1997-2001 Jeep Cherokee 2.5L 4.0L Brake Job Guide: Symptoms, Costs and the Right Parts

By Core Brake Parts Tech Team — Circleville, OH warehouse

A full brake job on a 1997-2001 Jeep Cherokee (the XJ, with either the 2.5L four-cylinder or the 4.0L inline six) means front disc pads and rotors on single-piston floating calipers, plus rear drum shoes, hardware and often wheel cylinders. The fronts wear first and are an easy driveway job; the rear drums last longer but take more patience because of the springs, self-adjusters and parking brake linkage.

How the Brakes Work on the 1997-2001 Cherokee XJ

Every late XJ uses the same basic layout: vented disc brakes up front and drum brakes in the rear. The front rotors are vented discs roughly 11 inches (279 mm) across, clamped by a single-piston floating caliper on each side. Because the caliper slides on pins rather than having pistons on both sides, the slides need to move freely or the inner pad will wear much faster than the outer one.

At the back, Cherokees with the Dana 35 rear axle use 9 inch by 2-1/2 inch drums. Inside each drum are a leading and trailing shoe, a wheel cylinder that pushes them outward, return springs, hold-down springs, a star-wheel self-adjuster and the parking brake lever and cable. Some XJs were built with a different rear axle, so if you are unsure which one you have, measure the drum or read the axle tag before ordering shoes and drums.

The XJ was offered with and without anti-lock brakes. ABS does not change the pad, rotor, shoe or drum job itself, but it does affect how you bleed the system if you open the hydraulics (see the bleeding note below).

Symptoms That Your Cherokee Is Due for Brakes

• Squeal when braking lightly: the pad wear indicator tab is touching the rotor. Plan on front pads soon.
• Grinding: the friction material is gone and steel is on steel. Stop driving it hard; the rotors will almost certainly need replacing.
• Steering wheel shake or pedal pulsation when stopping from speed: uneven front rotor thickness, often from overheating or uneven pad deposits.
• Pull to one side: a sticking caliper slide or piston on one side, or a contaminated pad.
• Low pedal that pumps up, or a parking brake that has to be pulled very far: the rear shoes are out of adjustment, usually because the self-adjusters are seized or the shoes are worn.
• Wet backing plate or fluid on the inside of a rear tire: a leaking wheel cylinder. Replace it and the shoes it soaked; contaminated shoes never grip right again.
• Brake warning light or dropping fluid level: could simply be worn pads (the caliper pistons extend and the reservoir level drops), or a leak. Find out which before topping it off.

Which Parts Wear, and in What Order

On an XJ the front brakes do most of the stopping, so front pads are the first item on the list. Rotors usually go with every pad change or every second one, depending on how much thickness is left and whether they are warped or grooved. Check the minimum thickness cast into the rotor and compare it to your measurement with a micrometer.

The rear shoes wear more slowly. When you do get into the rear drums, you will usually find that the springs are fatigued and the self-adjusters are rusted solid on a vehicle this age, which is why a new brake hardware kit belongs with every rear shoe job. Drums can be reused if they are within the maximum diameter stamped inside the drum and are not scored or out of round.

Many XJs are now 25 years old or more, so rubber parts matter too. Look hard at the front brake hoses for cracking and bulging, and at the steel lines running along the frame for rust. A flexible hose that has collapsed internally can hold a caliper on and cause a pull.

What to Replace Together

• Pads and rotors as a front axle set: always both sides. New brake pads bed in best against fresh or properly resurfaced brake rotors.
• Caliper slide pins and boots: clean and lubricate them with high-temperature brake grease at every pad job. If a caliper piston is seized or its boot is torn, replace the caliper; see our brake calipers.
• Rear shoes, hardware kit and self-adjusters as a set: both sides at once. Shop brake shoes.
• Wheel cylinders: if either one is weeping, replace both. They cost far less than redoing shoes that get soaked.
• Brake fluid: old fluid absorbs moisture. If you open the hydraulics, flush the system with the fluid type printed on the master cylinder cap or listed in the owner's manual.

If you are replacing the master cylinder, note that NHTSA campaign 06E022000 covered certain aftermarket replacement master cylinders that listed this Cherokee as an application; their internal seal could leak in very cold temperatures. That was an aftermarket parts recall, not a factory defect in the Jeep, but it is a good reason to buy a master cylinder from a known brand.

How Hard Is the Job?

Front pads and rotors: an approachable DIY job with basic hand tools, a jack and stands, and a C-clamp or caliper piston tool. Remove the caliper, hang it from the suspension rather than the hose, swap pads and rotor, clean and grease the slides, and reassemble. Torque the caliper and lug nuts to the values in the factory service manual. On 4WD models the rotor slides off over the hub; do not confuse the rotor with the hub and bearing assembly behind it.

Rear drums: moderate difficulty. Take a phone photo of the assembled side before taking anything apart, work one side at a time so the other side stays as a reference, and use a brake spring tool. Drums that have worn a lip may need the self-adjuster backed off through the access slot before they will come off. Afterward, adjust the shoes so the drum turns with light drag, then set the parking brake.

Bleeding: pad and shoe swaps alone do not require bleeding. If you replace a caliper, hose, wheel cylinder or master cylinder, bleed per the service manual procedure. On ABS-equipped XJs, follow the manual's procedure for the ABS unit so air does not get trapped in the modulator.

What Drives the Cost of a Cherokee Brake Job

Price depends mostly on scope. A front pads-only job is the least expensive; adding rotors raises parts cost but prevents the vibration and noise that come from putting new pads on tired rotors. Doing both axles roughly doubles the labor because the rear drum work takes longer than the fronts. Seized hardware, a leaking wheel cylinder, a stuck caliper or rusted lines are the items that turn a simple job into a bigger one, so inspect for them first and budget accordingly. Doing it yourself removes the labor portion entirely, which is why many XJ owners handle the front brakes at home and save the rear drums for when they have an afternoon.

For daily-driven Cherokees, ceramic brake pads keep dust and noise down. Semi-metallic pads handle heat better if you tow a small trailer, carry heavy loads or drive steep trails. Browse everything for your Jeep in our brake parts catalog.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the 1997-2001 Jeep Cherokee have rear disc brakes?

No. The factory setup is front discs and rear drums. Cherokees with the Dana 35 rear axle use 9 inch by 2-1/2 inch drums. Rear disc conversions exist in the aftermarket, but they are not original equipment.

Do I need to replace rotors every time I change pads on my XJ?

Not always. If the rotors are above the minimum thickness cast on them, run true and are not deeply grooved, they can be reused or resurfaced. Pulsation, heavy scoring or thickness near the limit means replace them.

Are the brakes different on the 2.5L and the 4.0L Cherokee?

The basic layout is the same on both engines: front discs with single-piston floating calipers and rear drums. Parts can vary by drivetrain (2WD versus 4WD) and by rear axle, so confirm your configuration when ordering.

Why does my Cherokee's pedal feel low after new rear shoes?

The shoes are probably not adjusted out yet. Adjust them through the backing plate slot until the drum has light drag, or back up and stop firmly several times so the self-adjusters take up the slack. If the pedal stays low, check for air in the lines or a leaking wheel cylinder.

How often should the brake fluid be changed?

Follow the interval in your owner's manual. On an older XJ where the history is unknown, flushing the fluid during a brake job is inexpensive insurance, because moisture-laden fluid corrodes wheel cylinders and calipers from the inside.

Sources

1. Crown Automotive - Cherokee XJ front brake parts - single-piston floating calipers, 11.02 in (279 mm) vented rotor, 2WD vs 4WD rotor differences
2. Quadratec - Jeep Cherokee XJ rear brake parts - 9 in x 2-1/2 in rear drums with the Dana 35 axle, shoe sets, adjusting screw kits, parking brake cables
3. NHTSA recalls - 2000 Jeep Cherokee - campaign 06E022000, aftermarket master cylinders that could leak in cold temperatures