About the brakes

 

It was a tough time for us two years ago and coming out of Covid, we decided to let a professional mechanic work on the Jeep Patriot as most folks would point out we should do. 

So that then two years ago, we had a professional mechanic look over our Jeep Patriot to see where we stood on maintenance.  With a small list of things we provided, he looked into only a few items and about $3800 later, we drove off his lot with a rear bearing changed, two front control arms and new brake pads as well as re-cut rotors.  Then a few miles and noticed scraping brakes. 

That following weekend and not really having the time to do it, but I had no choice.  I inspected the brakes and found the guide pins were covered in a petroleum based gray grease and dirt.  Actually, the boots for the pins were filthy as well as lots of green-gray goo all over the glides.

I only corrected with the correct silicone type grease and installing each again per clean up.  I thought I caught it in time and the issue seemed mostly gone or every so often it might hang a little.

A month later, we were rejected for an inspection sticker due to suspension problems and brakes.

Now two years later and lots and lots of brown dust, the brake pads were worn down to 20% in less than 400 miles.  I always thought ceramic pads had little to no dust?  It didn't help that I found two brakes guide pins were in the wrong places...did I do that or was it the mechanic?  I should have look more carefully back then.  

This weekend was filled with repairs and servicing of things.  Working on the transmission fluid, I only had time to do the exchange method of transmission fluid work.  3 quarts at a time for the next month until it is mostly done.  Not ideal, but easier than fumbling to adapt the tranny-cooler line to do a full flush.  

While focusing on the brake pads, I found both front pads seized and the rear brakes were barely moving and took a hammer to remove from the carrier.  The glazing and rust on the brakes were heavy.

At about half hour each wheel well, I scraped and filed down to metal and seated new glides and grease. I opened each of the bleed valves while cranking the piston back to try and flush out sediment as well as pumped a lot of old brake fluid and gunk out of the lines. 

I had the brake paddle pumped each time I was done reassembling to confirm that the brake not only held, but released.  This confirmed that the pads didn't get stuck on the rotor.  Each brake seemed to work very well now.