Hey all,

So yesterday I was taking I-5 North from LA to Fresno. For those of you unfamiliar with the area, right out side of LA is the Angeles Mountains. Well I was going downhill doing about 65-70 when a motorhome from the slow lanes cuts me off, he's doing about 35-40 (they are required to go 35). I braked hard to avoid rear-ending him. The next time I applied the brakes I hear a noise, similar to an engine brake, in fact I thought it was an engine brake from another truck at the time. My brakes did feel a little weird, kind hard to say but it felt like there was a little more play in the brake pedal. After I stopped braking I notice the noise was gone figured it was me.

After getting down the hill I head to one of the TA Travel Centers a couple exits away. While braking at slower speeds off the off-ramp and into the parking lot it is alot louder and pulling to the right. I had my girlfriend drive it in the parking lot, I could visibly see the passenger side front wheel locking up and kinda bouncing. Took off my wheel to inspect everything, no fluid leaking, all the bolts were tight no visible suspension problems. Decided that it was the brake caliper sticking. Also notice after braking, when I tried to start again I had to get the KJ up to about 1500 rpms before the brake would break loose.

If anyone experiences this in the future, I highly recommend not driving on it and getting your vehicle towed. If it was one of the rear brakes, I would've drivin it, however being the front brake I kept having images of my KJ rolling on the freeway (not to mention breaking front driveline components). I also plan on filing a report with Chrysler and the NTSB and who knows, maybe in a year or so they'll recall it.

Of course going down that big hill I crossed 36K miles and something had to break! Odometer reads 36028 miles when I stopped.

There's my story.


Justin

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2005 Blue KJ Renegade
Too big to fit into most LA parking garages.

Update: Appears I lost one of the 21mm bolts that mounts the Caliper. It's a $7 part. Cause the caliper to come loose and jam into the wheel when braking causing a sticking effect.

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2005 Blue KJ Renegade
Too big to fit into most LA parking garages.

who did the front brakes on it last?

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02' Sport- SOLD

07' Dodge Ram Quad Cab 1500 4x4
Yeah it's got a hemi!

Put a lift on at JJ's. Also went wheeling on the 2nd. I know we checked the tourqe on all of the bolts, but it could've easily gotten loose through all that I've done since then. Braking hard probably was the last straw, I kinda wonder now if someone behind me got a flat tire from a bolt they picked up

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2005 Blue KJ Renegade
Too big to fit into most LA parking garages.