$265 to get my Jeep brakes fixed - Dh's fault!

[perd]

I know he was only trying to help. DH rotated my tires. Right after that, my Jeep started to shake really bad when braking from a high speed (like exiting off of the highway). Called the Jeep dealer and told them what happened. They said he probably put the wheels back on too tight and warped the rotors. So I took it in and they confirmed that the rotors were warped.

My DH told me if that's what they say it is, to tell them not to do anything and HE will put new rotors on and it will cost a lot less. I said "Well what if you put the wheels on too tight again?" and he said "I have a torque wrench." Well then why didn't you use it the first time, I asked? He said "I just tightened it how much I felt it needed to be tightened."

He might be mad, but I told the dealership to go ahead and do my brakes. I'd rather pay $265 and have it done right. My DH knows just enough to be dangerous, IMO. He HAS saved us a lot of money by doing things that we could have paid for. But my Jeep is not even 2 years old and I just want it done right.

He doesn't know it, but I'm also going to hire any remodeling/home improvement we have done from now on. He drags it out for MONTHS. He started painting our living room last October and it's not finished yet. It's embarrassing, as it's the room that people walk into when they enter the house. He has piles of junk - four cans of paint, paint trays, brushes, rollers, vents, an air compressor, lights, fans, tools, wood putty, spackling, windshield wiper fluid , electrical outlet and switch plates, spray paint and much more...

I appreciate that he tries to save us money by doing stuff but I would like to just get stuff done without dragging it out forever, or in the case of my brakes costing us MORE money.

 

[Louise-Montreal]

I know he was only trying to help. DH rotated my tires. Right after that, my Jeep started to shake really bad when braking from a high speed (like exiting off of the highway). Called the Jeep dealer and told them what happened. They said he probably put the wheels back on too tight and warped the rotors. So I took it in and they confirmed that the rotors were warped.

My DH told me if that's what they say it is, to tell them not to do anything and HE will put new rotors on and it will cost a lot less. I said "Well what if you put the wheels on too tight again?" and he said "I have a torque wrench." Well then why didn't you use it the first time, I asked? He said "I just tightened it how much I felt it needed to be tightened."

He might be mad, but I told the dealership to go ahead and do my brakes. I'd rather pay $265 and have it done right. My DH knows just enough to be dangerous, IMO. He HAS saved us a lot of money by doing things that we could have paid for. But my Jeep is not even 2 years old and I just want it done right.

He doesn't know it, but I'm also going to hire any remodeling/home improvement we have done from now on. He drags it out for MONTHS. He started painting our living room last October and it's not finished yet. It's embarrassing, as it's the room that people walk into when they enter the house. He has piles of junk - four cans of paint, paint trays, brushes, rollers, vents, an air compressor, lights, fans, tools, wood putty, spackling, windshield wiper fluid , electrical outlet and switch plates, spray paint and much more...

I appreciate that he tries to save us money by doing stuff but I would like to just get stuff done without dragging it out forever, or in the case of my brakes costing us MORE money.

Your husband must be my husband's twin!!! I deal with the exact same problems- jobs that take forever, and jobs that can be done by him which often end up costing me more!! Gotta love them- their heart is in the right place.

 

[perd]

Your husband must be my husband's twin!!! I deal with the exact same problems- jobs that take forever, and jobs that can be done by him which often end up costing me more!! Gotta love them- their heart is in the right place.

Yes, and I feel bad complaining because I KNOW he means well and I would rather have a husband who tries to do things for our family than one who just doesn't care!

 

[becky1960]

A few years back my friend's wife and my wife went to have her brakes fixed and on the way home the brakes failed and they ran into a drainage ditch. They ( Midas) had put on the springs backwards. Another co-worker of mine had his brakes repaired( Brakecheck) on his lunch hour and on the way back they failed and he hit two cars at a light. I started replacing my own brakes after that and have had no problems for many years. I've had more problems with dealers. Just my 2 cents..

 

[I'mNoPrince]

I don't see how tightening a wheel would warp the rotors. My uncle is a parts mang. for one of our local Jeep dealers so I don't do much work to our 2 but that sounds fishie.

Now it is possible he knocked something out and it would cause a problem but if the rotor was not hot when he was doing a tire rotation then I just don't see it.

Jeeps have been recalled several times for their Brakes and we think they are undersized for what they need to do but warping a rotor is crazy.

Make sure you ask for your parts back if you haven't done so already.

 

[Stein]

I have never heard of such a thing, but I am not Mr. Goodwrench. Warped rotors usually come from excessive heat while breaking. Our Suburban has undersized rotors on the front and it can happen somewhat easily.

If the rotors are warped, then I would think that isn't your only problem as the wheel doesn't bolt onto the rotor, wouldn't the hub be warped as well?

I would get a second opinion, from an independent brake shop.

 

[disneynutt1225]

What year is your Jeep?

 

[ZachsMommy6]

Yeah what year and what type.

When I think Jeep I think Wrangler but there are others out there so I need to know. I am not a pro mechanice but Jeepin is my hobby.

Over tightening should cause it in less one is tight and others arent. There is a centric hub on the back of most rims to make sure its centered and that might be the problem or it might be a tire is not balanced.

I need to know more and I should be able to help you. The first thing I would do is take it somewhere else and have them check it out.

Dealerships arent called stealerships for nothing. I believe you husband could do it himself but jsut let me have more info...ZachDad


But it does sound like you are getting ripped off.

 

[perd]

It's a 2005 Jeep Wrangler but I already had the work done and have the Jeep back, and didn't ask for the parts. When I talked to the service manager on the phone before taking it in, and he said that it could be the rotors from overtightening, I did a google search and found that that same information. The shimmy happened only when applying the brake (and only from a high speed), never when not applying the brake. We thought it might have been that the tires were out of balance but he asked if it happened when not applying the brakes and it never did, only when applying the brakes.

Also, it was fine until he rotated the tires and right after he did it, we went somewhere that required driving on the highway, so we noticed it right away after he rotated the tires and it definitely wasn't happening until he rotated them.

Also, we had (until 17-year-old DS wrecked it two weeks ago) a Jeep Cherokee that used to do the same thing and we never knew why. In retrospect, my DH rotated the tires on that too, and then he said the shimmy stopped when he put new rotors on it (and I guess tightened it the right way).

DH was really pretty good about the whole thing. I told him I had them go ahead and do it and told him the cost, and he said he really could have done it himself but at least now it's fixed and with a guarantee so if we have any problems with it we can take it back there...

Also, I found this: http://www.4x4wire.com/forums/showflat.php?Cat=&Number=168853&page=10&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=&fpart=1 - which seems to confirm what the dealership told me.

Of note, the two Jeeps the shimmy happened with were 4 x 4s. My DH has also rotated the tires on our daughters' cars and his truck, none of which are 4 wheel drive, and there was never a problem with any of them only the two 4 wheel drive Jeeps. Maybe it has something to do with them being 4 wheel drive?

 

[gris gris]

Just wanted to pipe in here - I inherited a 2001 Chevy Monte Carlo from DH and after driving it for a few months I had the same problems as you, the shaking when applying the brake when at high speed (or coming down an exit ramp). Took the Monte to the Chevy Dealer and they told me the rotors needed to be resurfaced. So I blamed it on DH and how he drove before because he drove real fast and braked at the last minute, but the service manager told me it was probably from my driving and the way I brake. I didn't believe it. Well I ended up having to do it again on the Monte. So, maybe it is the way I brake? Then....I get a Jeep Liberty that is almost new, and 30K miles later it's shaking. So, I believe it now, that it's all from the way I brake. I haven't had these rotors done yet.

I guess my point is maybe it isn't your DH's fault. Did the same person who drives the Wranlger ever drive the Cherokee in your family??

 

[perd]

Just wanted to pipe in here - I inherited a 2001 Chevy Monte Carlo from DH and after driving it for a few months I had the same problems as you, the shaking when applying the brake when at high speed (or coming down an exit ramp). Took the Monte to the Chevy Dealer and they told me the rotors needed to be resurfaced. So I blamed it on DH and how he drove before because he drove real fast and braked at the last minute, but the service manager told me it was probably from my driving and the way I brake. I didn't believe it. Well I ended up having to do it again on the Monte. So, maybe it is the way I brake? Then....I get a Jeep Liberty that is almost new, and 30K miles later it's shaking. So, I believe it now, that it's all from the way I brake. I haven't had these rotors done yet.

I guess my point is maybe it isn't your DH's fault. Did the same person who drives the Wranlger ever drive the Cherokee in your family??

We all drove the Cherokee at some point but this happened suddenly, not gradually. I have driven the Wrangler for almost two years now and it never, ever happened until he rotated the tires. After reading different forums I am convinced that it must have been unequal tightening on the lug nuts that caused it. LOL. I brake like your DH actually - at the last minute!

 

[Stein]

You can warp rotors in 5 seconds, it doesn't take weeks. It depends on the weight of the vehicle, how hard you stop, and the size and geometry of the rotor.

When I tow our larger boat, I could easily warp the rotors in about 50 yards with one stiff downhill stop.

If you stop more gently, they will last much, much longer.

 

[rie'smom]

Your husband must be my husband's twin!!! I deal with the exact same problems- jobs that take forever, and jobs that can be done by him which often end up costing me more!! Gotta love them- their heart is in the right place.

And my husband makes it triplets! He's very talented but has taken on more duties at work,so guess what has moved down quite a few notches? Yep,the house I'm expecting a windfall and I hope that it does come through. I'll hire a carpenter so fast.

 

[PinkTink63]

I know he was only trying to help. DH rotated my tires. Right after that, my Jeep started to shake really bad when braking from a high speed (like exiting off of the highway). Called the Jeep dealer and told them what happened. They said he probably put the wheels back on too tight and warped the rotors. So I took it in and they confirmed that the rotors were warped.

My DH told me if that's what they say it is, to tell them not to do anything and HE will put new rotors on and it will cost a lot less. I said "Well what if you put the wheels on too tight again?" and he said "I have a torque wrench." Well then why didn't you use it the first time, I asked? He said "I just tightened it how much I felt it needed to be tightened."

He might be mad, but I told the dealership to go ahead and do my brakes. I'd rather pay $265 and have it done right. My DH knows just enough to be dangerous, IMO. He HAS saved us a lot of money by doing things that we could have paid for. But my Jeep is not even 2 years old and I just want it done right.

He doesn't know it, but I'm also going to hire any remodeling/home improvement we have done from now on. He drags it out for MONTHS. He started painting our living room last October and it's not finished yet. It's embarrassing, as it's the room that people walk into when they enter the house. He has piles of junk - four cans of paint, paint trays, brushes, rollers, vents, an air compressor, lights, fans, tools, wood putty, spackling, windshield wiper fluid , electrical outlet and switch plates, spray paint and much more...

I appreciate that he tries to save us money by doing stuff but I would like to just get stuff done without dragging it out forever, or in the case of my brakes costing us MORE money.

I own a Jeep also and my husband is a mechanic (well, he used to be). Before we bought the Jeep, I did alot of research on them. The one thing I did read about them is the rotors tend to warp. He said that wasn't a big deal and he could replace them with better ones. I think it is about that time for me too! But, I do love my Jeep!

 

[ZachsMommy6]

Glad you got it done, I was just trying to rule out everything to try to tell ya what it could be. Dont get me wrong, warped rotors are always a possiblty and yes Chrysler can be known for it. Our 04 Dodge truck had a recall for it but never happened. Glad to hear you got it fixed.

 

[WDWisTheBest]

You can warp rotors in 5 seconds, it doesn't take weeks. It depends on the weight of the vehicle, how hard you stop, and the size and geometry of the rotor.
When I tow our larger boat, I could easily warp the rotors in about 50 yards with one stiff downhill stop.
If you stop more gently, they will last much, much longer.

The above quote is closer to the truth. Rotors can be warped easily, maybe not in 5 seconds but quickly depending on heat.
I wouldn't give hubby a hard time for trying to help save money by rotating tires. Also, as another poster said, some dealerships have service departments that just can not be trusted. There have been many television programs over the years relating to consumer ripoffs of automobile repairs, especially oil changes, brake systems, and tires. These go on in all 50 states with impunity.
Good luck with the new rotors.