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Toad dust

Yahoo Message Number: 1836
Is it normal to get a light black (dry) dust on your toad from towing behind a diesel? Also, after driving a long distance the Toad has sort of a 'burning rubber' smell when it runs for a short while. Any thoughts out there.

Re: Toad dust

Reply #1 –
Yahoo Message Number: 1837
In a57ba8c0@...>, on 05/21/02

at 09:27 AM, "Jim Boldebook" jim@...> said:
We don't get the dust but we do have the "burning rubber" smell. The smell seems to happen after the toad has been towed 200 miles or so at freeway speeds, disconnected, and then driven for a short while.
This same subject came up on another board and people with a wide variety of toads reported having this symptom. We tow a straight shift Acura Integra.

Quote
>Is it normal to get a light black (dry) dust on your toad from towing >behind a diesel? Also, after driving a long distance the Toad has sort >of a 'burning rubber' smell when it runs for a short while. Any thoughts > out there.

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jim.ott@...

Re: Toad dust

Reply #2 –
Yahoo Message Number: 1838
I, too, get the burning rubber smell in my Jeep Grand Cherokee after towing.
I have often wondered it this has anything to do with a repetitive problem I've had with rotors warping. I'm in the process of adviising Chrysler I will file under them lemon law if they don't come up with a solution to that problem other than simply resurfacing the rotors or replacement with the same rotors that have this problem. Does anyone else have this problem with Jeeps? Walt Rothermel
2003Allure30811

Re: Toad dust

Reply #3 –
Yahoo Message Number: 1839
I dont think the burning rubber smell would have anything to do with the rotors as those are not rubber..
Im towing a new Jeep Liberty. I initially thought it might have something to do with brakes as this is the first time I towed with a new 'brake buddy' on the toad. If I had to take a wild guess, I would think it might be something from the coach...either dust from the tires or something from the engine...blowing back under the toad and sticking to the muffler/catalytic converter ...and when you start up and those parts get hot, they smell til it's burned off. I just thought someone with more toad experience (mine is very limited) might have figured this one out already.

Re: Toad dust

Reply #4 –
Yahoo Message Number: 1840
Hi Walt, Just FYI we had a rotor problem on a 1998 Dodge 2500. Problem appeared very early within the first 3000 miles. My Chrysler dealer replaced the rotors under warranty and we experienced no further problem.

Prior to that I had a rotor problem way back in 1965. In that case the rotors were resurfaced and the problem resolved. Also under warranty.

So it is possible to correct the problem. If you have had rotor problems more than twice on the same vehicle I would consider it very unusual unless there is some other cause like a pad that is not releasing or long application of the brake allowing too much heat to build up and warp the rotor.

Are you sure your brakes are clear when towing?

Just a thought.

David & Karen,
2000 CC Intrigue 11062
40 ft. Gourmet on the Road

Re: Toad dust

Reply #5 –
Yahoo Message Number: 1848
Hey, I'm well aware rotors are not made of rubber. but pads are a composition material which can have an odor similar to burning rubber if they get very hot. I simply asked if it might be related to the frequent warping of the rotors.
Walt

Re: Toad dust

Reply #6 –
Yahoo Message Number: 1849
I too experienced repeated rotor warping. The cause of the warping turned out to be over-torqued lug nuts. After properly torquing the lug nuts, no more warping.

Middleton, 2001 Allure 30596

Re: Toad dust

Reply #7 –
Yahoo Message Number: 1854
Have 25,000 towing miles on our 2000 Jeep GC and have not had a dust or rubber smell problem. Have had the rotors turned once at 8000 driving miles and once they did the right brake adjustment everything has been fine, now have 32,000 driving miles. We have had rotor problems on every new car we buy. I think they do not adjust the brakes properly at the factory and once the dealer works on the car it's ok. We also have a Blue OX, vacuum braking system on the Jeep and it is great.

Bill G. 2001 Magna

Re: Toad dust

Reply #8 –
Yahoo Message Number: 1855
I think they do not adjust the brakes properly at the factory and once

Quote
the dealer works on the car it's ok.
I just pickup up our new 2002 Grand Cherokee. Do you think I should take it to the dealer and ask them to look at the brakes? They seem fine but how would I know?

We still have our '98 Cherokee, so will not be towing the Grand for awhile.

Thanks

Linda

Intrigue 10678

Re: Toad dust

Reply #9 –
Yahoo Message Number: 1857
Linda,

I don't think there is anyway to know if the brakes are adjusted right when you buy the car unless they look at them for you. When the rotors start to warp the front wheels will bounce when you put on the brakes. They claim this come from getting the rotors to hot, and then cooling them down fast like hitting water after braking. Maybe someone else will have a better explanation. I think it is from poor factory workmanship. Every one of our cars has been fine after the first round of trouble with the rotors. Good luck.

Bill G. 2001 Magna

Re: Toad dust

Reply #10 –
Yahoo Message Number: 1862
I'm curious as to what type of brake adjustment they did on your Jeep. If you can enlighten me I'll pass it on to my dealer.

Walt Rothermel

Re: Toad dust

Reply #11 –
Yahoo Message Number: 1863
After 5 years towing and two Jeeps, I no longer worry about the burning rubber smell. I believe it is simply road oils and rubber that collects on the cold (while towing) exhaust system. It burns off after a hundred miles or so of driving.

I do notice some uneven braking on my current GC, and will have the dealer check.

Tom B. 2000 Magna

Re: Toad dust

Reply #12 –
Yahoo Message Number: 1880
Walt,

I don't know what type of adjustment they did but this has happened to us on our last 3 new cars. At 8000 miles or so the rotors go bad, I take the vehicle in and they either replace the rotors or turn them and everything is good for the next 40,000 miles. The dealer adjustment is just my though on the problem. We currently have 56000 on a 98 Aurora that had the rotors turned at 7,000 miles and replaced at 15,000 miles and we have a 2000 Jeep GC with 32,000 driving miles and 15,000 towing with brakes miles. The Jeep rotors were turned at 7,000 and everything is still fine. Neither car has had the brakes replaced.

Bill G. 2001 Magna

Re: Toad dust

Reply #13 –
Yahoo Message Number: 1890
I have a 99 jeep and a 96 chrysler Town and Country LXI and they have both had the same problem repeatedly, but I doubt you will have any luck with a Lemon Law case. I have been told by dealer service people that the rotors on all chrysler products have the same weakness

Re: Toad dust

Reply #14 –
Yahoo Message Number: 1961
I have towed a Jeep Cherokee for around 60,000 miles and have always had that smell. I don't seem to have any adverse effects... that I know of! I have an additional 45,000 actual driving miles on my Jeep and have had one set of front pads and rotor replacement this month.
Does anyone know the effect of breaking systems on a toad with power breaks? It seems to me that lots of break applications without the booster is not what the designer of the breaks had in mind.
I do get what seems to be road dust on my toad but never considered it to be diesel related.

Dick May

2002 Intrigue, #11438
Member: CCI, FMCA
Dick May
2002 Intrigue, #11438, towing a
2014 Jeep Gr Cherokee ecoDiesel
 

Re: Toad dust

Reply #15 –
Yahoo Message Number: 1964
I've always said those Jeeps wouldn't last. :-)

I've got 43,000+ miles on my 2000 and 12-15,000 towed and it is still going strong. I've had some different brands, including one Cad STS which will never wear out, and my favorite was a 1980 Subaru wagon. This Grand Cherokee is 2nd. The only complaint I have is a clunk somewhere behind the driver that no one can find. It is getting a little heavier in recent times. Sounds like a broken shock mount, but the service dept. says no, although they have no idea what is causing it. I guess I will know when something falls off. It is only there between approx 25 and 35-40 mph in town with mildly rough streets. Does not show up at highway speeds or off road. Hmmmm.
Just before I bought it I had read about the lack of power in some review and was told by the salesman that the 2000 had much more power and snap than earlier versions. He was right. It serves my 90# right foot quite well. I do most of my driveing on and off the freeways in the Denver area and it gets me to merge speed without any problems. I use a Brake Buddy for towing and have it set fairly stiff so it does not activate unless it is really needed and have had no problems with brake or "towing dust". . . . yet. I did have that smell early on, but have not had it for over a year now.

Ron Harp

ronharp(at)usa.com