear slower. If any of the brake pads are worn it should be the front. I think you could do a front brake brake job. Disk brakes arn't that hard drums are harder. Check the front pads.:incog:

penguin_in_a_cj

· #16 · Jun 19, 2007

something else to look at is make sure you are not having booster issues.. (big round thing your master cylinder is bolted to) pull the vacuum line off (should be on the left side of you master cylinder.. it should be dry as a bone in there if you have any fluid in the hose or in the booster itself u have a masive issue

rebelBullDawg325

· #17 · Jun 19, 2007

i also say check the front pads. generally (but not always) if you're having booster issues, you will know because you justabout have to stand up on the brake pedal to get it to stop. and it wont stop easy at that

rebelBullDawg325

· #18 · Jun 19, 2007

another thought. have you been driving through the mountains lately and using your brakes alot going down the hills?

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