So I finally got around to doing the rear disc conversion on my 93 XJ. I got a set of rotors and calipers/caliper brackets from a dana 35 from a 1998 ZJ. I got them at my local pull your parts and I think I paid $60 bucks for the whole shabang. I spotted a clean CFC 2002 but the bolt pattern looked much bigger than my 5 on 4.50 so I passed that one up. Anyways so I actually took some picts and have some notes so if anyone else wants to do this too they can. I usually don't do these kind of DIY posts but I had some time and so here it is. The first pic is of the stock rear drum that came on all 8.25 XJ and I believe that my drums are wider because I have the factory tow package. the second and thrid picts are of after I removed the diff cover. The first thing you need to do is remove the screw that holds the cross pin in and then rotate the carrier till the cross pin can be removed. Now you will need to remove the "C" clip that holds your axles on. Now the entire axle can be removed. The next pic is of the bare axle stub after removing the brake backing plate. Besides the factory axle studs that hold on the backing plate being too short I also opted to upgrade then while I was in there. I used grade 8, 1 inch long, 3/8 diameter bolts I got from my local fastenal. I think I got a bag of 100 bolts, washers and nuts for like $25. Fastenal is my new favorite store. Since the 8.25 is so much stronger than the dana 35 it has thicker axle tubes. I had to make use of my dye grinder and my vice to enlarge the hole about 1/8 inch. Anyways the next slide is of the backing plate/caliper hanger for the disc brake setup bolted on using my new hardware. I actually painted over the rust because really who cares this is not a show vehicle and it will rust again anyways so I just painted it with some rustoleum gloss black and bolted it in place. The next pic shows the assembly in its new home. I didn't bother with cleaning the rust off the rotor either. The brake pads do this more efficiently. I used the stock brake lines and all I had to do was bend it 90 degrees and attached it to the caliper hose. I drilled a hole in my leaf spring upper plate and bolted the rubber line on top to hold it in place. I opted not to hook up the park brake either because mine is an automatic and the puny shoes that they call a park brake are an absolute joke and not worth the extra affort. They were removed indefinately and tossed in the junk pile with rest of my old parts. The last pic is a view from the rear showing that there is still plenty of clearance between the leafs and the calipers. After a few fast stops I went over the the vacant industrial park near my house and got up to 50 and stomped on the brakes at the precise moment when I passed a sign so I could measure how fast I stopped. From 50 I stopped in 82 feet! Less than half the distance needed when my vehicle was stock. My tires didn't even lock up so that is good to know incase of a panic stop. Now I just need to figure out how to get more fluid to the rear. I plan on using a new MC but the few ideas I found on other forums require way too much modification to my stock lines. I was thinking about using one from an Explorer but not too sure. I was told the stock ZJ one won't work at all so don't even bother. Anyone got any suggestions???? Also if anyone wants my stock stuff you can have it.
-- Edited by tjhawk on Sunday 27th of June 2010 10:38:21 PM
Yeah the local pull your parts place is pretty cheap and the nice thing was that they pulled the axles for me because they didn't want to get oil all over the yard. All I pulled was the rotors/calipers and then came back a few hours later for the caliper hangers/backing plates. If you have an 8.25 the directions will be just as the post above if you have another axle then I have no clue but it will probably be similliar.
8.25" is not stronger than the D35 on all occasions. It really depends on what version of each axle your talking about. Making the statment you did is really kinda bold. I'd take a non c-clip D35 over a 27 spline 8.25" anyday of the week.
This conversion does also work for the D44 axle in the XJ's. You will simply need to just make a flange spacer for it to bolt properly up. You can also use the factory part number 1-05083678AA from a D44 equipped TJ Wrangler.
You can use a WJ Grand Cherokee Booster & Master and it essentially will "bolt-on". All you'll need is a washer as a spacer on each of the mounting studs. This upgrade will get varied results depending on the year of your XJ. Simply put the later year XJ's have a better Booster/Master than the early years. So someone with say an '88 will see better results going to the WJ setup than say someone with an '98 would see as thier systems is a bit better.
Just an FYI. I usually buy hardware from McMaster-Carr. 25 bolts 3/8-16 Course grade 8 bolts are $10. Depending on your location but I can get my orders delivered to my house by the next day. If your interested here is a link : http://www.mcmaster.com/#cap-screws/=7rf0t3
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Steve Martinek SW Michigan.
2000 XJ Sport 2005 F350 6.0L Crew Cab 1983 CJ8 - frame off in (slow) progress 1967 Mustang Fastback - future project - waiting for CJ8 to get done
Yeah well unless you get an old waggy/cherokee full size Dana 35; all 35's that are modern are c clipped. The ones at the junk yard all had c clips. I would have prefered they removed with four bolts so I didn't have to have the junk guys put it up on a rack and I could have saved $10.(they charge to put it up on a rack for better access to certain items...its nice but annoying that you have to pay.) I am probably just going to get a Wilwood manual adjustable brake bias valve for now and see how that works. I will mount it under the hood will just set it and forget it. You can tighten the nut under the knob to get more tension or maybe I will just safety wire it for the time being. Thsi winter I will do some more reserch. I just don't want to have to mess around too much to make this work and for now the bias valve is $40 and my time with a flare kit to make it work.
So how does it feel to have to always be right? You disprove every post I do. What are you trying to impress the other club members? I mean seriously its kind of childish. But I guess if you own a forum you can pretty much do what you want.
-- Edited by tjhawk on Monday 5th of July 2010 11:04:21 AM
tjhawk wrote:So how does it feel to have to always be right? You disprove every post I do. What are you trying to impress the other club members? I mean seriously its kind of childish. But I guess if you own a forum you can pretty much do what you want.
Not trying to disprove; simply trying to keep factual information on our forum.
When people search for information on the web/this forum they take what is said on forums etc as being factual information (especially a post like yours that you'd consider a "how-to"). If that information is not true it ends up costing someone time/money that simply could of been avoided to begin with. If I can help prevent someone from getting unfactual information than I will do so...
Well my "how to" info is spot on correct with the exception of my opinion that the D-35 is weaker than the Chrysler 8.25. The rest of the "mis information" is after my "how to"post. Yeah it may be a little known fact that some very early MJ's and XJ's had a rare option of a D-35 without c clips but for many who are on here I would wager that only a few have ever even heard of them. I'm done stooping. There are plenty of other Cherokee forums where I don't get constantly harassed.
tjhawk wrote:Well my "how to" info is spot on correct with the exception of my opinion that the D-35 is weaker than the Chrysler 8.25. The rest of the "mis information" is after my "how to"post. Yeah it may be a little known fact that some very early MJ's and XJ's had a rare option of a D-35 without c clips but for many who are on here I would wager that only a few have ever even heard of them. I'm done stooping. There are plenty of other Cherokee forums where I don't get constantly harassed.
First off it wasn't a "rare option" on the the "early" XJ/MJ's. ALL 1984-1989 XJ's and MJ's that had a D35 had the non c-clip version. And being that only a select few 88-89 models came with the D44 I'd say that most XJ's from the 84-89 era had that axle. (not to mention the YJ Wrangler got the same axle as well...)
Being that from 1984-1989, 854,526 XJ's were produced I'd say that a good portion came with that axle. Not to mention that when Chrysler introduced the CH 8.25" in '91 most XJ's got that axle. I'd venture to say that MOST XJ's from 1984-2001 that had the D35 axle HAD the non c-clip version over the c-clip version.
Nowhere in any of my post did I harrass or put you down; nor anywhere have I ever slandered you. I simply corrected the information that was incorrect. You decided to cross that line; not me.
-- Edited by LEAD_NOT_FOLLOW on Monday 5th of July 2010 08:53:26 PM
tjhawk, look you seem like a knowledgeable guy and i'm sure you know your way around a vehicle, BUT, just as LEAD has said, when you are wrong, you are wrong. He wants this to be an informative website/forum and he doesn't want incorrect information on here. there is nothing wrong with being corrected when you are wrong. he's not rubbing it in your face or being mean about it. take it like a man and appreciate and respect the correction.
this is a very solid forum with NONE of that other BS that MANY of the other forums out there deal with. the members of this club/forum are proud of what they have built and they will keep it a high quality and high caliber site. take it or leave it.
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SCORE!: 1996 Cherokee Sport, bone stock, excellent condition, one owner, with currently 47,000 ORIGINAL miles!!
CURRENTLY: 2001 Cherokee Limited 4-dr, 33" Uniroyal Liberator A/Ts, 6-8" well built custom lift (sorry, i haven't measured yet).
SOLD: Project Rig: 87 Cherokee Pioneer 4dr. bone stock now. coming soon: 3" budget lift, go completely doorless and chop the rear cargo area out.
tjhawk, look you seem like a knowledgeable guy and i'm sure you know your way around a vehicle, BUT, just as LEAD has said, when you are wrong, you are wrong. He wants this to be an informative website/forum and he doesn't want incorrect information on here. there is nothing wrong with being corrected when you are wrong. he's not rubbing it in your face or being mean about it. take it like a man and appreciate and respect the correction.
this is a very solid forum with NONE of that other BS that MANY of the other forums out there deal with. the members of this club/forum are proud of what they have built and they will keep it a high quality and high caliber site. take it or leave it.
x2.
Most XJs in the yards around here these days are 91-96 models, with a few of the newer 'gen 2' xjs. So, if TJhawk's yards are the same way, then of course finding a non c clip D35 is going to be very difficult.
Let's keep things factual (I've had people come after me before on here to keep things in line), and if he wants to go to n a x j a or pirate then let him go and get flamed for starting a new thread. He'll find out why I like GLXJ.
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My Fleet 1996 XJ "Snowball"- 3.5" lift, bunch of little mods. I hate pegleg rear axles! 1974 AMC Javelin "Jade Grenade"- 360v8, 4sp, green inside and out. Underfunded Project. 2009 Kawsaki Vulan 900 "Rocket III"- Summer DD