Dan Lacon

I took my 2011 Wrangler Sport to a local garage in April due to my check engine light being on. The issue with the check engine light was a evape valve leak. I got that replaced, but also was told I needed my upper and lower ball joints replaced on my front driver side. I have 170K on my jeep, and was a little weary about dropping 1,500 for replacements, but figured if I want to sell my jeep I might as well get it done now so I can maximize the value.

Fast forward 2 months. Ever since I got my car done in April, when I would drive I would hear a slight grinding noise. It was not bad at first, but after a few weeks, it became constant. I went to check to see if the brake shields might be rubbing, and that is when I noticed, that I did not even have a brake shield anymore on my front passenger side (not idea if it fell off, or if it was not put back on after the ball joint replacement). Also the front passenger side wheel was scorching hot, to the point where I would pour water and it would immediately evaporate. I took my jeep back to the same garage, and was told that I need all of my brakes replaced. When I took it to the shop in April my rear brakes were 4/32, and my front brakes were 10/32. After I took it to the shop, my rear driver sides were 0/32 metal on metal, and my front drivers side were 1/32. The passenger side brakes did not change over the 2 months. I asked if this is normal given that in 2 months my brakes went from being fine to requiring a complete repair.

My thought is that they messed something up when doing the ball joint replacement. The guy at the shop said that my caliper seized up on the front passenger side, and that it could have happened at any time, but was definitely not a result of the ball join replacement. I do not think it was from the ball joint replacement, as much as when they put everything back together (I also have an axle leak on the same side). Further, I got all my brakes/rotors replaced at a different garage less than a year ago in October. He went on to say that it was likely the other shop that did it, and that they did not properly grease them or put them back in correctly. I am not looking at 1,800 bucks to replace my brakes, 2 months after spending 1,500 (at which time the brakes were fine). Does this sound right that the shop that replaced my ball joints, did not have anything to do with the brake issues. The brakes on my passenger side were fine, and did not change from when I took it in 2 months ago. However the driver side brakes (the side where the front upper and lower ball joints were replaced) are completely shot 2 months after they were completely fine.

I unfortunatly need a car, and need to get the repairs, but can any share some insight as to what might have happened? Could replacing the ball joints cause the brakes/roters/calipers to become shot and require full replacements? Any help is greatly appreciated. The shot that I took it to has decent reviews, and the service guys are very nice, but I feel like something they did caused this issue, and now I need to spent another 1,800 to get replaced, on my jeep that has 170K miles on it. I have the inspection reports from both visits that show the huge contrast between the 2 months with my brakes. Any help is greatly appreciated. The shop I did take it to, is a regional chain, and if they are making me pay for a mistake that they made I want to take it to their corporate office.

BlueBaby

Ball joints did not likely cause your brake issue.
BUT
IMO you got raped and are going back for more..

Parts store ball joints are no more than $200 and the remaining $1300 was labor. Crazy.
You can do your own brakes for +- $100. Buy a wrench set, watch a few how-to videos and do those brakes yourself. Personally I would replace the shield too.

Dan Lacon

I am not going to have them do the brakes, but I was wondering if they may have done something that caused the brakes to wear so quickly. I dont think it is the ball joints themselves, but could they have accidentally did something while doing the ball joints that caused the issue.

resharp001

They charged you $1500 to replace BJ's on ONE side? Most likely with factory joints? Labor to replace BJs on BOTH sides should be $250-$400 at a shop, and factory BJs are super cheap with decent aftermarket BJs in the $200-$250 range.

They dust shield is attached via the bearing bolts, so that didn't just fall off....they didn't reinstall it. Regardless, that isn't the source of your issue at all. I removed both dust shields years ago.

All they did with the brakes in order to replace the ball joints is remove the brake caliper, remove the brake rotor, and then reinstall em again. I don't see how that could have caused the issue myself, but this does seem like odd timing. Unfortunately, there's no concrete way to assign blame to the shop, guessing 4WP. They suck in general.

Dan Lacon

The 1,500 was also for the evape pump replacement work that they did. They said that on the front passenger side (where they did the ball joint replacement), the reason for the brake issue was due to the caliper being stuck. My first thought is that it was because of how they put it back together after replacing the ball joints. However they denied this being the issue.

I am not at all mechanically gifted, or else I would attempt to do some of these repairs myself. It sucks, but I am trying to feel better by telling myself that I am doing my part to stimulate the local economy, but the timing is what makes no sense to me. I did not have any brake issues before, and then 2 months later they are all shot.

tjkamp

When my rear caliper stuck it ended up being an issue with a stretched, and collapsed, brake line. Maybe the line got pinched, or stretched? Idk.

resharp001

Also, the leaking axle seal could have been caused by them carelessly inserting the axle shaft back in when putting things back together, or there is a possibility I guess that the heat you noted from the "scorching hot" wheel assembly transferred back down the axle shaft and essentially fried the seal. That repair is going to suck cuz it's a complete break down of the axle to pull the carrier out to access the $15 seal.

TheDirtman

I would think you would have noticed a pull to the left when braking if your front right was seized up. If the caliper was not working then the other brakes would be doing all the work and would explain the wear. I would have someone inspect the brake line and maybe do a brake bleed to check for air in the line. I would not return the shop that did the ball joints. Pads and rotors run around $300 and a caliper should be around $60 for reference. Typically 2-3 hours to do a brake job and you might as well do a fluid flush if you have never done it. If you are due for a tire rotation do that too as the tires are going to be off. The seal is about a 4 hour job and like said is $15 for parts. Too bad you are not closer to Reno as I would do it.