Breakdown on a holiday!

Question

Well, experienced my first breakdown towing the trailer. Of course it happened on a holiday where nothing was open.

Stop light changed on me, and I hit the brakes, trusting in my EBC green stuff and trailer brakes to do the job. Heard a pop and grinding from the right front. Language became colorful and I look for a place to nurse the rig off of US 20. Brought the rig to a stop on a side road. Having just had new ball joints and wheel bearings installed, anything could be wrong. Got down, and great, I see my caliper bracket is missing a bolt and is against the wheel. Got in touch with a rescue team. Search a Jeep forum that I am on and luckily, I am not the first this happened to.

Rescue team brought me to Home Depot. I bought an assortment of M14x2 bolts of different lengths, some washers, lock washers, and a 21mm wrench. I had all the other tools that I would need in my tool box. I was able to fix her up and won't need to cancel my reservations for camping during the week. I will have a little discussion with my mechanic in the morning.

bobbo · Answer

Good for you.One time, DW was driving home in rush hour traffic. Steam started billowing up from under the hood. She pulled off and called me.When I got there, with a large tool box, and popped the hood, I saw the lower radiator hose was busted. We got into my car and drove to AutoZone. I bought a pair of radiator hoses, clamps, and some pre-mixed antifreeze. Drove back to her car and replaced both upper and lower radiator hoses. Filled the radiator back up, and followed her home. Never had another problem with those hoses.P.S. I worked the night shift, so I was in bed asleep when she called me. I got back home in time to go back to bed.

fj12ryder · Answer

Wow, that could have been pretty bad. A caliper bolt breaking? And it has happened to other owners? That there is some pretty spooky stuff. I'd be looking to unload that puppy posthaste. Brakes aren't anything I want to take a chance on.

Do they have a reason for the breakage? Bad batch of bolts?

Glad that it wasn't more serious.

brodie3az · Answer

At the next opportunity, look into replacing all of the caliper mounting bolts. They were probably stressed during the emergency stop.

choochooman74 · Answer

It didn't break, and from what I saw on the Jeep Forum, none of theirs broke either. They stated that they "lost one". My guess, it wasn't torqued right??? I did the brakes several weeks ago, but all of that had to come off for the wheel bearings (and maybe the ball joint, too???) I did take a walk down the road, maybe it fell out at the point I hit the brakes. No luck. Still, a scary experience. I lost my brakes on my F350 years back due to a broken right front rotor (No luck with right fronts!!!)I was a young stupid teen and should have changed the rotor with the pads. I chose the wall over rear ending a car. The hole in the stone wall is still visible to this day!

If it did break, I would have needed the tow. I doubt I would have been able to extract the broken piece of the bolt out. And, that was one of the first things I did before going to HD. I stuck a screwdriver all the way through to make sure it didn't break.

fj12ryder · Answer

Well, I'll have to say the missing a bolt is bad, but I don't think it's as bad as a broken bolt. Especially if you just had front end work done. Still a pretty scary situation.

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Breakdown on a holiday!

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