MJ D44 ZJ disk brake swap

[lostissues]

Has anyone done this swap?

http://www.madxj.com/MADXJ/technical/te ... csOnXJ.htm

wonder how hard it would be and if there is anything special to the MJ crowd as apposed to the XJ in the wright up.

I have a possible lead on a 98 ZJ, did they only come with c-clip D35s?

 

Thanks,

Jonathan

[johnnyc]

Has anyone done this swap?

http://www.madxj.com/MADXJ/technical/te ... csOnXJ.htm

wonder how hard it would be and if there is anything special to the MJ crowd as apposed to the XJ in the wright up.

I have a possible lead on a 98 ZJ, did they only come with c-clip D35s?

 

Thanks,

Jonathan

 

They also came with the D44A. That is what I got the rear discs from for my old 96 with the 8.25. The good thing about getting the setup off a D44A is that the axle tube diameter is larger than the D35, so there is less grinding needed on the backing plate.

[mvusse]

I swapped D35 disk brakes onto my 8.25". Only mod I needed to do was to enlarge the center hole in the bracket and backing plates from 2.75" to 3". I used two hole saws stacked inside of each other (2.75" to act as a center bit, 3" to cut the larger hole) in a drill press set to 250 rpm. Took me about 2 minutes and a few ounces of oil.

 

Never worked with a D44 other than the rear axle of my ford f100 (still have it, 67" wms yo wms, 5 on 5.5, 2.72 ratio :ack: ), so YMMV.

[HOrnbrod]

While the D35 c-clip axle does not require them when converting to disk brakes, the D44 (and non-c-clip D35) require the use of machined spacers to load the bearing seals so they will seat properly.

 

 

 

Instead of getting them fabbed, you can call Teraflex and get them for $6.95/ea + shipping. That's all I needed when I swapped over the disks from the D35 c-clip to the D44.

[Garvin]

You can also get the flanges straight from Chrysler for the Dana 44 Wrangler rear with disc brakes if swapping them onto a Dana 44 rear axle, think they might fit onto the non c-clip axles also but would need to check into that.

[lostissues]

You can also get the flanges straight from Chrysler for the Dana 44 Wrangler rear with disc brakes if swapping them onto a Dana 44 rear axle, think they might fit onto the non c-clip axles also but would need to check into that.

 

what part exactly would the flange be? any idea on the part number on those or what they may cost?

also do you think teraflex would sell just the caliper mount bracket along with the spacers?

[HOrnbrod]

also do you think teraflex would sell just the caliper mount bracket along with the spacers?

 

The Teraflex caliper mount bracket/back plate/ebrake is a complete machined bolt-on assembly that mounts on the D44 axle flange. The spacer sits between this assembly and the D44 axle flange and sets the preload on the axle seals. And yes, they will sell the assembies (L & R) by themselves. The assemblies accept the stock 95-01 Ford Explorer rotors and brake calipers. The pic of the bracket assemblies is shown below circled in RED. These (and their preload spacers) are really the only "special" components you will need to convert the D44 (or non c-clip D35) to Ford Explorer disk brakes if you supply your own Explorer rotors and calipers/pads.

 

[kro10000]

I've read that the 8.8 disks are an easier swap

. One of these days I'm going to attempt to swap the vented disks from a lincoln mark VII... one of these days

[Garvin]

You can also get the flanges straight from Chrysler for the Dana 44 Wrangler rear with disc brakes if swapping them onto a Dana 44 rear axle, think they might fit onto the non c-clip axles also but would need to check into that.

 

what part exactly would the flange be? any idea on the part number on those or what they may cost?

also do you think teraflex would sell just the caliper mount bracket along with the spacers?

 

The flanges I'm referring to are the ones that are on the axle itself. You will need to press off the old bearings and seal, take the factory flange off and replace it with the Dana 44 Wrangler flange and press on a new seal and bearing. Just finished the swap on my buddies last weekend. He ended up getting Grand Cherokee rear brakes with new brake shoes, pads and rotors and we installed everything. If you plan on doing it yourself, you will need access to a press (or a shop that will do it for you) to put the new flange on. stu-offroad has a nice write-up of it that we followed (link below). The write-up is for a Wrangler but it's basically the same for any Dana 44.

 

http://www.stu-offroad.com/suspension/d44brake/bc-1.htm

 

I don't have any experience swapping 8.8 rear brakes but I believe the Grand Cherokee and Explorer disk brakes are really close to each others. I'm also not sure on the e-brake cables for the Explorer but the Grand Cherokee cables are the correct cables to fit on a Jeep (you will need to adjust the e-brake after installing the conversion but if you're tackling this job, you should be able to do that part fairly easily).

 

If you have the Dana 35 c-clip, you do not need most of those steps as the Dana 44 swap as you won't need to reload the bearings with the flange. I believe (don't quote me on this) you can slap it on a c-clip Dana 35 without having to open the hole, since there is nothing really holding the axle in at the end (only the c-clips inside the differential). In that case, the 8.8 might be easier as the 8.8 is also a c-clip axle.

 

Either way, if you decide to go this route make sure you get everything from the backing plates out, grab the bolts that hold on the backing plates (just in case) and make sure you grab the e-brake cables too.

[EUREKA]

On 4/23/2011 at 8:55 PM, HOrnbrod said:

 

The Teraflex caliper mount bracket/back plate/ebrake is a complete machined bolt-on assembly that mounts on the D44 axle flange. The spacer sits between this assembly and the D44 axle flange and sets the preload on the axle seals. And yes, they will sell the assembies (L & R) by themselves. The assemblies accept the stock 95-01 Ford Explorer rotors and brake calipers. The pic of the bracket assemblies is shown below circled in RED. These (and their preload spacers) are really the only "special" components you will need to convert the D44 (or non c-clip D35) to Ford Explorer disk brakes if you supply your own Explorer rotors and calipers/pads.

 

/uploads/archive/224b2d29a79b4c682d939879761b878f/26fedf111f8d618282d06eb96c042af1.jpg

I know some consider thread necromancy to be a sin. To them I ask forgiveness.

 

In the description of the kit it says, " These disc brake kits REQUIRE axle shafts w/ a 2.5” bearing offset."

What does that mean?

 

https://teraflex.com/shop_items/528ffa7fead962f416e72f52

[ghetdjc320]

3 hours ago, EUREKA said:

I know some consider thread necromancy to be a sin. To them I ask forgiveness.

 

In the description of the kit it says, " These disc brake kits REQUIRE axle shafts w/ a 2.5” bearing offset."

What does that mean?

 

https://teraflex.com/shop_items/528ffa7fead962f416e72f52

If you look at the Wilwood flange offset reference chart posted in your other thread it will show you how to measure that and other specs. 

[AZJeff]

7 hours ago, EUREKA said:

I know some consider thread necromancy to be a sin. To them I ask forgiveness.

 

In the description of the kit it says, " These disc brake kits REQUIRE axle shafts w/ a 2.5” bearing offset."

What does that mean?

 

https://teraflex.com/shop_items/528ffa7fead962f416e72f52

I put this Teraflex kit on my MJ, which has a D44 in the back.  I encountered two issues:

 

1.  the spacer needed to provide the preload for the wheel bearing (the one HOrnbrod talked about in the post earlier in this thread) is mandatory, and does not come with the kit.

 

2. normal XJ/MJ/KJ/ZJ type parking brake cables (with the spring clip that slides into the hole) will not properly lock into the lug on the brake backing plate casting that Teraflex provides.  I talked to Teraflex about this, and they claimed I was the first to report the problem.   I asked their tech. support guy to check his stock of these backing plates, since I assumed I got defective ones.   After he did so, he admitted they are all machined incorrectly.   I ended up making my own bracket to retain the out parking brake cable jacket on the backing plate, and it's been fine since then.

[Pete M]

1 hour ago, AZJeff said:

After he did so, he admitted they are all machined incorrectly.  

 

um, whoops?

[EUREKA]

5 hours ago, ghetdjc320 said:

If you look at the Wilwood flange offset reference chart posted in your other thread it will show you how to measure that and other specs. 

Thanks I missed that. I've been working during the day day and then spending the evenings trying to do the mental work of steering this project. I'm trying to get all the parts ordered before I disable my daily driver, and have access to measuring the flange or bearing offset (I now understand what that refers to).

[EUREKA]

2 hours ago, AZJeff said:

I put this Teraflex kit on my MJ, which has a D44 in the back.  I encountered two issues:

 

1.  the spacer needed to provide the preload for the wheel bearing (the one HOrnbrod talked about in the post earlier in this thread) is mandatory, and does not come with the kit.

 

2. normal XJ/MJ/KJ/ZJ type parking brake cables (with the spring clip that slides into the hole) will not properly lock into the lug on the brake backing plate casting that Teraflex provides.  I talked to Teraflex about this, and they claimed I was the first to report the problem.   I asked their tech. support guy to check his stock of these backing plates, since I assumed I got defective ones.   After he did so, he admitted they are all machined incorrectly.   I ended up making my own bracket to retain the out parking brake cable jacket on the backing plate, and it's been fine since then.

It looks like the kit is coming with the preload spacers now. The description says it comes with these,
1987-90 YJ & 1984-90 XJ: Rear Disc Brake Preload Spacer

[derf]

I did the Teraflex kit on my XJ Dana44 last year.  I don't remember if I ordered the spacers with the kit or if the kit just came with the spacers.  But it all bolted up and is performing well.

[WahooSteeler]

I have the kit but have not installed it yet, may still be awhile as I'll need help to do it. That said, I researched it all pretty closely before plunking down the coin and the spacers DID NOT come with the kit, but I ordered them at the same time. 

[EUREKA]

6 hours ago, derf said:

I did the Teraflex kit on my XJ Dana44 last year.  I don't remember if I ordered the spacers with the kit or if the kit just came with the spacers.  But it all bolted up and is performing well.

Good to know. I'm weighing the pros and cons of various approaches to the rears disk up grade.

[EUREKA]

5 minutes ago, WahooSteeler said:

I have the kit but have not installed it yet, may still be awhile as I'll need help to do it. That said, I researched it all pretty closely before plunking down the coin and the spacers DID NOT come with the kit, but I ordered them at the same time. 

Are we both talking about this kit, 1987-90 YJ & 1984-90 XJ: Rear Disc Brake Conversion Kit

It says the kit includes "Brake Preload Spacer (# 86262)" which is this, 1987-90 YJ & 1984-90 XJ: Rear Disc Brake Preload Spacer

Is that not the spacer we are talking about?

 

[WahooSteeler]

51 minutes ago, EUREKA said:

Are we both talking about this kit, 1987-90 YJ & 1984-90 XJ: Rear Disc Brake Conversion Kit

It says the kit includes "Brake Preload Spacer (# 86262)" which is this, 1987-90 YJ & 1984-90 XJ: Rear Disc Brake Preload Spacer

Is that not the spacer we are talking about?

 

 

CORRECTION: I did NOT order the kit, I called Teraflex directly and ordered the backing plates and the spacers individually. Even with having to get quality calipers, pads and rotors separately I think it saved me a good bit over $100 from the kit price. That was 2 years ago and the parts are still in boxes, need to get it done but want to do the dual diaphragm brake booster first. Also, someone later discovered some VW (?) parking brake clips that worked on the Teraflex backing plates. I'll dig up the box with those pieces and report back part numbers, and/or try to find the thread where I learned this a couple years ago. Sorry my previous post created confusion. 

[derf]

1 hour ago, EUREKA said:

Are we both talking about this kit, 1987-90 YJ & 1984-90 XJ: Rear Disc Brake Conversion Kit

It says the kit includes "Brake Preload Spacer (# 86262)" which is this, 1987-90 YJ & 1984-90 XJ: Rear Disc Brake Preload Spacer

Is that not the spacer we are talking about?

 

That looks like the kit I bought.

[EUREKA]

1 hour ago, WahooSteeler said:

 

CORRECTION: I did NOT order the kit, I called Teraflex directly and ordered the backing plates and the spacers individually. Even with having to get quality calipers, pads and rotors separately I think it saved me a good bit over $100 from the kit price. That was 2 years ago and the parts are still in boxes, need to get it done but want to do the dual diaphragm brake booster first. Also, someone later discovered some VW (?) parking brake clips that worked on the Teraflex backing plates. I'll dig up the box with those pieces and report back part numbers, and/or try to find the thread where I learned this a couple years ago. Sorry my previous post created confusion. 

Hey thanks! That would be great information to have!

 

What did you go with for calipers, pads, and rotors? Did you find any 2 piston calipers for the application?

[EUREKA]

1 hour ago, derf said:

That looks like the kit I bought.

[WahooSteeler]

31 minutes ago, EUREKA said:

Hey thanks! That would be great information to have!

 

What did you go with for calipers, pads, and rotors? Did you find any 2 piston calipers for the application?

 

I wasn't going to buy any until I got around to doing the swap, but another member here had the full kit and decided to upgrade to Wildwood calipers and I bought his Teraflex calipers, pads and rotors for a really good deal. I think all total I saved @$180 over the kit. 

[EUREKA]

Just now, WahooSteeler said:

 

I wasn't going to buy any until I got around to doing the swap, but another member here had the full kit and decided to upgrade to Wildwood calipers and I bought his Teraflex calipers, pads and rotors for a really good deal. I think all total I saved @$180 over the kit. 

 

The Teraflex kit seems to use calipers from 2003-2006 TJ/LJ. What Wilwood calipers bolt up to that? I don't see any calipers listed for that application from Wilwood.

I am considering modifying he Wilwood kit for the Dana 35 so that I can have the better calipers ect.

 

https://www.wilwood.com/BrakeKits/BrakeKitAdvisor