brake fluid...

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.

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

Click to expand...

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.