Wife said her brakes started grinding this morning. It was a nice day outside so I figured I'd knock out a brake pad job. Of course if it is grinding, a rotor will have to be replaced. So I have all the parts I need and finish the other brakes leaving the "suspect" passenger side rear for last.... it was the one grinding. I pull it apart, put the new rotor on, and go to replace the caliper back on with the new pads. It won't line up. I tap it around and still no go. So I try to pull the pins out to grease them... maybe they are dragging. Top one is smooth and still has all the factory grease on it. It slides back and forth like a new one. The bottom one, acts like it's welding in the caliper bracket. The brakes have never been serviced or even apart for that matter. There is only 30k miles on it. I did a search on here and it seems it's common for them to need replacement at that mileage but the other three corners had well over half the pad left. The pass. rear as said was down to metal. I can't figure out why the caliper pin would sieze like that unless there was never any grease to start with and it finally just rusted together. This Jeep has been to Moab one time for climbing and rock crawling. It has NEVER BEEN IN THE MUD OR FORDED ANY WATER CROSSINGS OR HIGH WATER. Any one else heard of this?

 

I have my own suspicions about my rear passenger caliper as well. It hasn't been warm or dry enough to go look at it, but I have a feeling the it's locking up as well.

 

When a rotor is done or seized, you only feel it when it you step on the brakes?

Whenever I go around a corner after wheeling (back on the streets), whether it's a left hand or right hand corner, I go into the corner with my brakes on and right before the steering wheel starts to turn (ready to let off the brakes) I can feel my brake pedal shaking or vibrating.

Is that a sign of rotors seized?

 

It happens. Usually theres a rubber boot to protect that pin. Contaminents get through causeing corrosion and failure. Get a bernzomatic torch, apply some heat to the pin, it will free it.

Pin replacement is cheap.

Part #33

http://www.jeep4x4center.com/jeep-br...s/wrangler-jk/

 

Rotors don't seize. Caliper slider pins do. If you feel a 'pulsating' during break application, and if you are noticing it mostly during a turn, then my suspicion would be that one or more of your rotors is likely warped causing excessive latteral run out...resulting in a pulsating during brake application, vibration or shudder....and being that you notice it while executing a turn, I would suspect a front rotor (disc)
It's possible a seized slider pin could cause the shudder as well...only way to know is tear down and inspect your pads for even wear, rotor condition and ensure that your sliders are actually free sliding. You could have a shop 'turn' your rotors to true them up if they do have excessive latteral run out, it's cheaper than replacing them, but only if they have enough material left.
To the OP, as mentioned, I would be curious of the integrity of the rubber boot around the pin...if there was no problem there, then your suspicion that no lube was applied during assembly would likely be a good one.

 

Mine didn't make any sounds or feelings in the peddle previous to the grinding. RedRubi, it's real simple to check. If you can pull off the wheel you can check the caliper pins. You will know it if it's corroded as soon as you pull on the pin and it doesn't slide out smoothly. Just jack it up, take off the wheel, and remove the 12mm bolts on the back side of the caliper. Once you do that, the caliper will slide off the rotor to the rear. You should be able to slide those pins out the rotor with just finger pull. I had to use an air hammer/chisel and penetrating oil on mine.

Pluke... it sounds like you have a warped rotor. BlackNorthernJK probably hit that nail on the head. For what it's worth, the rotors are just a little more than the labor of turning them.... and they will be new with no risk of running below the tolerance minimum. The rears were $37 each for mine today.

Strat.... careful with that torch. The caliper bracket appears to be made of a forged alloy. And the pin itself has a really soft plating on it. So heat would most likely destroy both. And if you were to use heat, applying it to the surrounding(bracket) ... not the pin would be the choice method. Applying to the pin would make it expand which would make it tighter.

I did contact my dealer and they want to see the parts... actually the pin itself. They didn't have one in stock so they are ordering one and I will drop it off to them when it comes in. I'm not fond of leaving my Jeep at the dealer while waiting on parts. I did take a couple pics of it which proves beyond the shadow of doubt that it was left dry during assembly. The moisture at the top of it is penetrating oil. For reference, the other pin is on the ground in the background next to the 13mm wrench.

 

yep, I had same on one of my rears. Only 1 pin of the 4. Was able to get it out and re-greased. 78k km.