Owners of other Jeep, Dodge, Chrysler, Fiat and RAM vehicles such as the Compass, Renegade, Wrangler, Grand Cherokee, Patriot, 500, Town & Country, 200, 300, Pacifica, Challenger, Charger, Dart, Durango, Journey, Grand Caravan, RAM 1500, C/V Tradesman and ProMaster Van may also find these DIY instructions to be helpful.

A few compatible replacement sets of new front brake pads with their part numbers are as follows: Wagner QC1640, Monroe GX1640A, ACDelco 17D1640CH, Bosch BC1640, TRW TPC1640, ADVICS AD1640, ProStop PGD1640C, ProForce CRD1640 and Power Stop 16-1640 Z16 Ceramic.

The tools and other items needed to complete this procedure include a lug nut wrench, a floor jack, two jack stands, a 14mm socket, a 3/8" drive ratchet, a "C" or "F" clamp and a tube of brake parts lubricant grease.

Engage the emergency / parking brake and place wheel chocks on both sides of the rear wheels to prevent the vehicle from moving.

Slightly loosen the five lug bolts on the front wheel by turning them counterclockwise a 1/4 to 1/2 turn with the tire iron.

Raise the front the of the car with the floor jack and securely support it with at least two jack stands.

I prefer to work on one side of the vehicle at a time to keep three tires on the ground for extra safety.

Spin out the 5 lug bolts and set them aside in a safe place.

Pull off the front wheel to reveal the rotor, bracket, caliper and suspension.

Loosen the top caliper bolt by turning it clockwise (as seen from the outside of the vehicle) with the 14mm socket and a 3/8" drive ratchet.

Then loosen the bottom 14mm caliper bolt by turning it clockwise (as seen from the outside of the car).

Rest the caliper on the suspension or suspend it from the spring with a bungee cord or tie it up with some twine.

Try to avoid kinking, bending, stressing or pulling on the rubber brake fluid line.

On this 2015 Cherokee, the wear indicator bar was located at the top of the inner brake pad.

If your new set of front pads includes replacement brake hardware, pull the old metal pad abutment or "anti-rattle" clips out of the top and bottom of the bracket.

Apply a thin layer of brake caliper grease to the to new pad abutment clips where they will come in contact with the bracket or the new brake pads.

Push the new pad abutment clips in to the top and bottom of the bracket.

Pull the caliper slider pins out of their rubber dust boots attached to the bracket.

Apply a thin layer of grease to the smooth part of both pins before pushing them back in to place.

In order for the caliper to fit over the thicker new brake pads, you'll need to compress back the caliper piston.

Attach the "C" or "F" clamp to the caliper and use the back of an old brake pad to evenly distribute the pressure across the piston.

Removing the reservoir cap will allow the brake fluid to more easily travel back through the lines when you compress the caliper piston.

Slowly turn the "F" clamp handle in the clockwise direction to push back the piston until it is just about flush with the rubber dust boot surrounding it.

Try to avoid pinching or otherwise damaging the rubber dust boot that surrounds the piston.

Thoroughly clean off the brake rotor, caliper bracket, brake caliper assembly and the lug studs with brake parts cleaner spray. Do not use compressed air or blow with your mouth to clean off the brake parts since inhaling brake dust can be harmful to your health. Brake dust may be carcinogenic (causes cancer) if inhaled.

Apply a thin layer of brake parts lubricant to any area where there is metal to metal contact such as the outer lip of the caliper piston. Do not apply brake caliper grease to the friction surface of the new pads or the rotor.

 If your Cherokee previously exhibited shuddering, pulsations, or vibrations in the front end during braking, you may need to have your rotors "turned" (resurfaced) or just replace them with brand new rotors. If this is the first front brake job on your car and the rotors appear to be in excellent condition, you should be able to just replace the pads with great results.

To remove the existing rotors and install new ones, remove the two bolts on the rear of the caliper bracket that attach it to the steering knuckle. Then loosen the old rotor with a rubber mallet, pull it off, and slide the new one in its place.

I've always had good luck with the Wagner QC1640 ceramic brake pads. They tend to be quiet and not produce much brake dust on the wheels.

Install the new brake pads in to the bracket with the wear indicator bar situated at the top of the inner pad.

Carefully lower the caliper over the new pads and in to the bracket.

If the caliper won't fit over the new pads, you might need to compress back the piston a bit more.

Line up the bolt holes in the caliper with their corresponding holes in the slider pins within the bracket.

Spin in the two caliper bolts a few turns by hand in the counterclockwise direction to help prevent them from becoming cross threaded.

Double check that the two caliper bolts are tight before moving on to the next steps.

If your brake pedal has been feeling soft or spongy, the brake fluid might be contaminated with water or the brake lines may contain a few air bubbles.

It would be best to bleed the brake lines at this time in order to flush out the old fluid and replace it with new DOT 3 brake fluid.

For more on this topic, check out my Brake Line Fluid Bleeding With An Assistant DIY Guide or alternatively the Brake Line Fluid Bleeding With A Power Bleeder Guide.

The brake fluid bleeder valve is located underneath a rubber cap on the back side of the caliper just below the top caliper bolt.

Push the front wheel back in to place.

Slightly tighten the lug bolts with the tire iron in a "star" or "criss cross" pattern.

Carefully lower the car from the jack stands by using the floor jack.

Continue tightening the lug bolts in the clockwise direction in a "criss cross" or star pattern to about 1/4 to 1/3 turn past hand tight or 100 lb-ft of torque.

It would be best to use a torque wrench or an electric impact wrench with a torque stick to make sure that the lug nuts are properly tightened.

Sit in the driver's seat of the car and firmly pump the brake pedal a few times to restore the brake line pressure. Check the brake fluid in the reservoir and verify that it is at the proper level. If it is low, pour in some fresh DOT 3 fluid from a new bottle.

To break in your new front brake pads, just drive normally for the first few hundred miles while trying to avoid any hard or "panic" stops which may glaze over the new pads and cause them to become noisy or not perform as well.

It's also a good idea to regularly check your driveway, garage or parking spot for drops of fresh brake fluid which may indicate a leak, check the brake fluid level in the reservoir and also verify that the lug bolts are still tight.

For more, check out all of my Jeep Cherokee DIY Repair & Maintenance Guides.