My '08 Unlimited has been trouble free since I bought it new in Dec '07. The other day my wife got in it to drive us home on our commute and asked me about a terrible noise. My hearing is not real good and I hadn't noticed. The right rear had a grinding sound, yeah the inner pad eating up the rotor. It had also developed a light intermittent shimmy about 6 weeks ago but I hadn't found the problem yet. Anyway I ordered 4 rotors and front and rear pads. I started with the right rear. I've never seen a brake pad corroded so badly in all my years of vehicle repair. The pad metal was just about eaten away. The caliper and rotor were not affected ( other than the rotor scored up) I rebuilt this set and went to the left rear. Pads looked good, about 50 % wear, BUT the axle seal was leaking and the parking brake shoes were ruined. I reaasembled and went to the left front. No problems, replaced the pads and rotor. Then to the rt front. Removed the wheel and tried to turn the rotor. Very tight. Looked closely at the caliper, it had a light blue tint to it, definately had been sticking and heating up. Probably trying to grab a little when going down the road, causing my light shimmy. I reassembled this wheel and dropped it off the floor jack. I ordered 2 axle seals, park brake shoes, and a caliper. Maybe I can get it all done this coming weekend. I'm glad everything has shown up at once....

 

TORN and I just replaced my parking brake shoes last Friday. What a pain--hate drum brakes.

I replaced my rear pads (kept the rotors) about 10K miles back (at 75K now), and the fronts were still in excellent shape. I had no unusual corrosion problems, but Oklahoma doesn't spend too much on salting the roads, and obviously we don't have any nearby oceans/salt air. LOL.

Sounds like it's a good thing you gave your Jeep a whole going over. How many miles do you have?

 

My front driver side caliper seized up last week. New caliper and new pads on front. Glad some of us can relate

 

Guys my jeep has 56,000 miles. Another thing I neglected to add was where my rubber brake hoses have the foam overlay the metal has extremely accelerated rust eating down into the tubes at the crimps. I've ordered 4 new brake hoses, NOT OEM. Evidently the foam is retaining moisture up against the unanodized metal of the lines. Having been raised in north Texas and southern Oklahoma I can relate to what you are saying Mark, but our winters here are usually milder than what you folks have around the City. I think Mopar has totally dropped any anti-corrosion requirements for wear and tear items, knowing they won't warranty them anyway.... Anybody know if the 44 has ''c''s retaining the axles? I am gonna replace the rear seals too.

 

No "C" on the axle. You will need a press, and a split bearing remover.

 

Thanks ronjenx. I have a press at the shop. The old Fords I had as a kid required the bearings to be pressed off in order for the seals to be installed first on the shaft. If the bearing failed the wheel , drum and shaft would slide right out of the housing on a turn. Happened to me on a '66 Fairlane, 2 years old. Woke me right up, too.

 

Might as well replace the bearing, and its retaining ring, while you are at it.
The retaining ring is an extreme press fit, and although the service manual doesn't suggest replacing it, I wouldn't trust one that has been removed.