Rear Disk Brakes?

[johnj92131]

Well, my rear brake shoes are oil soaked from leaking seals in my Dana 44. The drums will not stand another turn, so I am looking at $750 to replace the axle seals, drums and brakes.

 

Time to ask about what it takes to do a rear disk brake conversion.

 

Since I have a Dana 44 and Metric Tone package, an Explorer axle is not on the table.

 

Does that leave me with only the Grand Cherokee rear disk option?

 

Any words of wisdom from those of you who have been there will be appreciated.

 

Thanks,

 

John Jackson

[comancheon33]

Check out NAXJA alot guys over there have use Crown Vic rear disks on 44s. I know the bolt pattern for the brackets from a Grand Cherokee don't line up. HTH

[comanchedude]

My Buddie did a swap and used the rear disc setup from a 96 crown vic

only had to do a couple very minor mods "grinding" and make a spacer for the axel seal. turned out great. I plan the same setup on my Jeep this spring

We got the parts at the pull&pay cost was around $60.00 if I remember.

[Eagle]

I know I'm in a minority, but I would replace the seals and buy a pair of brake drums. You're not running NASCAR, there's no need for disc brakes in an MJ.

[comancheon33]

Not saying an MJ is a nascar but IMHO discs have many advantages over drums. Cleaner, work better, no adjustments required, don't pack up with mud and water four wheelin. Easier to replace the pads, and the brake pedal feels so much better than drums.

[jeepdoggydogB]

Not saying an MJ is a nascar but IMHO discs have many advantages over drums. Cleaner, work better, no adjustments required, don't pack up with mud and water four wheelin. Easier to replace the pads, and the brake pedal feels so much better than drums.

If you go take the suggestion of Eagle (I did) make sure that your axle isn't bent after two seals I finally realized the axle was bent and had to replace it.

[comanchedude]

Not saying an MJ is a nascar but IMHO discs have many advantages over drums. Cleaner, work better, no adjustments required, don't pack up with mud and water four wheelin. Easier to replace the pads, and the brake pedal feels so much better than drums.

 

x2

Disc brakes are an upgrade ,same with upgrading the brake booster.

and has nothing to do with Nascar :roll:

[Eagle]

Disc brakes are an upgrade ,same with upgrading the brake booster. and has nothing to do with Nascar :roll:

Semantics. In order for me to consider something an "upgrade" it has to be significantly better than what it replaces, not just different.

 

I grew up working on modified stock cars that would lock up all four big, fat racing tires being driven by full-race 427 Chevy engines -- using drum brakes with no power boosters.

 

You're going to have to work very hard to convince me that disc brakes are inherently "better" than drum brakes. If you think they're better and you want to go through the hassles of making the conversion, be my guest. Personally, I just don't see any point to it.

[TNT]

Disc brakes are an upgrade ,same with upgrading the brake booster. and has nothing to do with Nascar :roll:

Semantics. In order for me to consider something an "upgrade" it has to be significantly better than what it replaces, not just different.

 

I grew up working on modified stock cars that would lock up all four big, fat racing tires being driven by full-race 427 Chevy engines -- using drum brakes with no power boosters.

 

You're going to have to work very hard to convince me that disc brakes are inherently "better" than drum brakes. If you think they're better and you want to go through the hassles of making the conversion, be my guest. Personally, I just don't see any point to it.

 

ZJ and 8.8 discs also have drum brakes that packs up with mud too.

 

Stock Dana 44 MJ rear brakes can be upgraded to 3 or 4 larger sized wheel cylinders. With a wheel cylinder upgrade they easily have more stoppiing power then a ZJ/8.8 style disc brake could ever have.

 

With the $20.00 it costs to buy larger wheel cylinders you can get so much more stopping power that you will need to do a drastic upgrade in the front to balance it out.

 

Now if you were going to use a pinion mounted e-brake and some larger vented rear discs and larger calipers that would rate as a good step up in braking power.

[comancheon33]

I have used front XJ rotors and calipers and weld on brackets before on the rear of an XJ with a 44. It stopped better than the drum brakes but no better than my ZJ rear discs. If drum brakes are so great why 99% of the new cars and trucks on the road using four wheel disc? Why is every featured vehicle in any magazine have 4 wheel disc?

The proof is out there that wheel disc shortens stopping distance. Disapate heat faster, less likely to get pedal fade. On and on.

If like your drums thats great use them. They do work but I will still say swapping them out the best awnser for me. I prefer disc or drum. Thats my preference.

[TNT]

I have used front XJ rotors and calipers and weld on brackets before on the rear of an XJ with a 44. It stopped better than the drum brakes but no better than my ZJ rear discs.

 

The reason the XJ rotors and calipers didn't work better was the master cylinder must be able to supply the larger amount of fluid the bigger calipers require.

 

If drum brakes are so great why 99% of the new cars and trucks on the road using four wheel disc? Why is every featured vehicle in any magazine have 4 wheel disc?

The proof is out there that wheel disc shortens stopping distance. Disapate heat faster, less likely to get pedal fade. On and on.

If like your drums thats great use them. They do work but I will still say swapping them out the best awnser for me. I prefer disc or drum. Thats my preference.

 

Disc brakes are great, but a drum brake can work fine in our application. If more stopping power is need larger wheel cylinders will do it way cheaper then a disc swap. Wheel cylinders cost about $10.00 each.

 

I agree discs are the best, but if your budget is limited the drums can easily get the job done.

 

The big problem with XJ/MJ brakes is the suck... The front brakes need to be larger(one reason I'm swapping to a frt HP D44), the rear brakes are underpowered and the booster/master cylinder needs help also.

I will be doing a rear disc swap on my rear 9" axle. I will aso figure out the correct booster/master cylinder combo.

 

I want to have enough brake power to lock-up 35's on dry pavement with power left to spare.

[Pete M]

You're going to have to work very hard to convince me that disc brakes are inherently "better" than drum brakes. If you think they're better and you want to go through the hassles of making the conversion, be my guest. Personally, I just don't see any point to it.

 

 

I'll eventually being putting disks on my 88's 9" purely to eliminate having to clean out the mud. No other reason. I hate pulling off the tires and drums when the entire vehicle is wet and muddy. :(

[TNT]

You're going to have to work very hard to convince me that disc brakes are inherently "better" than drum brakes. If you think they're better and you want to go through the hassles of making the conversion, be my guest. Personally, I just don't see any point to it.

 

 

I'll eventually being putting disks on my 88's 9" purely to eliminate having to clean out the mud. No other reason. I hate pulling off the tires and drums when the entire vehicle is wet and muddy. :(

 

With the internal drum emergency brakes like a ZJ or 8.8 or without?

 

I plan on going without. After a heavy mud trip I'll still have to clean the vents in all 4 rotors thou.

[Eagle]

I have used front XJ rotors and calipers and weld on brackets before on the rear of an XJ with a 44. It stopped better than the drum brakes but no better than my ZJ rear discs. If drum brakes are so great why 99% of the new cars and trucks on the road using four wheel disc? Why is every featured vehicle in any magazine have 4 wheel disc?

The proof is out there that wheel disc shortens stopping distance. Disapate heat faster, less likely to get pedal fade. On and on.

If like your drums thats great use them. They do work but I will still say swapping them out the best awnser for me. I prefer disc or drum. Thats my preference.

Early 1950s Hudsons with drum brakes on all four wheels stopped shorter than any 4-wheel disk street sedan on the market today -- with no power brakes.

 

Yes, disc brakes dissipate heat better, and for racing that's a concern. For normal street driving and for trail use that's not a consideration.

[Pete M]

I'll eventually being putting disks on my 88's 9" purely to eliminate having to clean out the mud. No other reason. I hate pulling off the tires and drums when the entire vehicle is wet and muddy. :(

 

With the internal drum emergency brakes like a ZJ or 8.8 or without?

 

I plan on going without. After a heavy mud trip I'll still have to clean the vents in all 4 rotors thou.

 

 

Oh, it'll all still have to be cleaned of course, but I can clean most all of the mud out of my front disks with a garden hose at the 4x4park or in town at the DIY carwash. What I should have clarified that better and said that I won't have to pull off the drums before hitting the road.

[TNT]

I'll eventually being putting disks on my 88's 9" purely to eliminate having to clean out the mud. No other reason. I hate pulling off the tires and drums when the entire vehicle is wet and muddy. :(

 

Still wondering which rear disc style are you going to use?

 

With the internal drum emergency brakes like a ZJ or 8.8 or just a rotor/caliper set-up?

[Pete M]

Still wondering which rear disc style are you going to use?

 

With the internal drum emergency brakes like a ZJ or 8.8 or just a rotor/caliper set-up?

 

 

Haven't yet decided precisely which parts I'll be using, but at this time I have no plans to adapt any sort of parking brake. But then again that might change if I find a good write-up from someone that has.

 

These are a couple write-ups I've found so far. There are other vehicles in the world that use the 5on5.5 pattern so I plan to try every one of their rotors when the time comes. :D

I'm not real keen on copying either one directly. I think I can do better.

 

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=229934

http://fordfuelinjection.com/bronco/brakes.html

 

This is my current parking brake. Hasn't let me down yet. :D

 

[HOrnbrod]

Well, my rear brake shoes are oil soaked from leaking seals in my Dana 44. The drums will not stand another turn, so I am looking at $750 to replace the axle seals, drums and brakes.

 

Time to ask about what it takes to do a rear disk brake conversion.

 

Since I have a Dana 44 and Metric Tone package, an Explorer axle is not on the table.

 

Does that leave me with only the Grand Cherokee rear disk option?

 

Any words of wisdom from those of you who have been there will be appreciated.

 

Thanks,

 

John Jackson

 

The Teraflex disk braks kit works just fine on the D44s and usedsFord Explorer rotors and pads.

[TNT]

If you are using a HP44 with Ford brakes this is a great write-up about better front brakes.

 

http://www.ford-trucks.com/article/idx/13/092/article/Complete_Brake_Upgrade_for_1978__1979_Ford_Broncos.html

[Pete M]

If you are using a HP44 with Ford brakes this is a great write-up about better front brakes.

 

http://www.ford-trucks.com/article/idx/13/092/article/Complete_Brake_Upgrade_for_1978__1979_Ford_Broncos.html

 

Hmmm. Now there's some food for thought. :brows:

[DrThunder]

drum brakes are simple and easier to adjust. tractor trailer trucks use drum brakes all around. if they used disks they would never stop. there is a lot more contact area with a drum brake compared to discs but for offroading its nice to have disks because they won't get clogged up with stuff

[HOrnbrod]

drum brakes are simple and easier to adjust. tractor trailer trucks use drum brakes all around. if they used disks they would never stop. there is a lot more contact area with a drum brake compared to discs but for offroading its nice to have disks because they won't get clogged up with stuff

 

Even better disks require NO maintainance until replacement time, just periodic inspections. Would be great if everyone kept their drum shoes properly adjusted, but that doesn't happen. Plus there are no exposed springs, cams, and/or levers to rust up and break.......

 

I'll stick with disks.

[johnj92131]

Appreciate all the comments and the links so far.

 

Should let you all know that I am running a 2 wheel drive truck and don't do any off the road driving. What I do want to do is haul a 4500 pound camping trailer with the truck.

 

So I really want to feel good about the ability of the Comanche brakes to stop the truck and trailer. With the Rodeo I am about 5 - 600 pounds over Max GVW. With the Comanche, I would be 5 or 600 punds UNDER GVW. Not really a big difference, but I do KNOW the Rodeo can do the job. I only THINK the Comanche can do the job.

 

Now I use an Isuzu Rodeo to pull the trailer. The Rodeo, no doubt has better breaks than the Comanche. But it is still an issue when you are going down a mountain with a 4500 pound trailer (even with electric brakes) pushing a 38-4000 pound vehicle. And, Yes, the ABS Brakes on the Rodeo are nice. They kicked in twice when pulling the trailer.

 

Why use the Comanche to tow? Well the GF doesn't drive a stick shift. The Rodeo is a 5 speed stick and the Comanche is an automatic. Other than that, not really much of an advantage to take the Comanche.

 

So I the best thing just to get top quality OEM brakes installed? After all, the work. Why go in the direction of experimenting with new brakes?

 

Your comments are appreciated.

[Eagle]

This is my current parking brake. Hasn't let me down yet. :D

That seems to work for the US Postal Service.

 

Theirs are nicely wedge-shaped, though, and they have high-tech solid handles.

[500 MJ]

You might find this interesting...

 

http://www.madxj.com/MADXJ/technical/technicalfiles/BAzjRearDiscsOnXJ/ZJrearDiscsOnXJ.htm