deandec
El Dorado Hills, CA
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Joined: 09/26/2001
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Hello
I was towing my 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee this morning when two gentlemen forced me to the side of the road and pointed out my smoking right front wheel on the Jeep. I had been towing for about 5 miles.
I also had an coach overheat episode on the outbound trip when towing the Jeep up a steep mountain grade. Normally I do not have an overheat situation. I parked to cool the engine and detached the toad for the remainder of the trip and had no more overheat problem.
We used the Jeep for about 30 miles of City travel between the inbound and outbound trips.
Once I had controlled the wheel smoking, we detached the Jeep and it was driven 70 miles to home from 6,000 feet to 800 feet elevation with no symptoms or problems.
The Jeep shifted cleanly out of 4wd neutral after the smoking wheel event and the emergency brake was not applied during towing. The Brake Buddy seemed to be appropriately installed and functioning properly. I watched my DW install and test the BB so two of us verified the install.
No damage was done to the brake disc or the pads based upon follow on test driving and visual inspection.
It would appear that following the specific procedure to prepare the Jeep for towing failed in some manner on two successive trips.
We are not rookies at the towing process as we own two Jeep GC that we tow.
Has anyone encountered the smoking wheel issue on a 2005 Jeep GC? If so, can you share what the cause might be?
Dean
95 CC Magna Jeep GC
(Vietnam Vets may be eligible for medical care and disability compensation. Contact the VA if you have prostate cancer or type 2 diabetes.)
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craig7h
Marion, Iowa
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Joined: 03/23/2002
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A few years ago when I had a MH jeep combo I had the same thing happen. I was not as lucky as you however. The problem was I did not have the jeeps key in the proper position, thus it locked the steering wheel so the jeeps wheels could not turn with the MH.
Craig
06 RAM 3500 diesel power
08 35' Cardinal
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RRRKKK
Quincy IL
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Joined: 02/14/2005
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Having the steering column locked, so the wheels will not track will not cause the wheel to get hot and smoke. There must have been a brake or bearing problem with that wheel. While I am not familiar with the Brake Buddy I can't imaging it would only lock or apply one front wheel.
There is a fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness"
Ron K
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deandec
El Dorado Hills, CA
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Joined: 09/26/2001
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After running the battery down twice, I learned that this 2005 does not have a locking steering column, so we do not leave the key in it.
I have now driven the vehicle over 100 miles since the event. It has displayed no symptoms of damage.
The brake buddy should have put a drag on both front wheels. And probably left some grooves in the brake disk?
The 4wd neutral shift procedure should affect the differentials not the wheels.
That could leave a dragging brake pad or wheel bearing on the right front wheel?
Dean
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OzarkPreacher
S.W.Mo. God's Country
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Joined: 02/23/2004
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possibly a brake line that is trying to collapse? Have seen it happen more than once. Vehicle is driven and shut off while foot is still on brake pedal. Brake line pressure does not return to MC due to inner lining on brake line collapsing. It is rare but I have seen it happen over my years of doing brake work.
good luck on getting it fixed whatever it turns out to be.
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teb1272
Memphis
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Joined: 12/14/2006
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Yes, I did the same thing once-my brake disc was red hot by the time I detected it. My Miata says to start it up and run it about every 200 miles to sling transmission oil around inside. I did that and pushed the Brake Buddy sideways a bit, which jammed it against the pedal and caused the left front wheel brake to drag and get hot. The other wheels probably dragged some too, but at low pedal pressure it will affect one wheel first. I think you are setting the seat too far forward and creating a slight brake pressure that will cause one brake to drag. I learned not to try to get the Brake Buddy too close to the brake pedal-leave some slack in the system. The first bit of pressure on the brake pedal is not necessarily transmitted to all wheels equally. Also always remember to actuate (test) the Brake Buddy five or six times after every startup of the engine to drain the vacuum reservoir in the power brake system-the vacuum makes the brakes much more sensitive to slight pressure on the pedal.
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wa8yxm
Wherever I happen to park
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Joined: 07/04/2006
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This is not jeep specific.. In fact it first came to my attention on the Workhorse forum over on IRV2.
Then I proved (the hard way) that it is not unique to Workorse.. I suspect it's not even unique to GM products
One of the brake hoses on my towed vehicle (a 1992 Chevy Lumina APV) turned into a check valve.. Now, I don't wish to get into an argument over "It can't do that" fact is it did.. What happens is the hose is many layers of material, Rubber liner, Webbing, More rubbber, More webbing and finally a rubber like outer jacket (i don't know how many layers and "Rubber" should be read "Rubber LIke" as I don't know if it's real rubber, synthetic or something else entierly)
Well, if the material breaks down just right on the INSIDE of the hose you get a "Spitter valve" (Many motor homes have one of these in the shower line, it's between the faucet and the hose) it lets brake fluid INTO the caliper but won't let it back into the master cylinder
What happens, of course, is the brake drags, Heating up the tire and..
Well.. You know the rest
You got luckier than I.. It was way too hot to slap on the spare so I waited for AAA and hauled it to a tire store
Nothin adds excitment like something that is none of your business
John is Near Kenwood TS-2000 housed in a 2005 Damon Intruder 377
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deandec
El Dorado Hills, CA
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Joined: 09/26/2001
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Well, I just drove the Jeep another 250 miles this weekend. Performance was fine and fuel mileage was normal (19.6 MPG for the trip). That should rule out the wheel bearing or dragging brake diagnosis.
So whatever caused the smoking front wheel did not do any observable damage.
This is a real puzzle. On an outbound trip the MH overheated traveling uphill and on the return trip towing the Jeep the front wheel got smokey hot.
But driving the Jeep itself reveals no defects.
I guess I will have to tow it one more time to see what happens.
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