I've got a 1993 XJ. I bought it back in September of 2020. Apart from some small Odds-And-Ends that needed some attention, I'll be getting into the Drums-To-Discs conversion. In the meantime, I'm watching a few different channels so I can try & get every trick, plus incite from more than just one person seems to work for me. Thanks for posting your video, it was pretty cool, along with your tips which helped out a lot....
To fix my cable issue I used a "e-brake clevis" from a late 60's corvette. Cut the spring down and trim the ball (on the end),and done. Have been running that setup for over a 2 years now.
The Dana 35 axle(s) he got the disc brakes off of are notoriously weak and prone to breaking, especially with bigger tires. The Chrysler 8.25 axles are stout axles but never came with disc brakes. You get the best of both in this case.
How bout swapping complete rearend...easier/less labor intensive? More money maybe but there are other leaf spring rear ends with disc brakes I'm sure...
So does that mean that a C-clip Dana35 has the same disc brakes as a Dana44 ? I have a set of ‘98 ZJ 5.9 rear disc brakes that I would like to put on my (c-clip)dana35 in my ‘97 TJ
The 44 is very similar and should only need some slight grinding. I had to open up a few of the bolting holes and the center ring to fit my 35 swap onto my 44
Only replacing the stock plate with the newer, thicker plate. I used my stock one as a bootleg spacer for the backing plate since my aftermarket shaft wasn't the right length, but i don't really recommend that method or those shafts. Look up "death of a built Dana 35" to see the aftermath of this axle.
Hey, Nick... Nice to have to use one of your vids for reference... How about those of us who installed or came with a Chrysler 8.25.?? Will this also work???
Did you install a new axle shafts ? What happened to the old ones ? Broke or twisted splines ? Or did you just paint and add new wheel studs ? ........... Also , did you grab the proportioning valve off of the ZJ ? The stock XJ valve will keep pressure on the rear brakes ( as drum brakes need some pressure on them constantly vs disks that dont ) ....... You can just replace the internals of your valve with the internals of a ZJ one ...
+Norman Murray Chromoly Shafts, didn't break the old, just figure I'd upgrade now since it's all apart. Found out I had a newer style Proportioning Valve that was identical to the ZJ one I grabbed. Compared to my original valve, the only difference I saw was spring length.
What made you go this route using the zj kit vs the liberty vs explorer vs crown vic? Also what about using the tera flex spacers that fit the stock retaining plate.
+HBRacing13 a liberty uses a 8.25 rear end, so if you have a later xj it a direct swap, not the case with the d35, explore and crown vic are the same one and with those you need a spacer between the tube and the backing plate so the the pads will be centered. so with a dana 35 this should be the easiest way, I was tempted to do this exact same swap on my d44, but ended up using an entirely different axle so it never happened.
+HBRacing13 MrWiggilez Nailed it on the head. I didn't think you could buy anything from their kit separately, but the stock parts were cheap enough for me to not bother looking it up.
+MrWiggilez yea I've done the liberty and the zj swaps on non c clip axles, so I know it fits just wondering why didn't go this route. I know the liberty disc are a little harder to find compared to the zj. The crown vic use forward facing calipers vs rear facing like the explorers do and everything else, I've read lookup which are the best options I guess it just depends on what you can find and if it's competent not. Also I noticed that the zj, liberty calipers are the same and more expensive but the explorer have a bigger bore and are cheaper for some odd reason and bolt right up.
+NickInTimeFilms yea naxja has a set up the pn 86261 for the teraflex preload spacers. Yea a lot of guys didn't like the idea of welding and drilling a other hole in that bearing retainer plate.
+HBRacing13 And to answer your original question, I like to keep things Jeep if I can. Figured the Liberty was for 8.25's and ZJ's are plentiful in my local yard so I went with that. I like using the TJ Retainer Plate a bit more only because it will always be centered, no need to juggle a spacer in there. A few holes here and there, just weight reduction to me, haha.
+Teddy Monroe Dirkes Used Auto Parts in Mays Landing Nj is where I go because it's the only local U-Pull I know of. They have way more cars than trucks though. Going out to Harry's U-Pull in PA is a blast because of their huge selection.
So in theory, a person could remove the rear disk brake system from a 2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee and place them on a 2006 Jeep Wrangler that has rear drum brakes?
That I do not exactly know. I swapped to an XJ44 rear later and these brackets fit the studs, but then I had to grind out the inside a bit for the wheel bearings to pass through.
isn't there a pressure drop down valve on the master cylinder/fluid distribution block that you want to take out? since disk need a lot more psi to work then drums for the same result
+artardFTW I was going to swap the proportioning valve over but found out the ZJ one is exactly the same as the XJ one. You can take the rubber isolating washer out for more flow but if one of your brake lines fail, you won't have any separation between the front and back and no stoppy stoppy. The pedal feels a little softer but they seem to stop well enough for me.
+NickInTimeFilms ahh ok. I've watched other videos on it & one dude made a big deal about it. my buddy replaced his drums a couple weeks after I did mine, and they were metal on metal within a couple more weeks. so disc conversion has always been in the back of our minds. especially now that I have a limited slip d35 I'm going to start prepping for install once I get the broken set pin out of the spider gear bar thing
+NickInTimeFilms the actual skeleton of the prop valve on the xj and zj are the same but I'm pretty sure the internals are a bit different and the ports definitely are since zjs are all abs. you can swap the internals from the zj into the xj and it works and you do have isolation, so if a line bursts you still have brakes
+Alex Ottomano Yeah, I was mentioning one of the mods people do where you take the rubber grommit of the internal valve to increase flow, losing the isolation. If you run the whole ZJ block, do you have to run a second line to the rear or just block one of the ports? Here's a question, what's the difference between a Distribution Block and a Proportioning Valve? They seem to be interchangeable, but I figured the Valve was the part inside the Block.
+kyhillbillys10 I attached a Feiyu Tech 2-Axis GoPro Gimbal to a GoPro Suction Cup. The Handle has the same mount as GoPro stuff do I just zip tied the handle to the mount. www.amazon.com/FEGMG2-Steadycam-2-Axis-Handheld-Gimbal/dp/B014ALQ0M6
Hello my name is PIER and I have a jeep cheroke 93vi your converting video !! Is very good and I get you doubts about how to do it I hope it fits me well Greetings from URUGUAY SOUTH AMERICA.
Wow.... That was a lot of work! Good job, man! I *just* changed the shoes on my drums a few days ago, so I'm good for another decade or so. Would you recommend this swap? Do you think it was worth all your trouble? I was hesitant to do this for the reasons you address at the beginning - the performance improvement is quite small with rear drums vs rear discs. I suspect I'll just end up swapping in a whole axle from something with discs before my new shoes wear out again. Very informative! Thank you! :)
The braking improvement over properly adjusted drums was minimal, but i feel the disks work a little better when muddy. The biggest reason I like this swap is that I don't have to adjust them every time I go in the mud. They are always tight and I never have to worry about them. Good reassurance to have when you're at the top of a hill and would like to not pummel into the back of someone else at the bottom. I'm thinking with an adjustable proportioning valve, they would feel amazing, but for now they are consistently good. For me, they were absolutely worth the trouble and I'd do it again. If you don't play in mud or water and your brakes self adjust, you're probably not missing out on much.
Right on. That's all good to know! Oh, that was the other thing I meant to ask, was about the proportioning valve. The existing one on your XJ was okay for the discs?
I had to replace mine a while ago becuase it failed. Grabbed one from an xj, but the internals were the same has the disk zj i grabbed so I don't know what's going on there. This video shows the proportioning valve findings
Oh, sorry about that. I did watch the whole thing, maybe I got distracted during that part. Great video anyway! Keep up the good work, man. I've got an 8.25" rear axle, so I more or less watched this just out of curiosity.... and wasn't disappointed. :)
I’m slightly confused. Did u put the old bracket on the differential first and then the backing plate and then the axle with the new plate seal and bearings or you just discarded the old plate and used the new one?
Few things. First it depends if you have a c-clip axle or not. Since My dana 35 is non c-clip, it uses an axle retainer plate which is sandwiched on the axle shaft bearing stack. I had to use the new retainer plate since it has the correct spacing to hold everything in place. Second, I have aftermarket axle shafts which were incorrectly machined. Because of this, I needed to use the stock retainer plate as a spacer to make everything fit. On a correct setup you will not do this, just mount everything up as usual and discard the stock retainer plate.
NickInTimeFilms yes mine is a non c Clíp. I got the plates that you have today and Monday I’m putting new bearings and new plate on. It suppose to make up for the extra width on the new disc brake? When I put it on it fills in the width that uff was missing so from the differential to the disc bracket it is flush all around
@@ibxlegendx The shaft may move in and out slightly but nothing crazy. As long as the bearing stack was pressed all the way on, and the seal and new retainer plate are facing the right way, that should be everything.
I did this same thing with my D35 non C clip. I wouldn't do it again. It was the biggest pain in the ass! I couldn't get the spacing right with the thicker ZJ backing plates. Having to press everything on and off. What a nightmare!! Just save your time and money and do a Ford 8.8 swap. It comes with discs already if it's out of a 96-01 exploder. They're stronger than a Dana 44 and easier to work on with the C clips. They say, "well what if the axle breaks? Won't your axle just walk out and just crash and burn?" The answer is no the disc breaks will hold in the axle shaft so you can limp it off the trail! My $0.02 but I've been there done that now I'm swapping in the 8.8. Lesson learned. Hopefully I can share some wisdom.
+Ryan Garcia Biggest drawback I have for the 8.8 is actually an aftermarket thing. I run Eaton E-Lockers and the 8.8 version is absolute crap and stops working after a few uses.
I don't see how you had a problem this was far easier then anything I've ever done. The 8.8 is a great axle but unless you have a mj or a welder to either keep the perches or run spring under, welding the tubes, since they like have know to spin under load, it being a 1/4 narrow on each side and locker options. Other then that it's a great axle, usually is with 3.73 or 4.10 a limited slip and factory disc you really can't beat it especially for the price.
+HBRacing13 I got my 8.8 online with 4.10 gears to match my 1988 4cyl YJ. Idk where it came from but it had tons of rust! Here in the southwest that's foreign to me. But I did make a discovery. The ZJ brake calipers, rotors, and pads will all work on the Ford 8.8 backing plates. I'm not even gonna have to bleed my brakes upon final assembly.
Well done :-D, bloody smashing :-D. You coped well with the problems of fitting, not exactly easy but worth every swear word.:-D. Those brakes are much better than the drum types, drums are a very old design, but they worked ok for the slower era of vehicles where the roads were less mad. I was dissapointed by the lack of cardboard used, but the cornflakes box can stay unmolested for another day LOL :).
+bemyers123 I swaped to a WJ Brake Booster and Master Cylinder a while ago. I was going to talk about the Internal Proportioning Valve but when I took out mine, It looked just like the ZJ one so I didn't bother.
NickInTimeFilms I don't know the size/volume difference between the WJ (Grand Cherokee) and a Dodge Durango master. I know that people have swapped out their pre-'97 booster for a newer '97+ booster staying with the XJ parts and then added a '99-'03 Dodge Durango master cylinder and ZJ rear disc brakes with the proportioning valve. This is my next mod. All I need is the Durango master cylinder to complete the job on my 2000 XJ.
I'm very much aware that the pads are directional, I got one that was assembled backwards so I had to make it work. Compare 25:00 to 25:34 . Referring to some RockAuto photos, I see that I grinded down the wrong one so good catch there. The outer pad Tab should be on the flat side, while the inner pad Tab should be on the hook side. If you look at the two sets, the inners are correct as the flats/hooks are properly mirrored and the tabs are on the hook side. For the outers the tabs are properly mirrored but the flats/hooks are not as I have 2 pads with flats on the left and hooks on the right. That simply won't work on both sides. Hope that clears things up. Here's a reference picture if you like: www.rockauto.com/info/30/MRD666_020912.jpg
lol i figured you knew what you were doing but i deal with some ppl that do there own breaks and wonder why they dont have breaks when they forget to put on the outer pad so i just didnt want to assume anything haha but loved the vid ether way looking to lift my jeep and put bigger tires on just dont know how big of a lift i want yet
It's all good, hard to tell with some people, haha. And as for lift, it really depends on what you want to use the truck for and what size tire you wanna fit. 3" 32's, 4.5" 33's and 6" 35's are all good combos. Cutout flares may allow a little less lift.
well i want to go off roading not like mudding right now ive got a 01 grand cherokee with the 4.0 was thinking 3 to 4" lift just havin a hard time trying to figure out what rim and tire size ill need or what lift kit i should get first off road thing im trying to build..
fatherknightroad 15x8 is the standard for rims. bumping up to 16-17 just means more expensive tires usually. 32" tires would probably be a safe bet, 33s If you can fit em
Hey man how's ur Dana 35 holding up with the 35s I plan on swapping mine for a 8.8 from a explorer but just wondering if you are locked in back or anything
+89flstang XJ Oh hell yeah, I've got the works. 4.56 gears, Eaton elocker, chromos shafts, and obviously disk brake on 35x12.5 stt pros. No issues with the axle but my locker gets a little sticky in the cold.
+89flstang XJ my D35 is a non c clip which I feel helps it in strength a little. I think 89 and older usually are. But if you have the chance to build something better then do it.
That was the one thing I didn't cover in this video because I didn't see a visual difference. I swapped em anyway. th-cam.com/video/NCSMYqzNxyc/w-d-xo.html
Duane albers. Are you sure ? i am looking to improve my rear brake's. just like this to my 1992 yj wrangler. you think would be better. with the proportioning valve? .
Just did my e brake. That weird two piece lever was so rusted together I had to take a mallet pipe and 30 minutes per side to get them out then 10 minutes of soaking each, 10 minutes wailing with a mallet each to separated them and and hour each with a wire wheel to get the rust off. Adjusting the e brake isn't an exact science ether because the tend to float when actuated.
+NickInTimeFilms have you had any issues with the parking brakes locking up or popping out of place? did you torque your axle plates to any specific torque? my rear passenger bearing keeps crapping out I think it's because I'm over torquing
How are the E-brake Cables? One of mine was pretty rusted on the inside and wouldn't return once it was pulled. Besides that make sure everything is clean and put together properly. As for the Bearing retainer, it should do all the work for you. I just tightened it till it was good and tight, the spacer that I made keeps the stock preload on the bearing so everything is dandy. You didn't reuse the old race in the tube right? Packed it with grease? Is it sticking out more then usual or is the axle bent at all?
when you bled the Brakes towards the end It is showing a totally different set of axles. they are Chromoly axles. this video is mixed with the axle upgrade vid you did. lol
No It wouldn’t, would need to be welded correctly . Thought it might be an easier route. Guess it depends on your skills.
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Nice swap, but not as easy as I would've liked, so I'll keep the drums :D (Plus here brake mods are a bitch to pass inspection). I can adjust them from time to time just fine. I'll need to do something about the booster, though. Most of the time I have to pump my brakes to have a decent pedal feel...
+Iñigo Zapata That WJ Booster can help quite a bit with pedal feel.
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NickInTimeFilms From what I read I'm suspecting I might also have a problem with the master cylinder, since slowly pressing the pedal works worse than sudden pumping, as if the slow press would allow the MC seals to fail but it still kept pressure when pressed suddenly.
From my knowledge the Chrysler 8.25 didn't get disk brakes until the Liberty came out, and that is not a direct swap. Unless you meant a Ford 8.8 which you could get with disks but that still requires new mounts welded on. Nice thing with my setup was it swapped fairly easily over when I went to a Dana 44.
The KJ Liberty is coil sprung in the rear so it's 8.25 won't have the proper leaf perches that the XJ 8.25 has. You could swap KJ Disks onto an XJ 8.25 and then it would be a direct fit, but that's basically what I had to do with my D35 which was already locked and geared.
I can't directly confirm this, but I would assume the 8.25 Backing Plates are different then the Dana 35/44, so they will probably require modification as well or may not even work properly. The ZJ is a popular donor vehicle because it uses a Dana axle so parts swap easier.
+Ken MacMillan Used baking plates are fine and the Jeep/Dodge dealer will charge you up the AZZ. He replaced the calipers with reman and he purchased new flex brake lines that go to the calipers and new emergency brake shoes...so, what did you miss?
Not Bad, I knew the stock cable were a bit longer so that's an interesting solution. I'd probably try that if both my cables still worked properly but I may just buy the Teraflex cables since they should work perfectly.
Doesn't sound very obvious to me. One method required modifying a backing plate, the other requires cutting and modifying axle mounts. I've got a flux core welder that I wouldn't feel comfortable with attaching structural axle components with. I also don't feel liking hauling an entire axle out of a junk yard in unknown condition to swap with a perfectly good axle, and let's not forget mine is already regeared and locked. So no, that would not be smart for me. I went with a Dana 44 later and this setup swapped right over with some sanding.
I've got a 1993 XJ. I bought it back in September of 2020. Apart from some small Odds-And-Ends that needed some attention, I'll be getting into the Drums-To-Discs conversion. In the meantime, I'm watching a few different channels so I can try & get every trick, plus incite from more than just one person seems to work for me. Thanks for posting your video, it was pretty cool, along with your tips which helped out a lot....
thanks for this video man, my brother just got a comanche and we wanted to bring it into this century
just finished my conversion dude thanks for the tips and tricks saved alot of trials and errors
What about the proportioning valve? Drum vs disk.
Do you think it’s best to just source a backing plate from the junk yard and buy new ZJ rotors/pads/calipers online?
do a video on fixing a emergency brake line , there is non on youtube
probably cause its so easy to do
To fix my cable issue I used a "e-brake clevis" from a late 60's corvette. Cut the spring down and trim the ball (on the end),and done. Have been running that setup for over a 2 years now.
Hmmm.... why didnt you just swap the whole axle?
I was thinking the samething.
that's what i though, but then i remembered of the gear ratio. that's why i couldn't swap for one from the ecology.
The zj uses coil springs and control arms where the xj uses leaf springs
and a kj is a direct swap so i have no idea why he went with zj
The Dana 35 axle(s) he got the disc brakes off of are notoriously weak and prone to breaking, especially with bigger tires. The Chrysler 8.25 axles are stout axles but never came with disc brakes. You get the best of both in this case.
What about the proportioning valve?
How bout swapping complete rearend...easier/less labor intensive? More money maybe but there are other leaf spring rear ends with disc brakes I'm sure...
I swapped in a dana 44 later on, but still needed work to make the disks fit.
So does that mean that a C-clip Dana35 has the same disc brakes as a Dana44 ? I have a set of ‘98 ZJ 5.9 rear disc brakes that I would like to put on my (c-clip)dana35 in my ‘97 TJ
The 44 is very similar and should only need some slight grinding. I had to open up a few of the bolting holes and the center ring to fit my 35 swap onto my 44
So on my D35 non c clip. I don't put the stock axle retainer back in but I put the 5083678aa in the place? Or does it need both?
Only replacing the stock plate with the newer, thicker plate. I used my stock one as a bootleg spacer for the backing plate since my aftermarket shaft wasn't the right length, but i don't really recommend that method or those shafts. Look up "death of a built Dana 35" to see the aftermath of this axle.
@@NickInTimeFilms Thanks for the quick reply.
I wonder if a rear axle bearing retainer plate from a TJ Dana 44 will work for this swap?
I think that's exactly what I used. Has the extra ring stickout to make up for the thicker backing plate.
Hey, Nick... Nice to have to use one of your vids for reference... How about those of us who installed or came with a Chrysler 8.25.?? Will this also work???
For the 8.25 Id look into the Jeep Liberty, they had 8.25's with disks, should be direct Bolt on but google would know more.
I know this is an old video but will this work on a 89 YJ with a Dana 35?
Did mine a few years agosto, no issues 91 yj
Did you install a new axle shafts ? What happened to the old ones ? Broke or twisted splines ? Or did you just paint and add new wheel studs ? ........... Also , did you grab the proportioning valve off of the ZJ ? The stock XJ valve will keep pressure on the rear brakes ( as drum brakes need some pressure on them constantly vs disks that dont ) ....... You can just replace the internals of your valve with the internals of a ZJ one ...
+Norman Murray Chromoly Shafts, didn't break the old, just figure I'd upgrade now since it's all apart. Found out I had a newer style Proportioning Valve that was identical to the ZJ one I grabbed. Compared to my original valve, the only difference I saw was spring length.
Hey i need a drivers rear backing plate for 89 cherokee xj laredo dana 44 is what i need i will pay for it can you help?
What made you go this route using the zj kit vs the liberty vs explorer vs crown vic?
Also what about using the tera flex spacers that fit the stock retaining plate.
+HBRacing13
a liberty uses a 8.25 rear end, so if you have a later xj it a direct swap, not the case with the d35, explore and crown vic are the same one and with those you need a spacer between the tube and the backing plate so the the pads will be centered. so with a dana 35 this should be the easiest way, I was tempted to do this exact same swap on my d44, but ended up using an entirely different axle so it never happened.
+HBRacing13 MrWiggilez Nailed it on the head. I didn't think you could buy anything from their kit separately, but the stock parts were cheap enough for me to not bother looking it up.
+MrWiggilez yea I've done the liberty and the zj swaps on non c clip axles, so I know it fits just wondering why didn't go this route. I know the liberty disc are a little harder to find compared to the zj. The crown vic use forward facing calipers vs rear facing like the explorers do and everything else, I've read lookup which are the best options I guess it just depends on what you can find and if it's competent not.
Also I noticed that the zj, liberty calipers are the same and more expensive but the explorer have a bigger bore and are cheaper for some odd reason and bolt right up.
+NickInTimeFilms yea naxja has a set up the pn 86261 for the teraflex preload spacers. Yea a lot of guys didn't like the idea of welding and drilling a other hole in that bearing retainer plate.
+HBRacing13 And to answer your original question, I like to keep things Jeep if I can. Figured the Liberty was for 8.25's and ZJ's are plentiful in my local yard so I went with that. I like using the TJ Retainer Plate a bit more only because it will always be centered, no need to juggle a spacer in there. A few holes here and there, just weight reduction to me, haha.
lmfao "dr.claw" shit my pants, made my day, great video!
What pick apart yard do you go to? Great vid
+Teddy Monroe Dirkes Used Auto Parts in Mays Landing Nj is where I go because it's the only local U-Pull I know of. They have way more cars than trucks though. Going out to Harry's U-Pull in PA is a blast because of their huge selection.
So in theory, a person could remove the rear disk brake system from a 2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee and place them on a 2006 Jeep Wrangler that has rear drum brakes?
That I do not exactly know. I swapped to an XJ44 rear later and these brackets fit the studs, but then I had to grind out the inside a bit for the wheel bearings to pass through.
Thanks:. Really nice job by the way :)
isn't there a pressure drop down valve on the master cylinder/fluid distribution block that you want to take out? since disk need a lot more psi to work then drums for the same result
+artardFTW I was going to swap the proportioning valve over but found out the ZJ one is exactly the same as the XJ one. You can take the rubber isolating washer out for more flow but if one of your brake lines fail, you won't have any separation between the front and back and no stoppy stoppy. The pedal feels a little softer but they seem to stop well enough for me.
+NickInTimeFilms ahh ok. I've watched other videos on it & one dude made a big deal about it. my buddy replaced his drums a couple weeks after I did mine, and they were metal on metal within a couple more weeks. so disc conversion has always been in the back of our minds. especially now that I have a limited slip d35 I'm going to start prepping for install once I get the broken set pin out of the spider gear bar thing
+NickInTimeFilms the actual skeleton of the prop valve on the xj and zj are the same but I'm pretty sure the internals are a bit different and the ports definitely are since zjs are all abs. you can swap the internals from the zj into the xj and it works and you do have isolation, so if a line bursts you still have brakes
+Alex Ottomano Correct, you are!
+Alex Ottomano Yeah, I was mentioning one of the mods people do where you take the rubber grommit of the internal valve to increase flow, losing the isolation. If you run the whole ZJ block, do you have to run a second line to the rear or just block one of the ports?
Here's a question, what's the difference between a Distribution Block and a Proportioning Valve? They seem to be interchangeable, but I figured the Valve was the part inside the Block.
not brake related. How did you mount your camera in the cab? I like the pivoting style you have and want to do the same with my go pro.
+kyhillbillys10 I attached a Feiyu Tech 2-Axis GoPro Gimbal to a GoPro Suction Cup. The Handle has the same mount as GoPro stuff do I just zip tied the handle to the mount.
www.amazon.com/FEGMG2-Steadycam-2-Axis-Handheld-Gimbal/dp/B014ALQ0M6
+NickInTimeFilms
thanks I appreciate it. nice rig btw.
Hello my name is PIER and I have a jeep cheroke 93vi your converting video !! Is very good and I get you doubts about how to do it I hope it fits me well
Greetings from URUGUAY SOUTH AMERICA.
Wow.... That was a lot of work! Good job, man! I *just* changed the shoes on my drums a few days ago, so I'm good for another decade or so.
Would you recommend this swap? Do you think it was worth all your trouble? I was hesitant to do this for the reasons you address at the beginning - the performance improvement is quite small with rear drums vs rear discs. I suspect I'll just end up swapping in a whole axle from something with discs before my new shoes wear out again.
Very informative! Thank you! :)
The braking improvement over properly adjusted drums was minimal, but i feel the disks work a little better when muddy. The biggest reason I like this swap is that I don't have to adjust them every time I go in the mud. They are always tight and I never have to worry about them. Good reassurance to have when you're at the top of a hill and would like to not pummel into the back of someone else at the bottom. I'm thinking with an adjustable proportioning valve, they would feel amazing, but for now they are consistently good.
For me, they were absolutely worth the trouble and I'd do it again. If you don't play in mud or water and your brakes self adjust, you're probably not missing out on much.
Right on. That's all good to know! Oh, that was the other thing I meant to ask, was about the proportioning valve. The existing one on your XJ was okay for the discs?
I had to replace mine a while ago becuase it failed. Grabbed one from an xj, but the internals were the same has the disk zj i grabbed so I don't know what's going on there. This video shows the proportioning valve findings
Oh, sorry about that. I did watch the whole thing, maybe I got distracted during that part. Great video anyway! Keep up the good work, man. I've got an 8.25" rear axle, so I more or less watched this just out of curiosity.... and wasn't disappointed. :)
Opps, sorry, i meant to post a link in there: th-cam.com/video/NCSMYqzNxyc/w-d-xo.html
i think the liberty's are a disk swap for the 8.25's
Are your shocks upside down? If they are monotube you will damage them by mounting them upside down
They are monotube. How would one know what the correct direction is?
A properly working drum brake never requires adjustment. Disc brakes do give better braking over drums. That's why all newer vehicles have them.
I’m slightly confused. Did u put the old bracket on the differential first and then the backing plate and then the axle with the new plate seal and bearings or you just discarded the old plate and used the new one?
Few things. First it depends if you have a c-clip axle or not. Since My dana 35 is non c-clip, it uses an axle retainer plate which is sandwiched on the axle shaft bearing stack. I had to use the new retainer plate since it has the correct spacing to hold everything in place.
Second, I have aftermarket axle shafts which were incorrectly machined. Because of this, I needed to use the stock retainer plate as a spacer to make everything fit. On a correct setup you will not do this, just mount everything up as usual and discard the stock retainer plate.
NickInTimeFilms yes mine is a non c Clíp. I got the plates that you have today and Monday I’m putting new bearings and new plate on. It suppose to make up for the extra width on the new disc brake? When I put it on it fills in the width that uff was missing so from the differential to the disc bracket it is flush all around
NickInTimeFilms I did everything the same but still have play. Like a 1/4 or ao
@@ibxlegendx The shaft may move in and out slightly but nothing crazy. As long as the bearing stack was pressed all the way on, and the seal and new retainer plate are facing the right way, that should be everything.
I did this same thing with my D35 non C clip. I wouldn't do it again. It was the biggest pain in the ass! I couldn't get the spacing right with the thicker ZJ backing plates. Having to press everything on and off. What a nightmare!! Just save your time and money and do a Ford 8.8 swap. It comes with discs already if it's out of a 96-01 exploder. They're stronger than a Dana 44 and easier to work on with the C clips. They say, "well what if the axle breaks? Won't your axle just walk out and just crash and burn?" The answer is no the disc breaks will hold in the axle shaft so you can limp it off the trail! My $0.02 but I've been there done that now I'm swapping in the 8.8. Lesson learned. Hopefully I can share some wisdom.
+Ryan Garcia Biggest drawback I have for the 8.8 is actually an aftermarket thing. I run Eaton E-Lockers and the 8.8 version is absolute crap and stops working after a few uses.
+NickInTimeFilms That's good to know! Im not sure yet what I'm gonna run for a locker.. May just weld it :-P
I don't see how you had a problem this was far easier then anything I've ever done. The 8.8 is a great axle but unless you have a mj or a welder to either keep the perches or run spring under, welding the tubes, since they like have know to spin under load, it being a 1/4 narrow on each side and locker options. Other then that it's a great axle, usually is with 3.73 or 4.10 a limited slip and factory disc you really can't beat it especially for the price.
+HBRacing13 I got my 8.8 online with 4.10 gears to match my 1988 4cyl YJ. Idk where it came from but it had tons of rust! Here in the southwest that's foreign to me. But I did make a discovery. The ZJ brake calipers, rotors, and pads will all work on the Ford 8.8 backing plates. I'm not even gonna have to bleed my brakes upon final assembly.
the braking power would be a lot better if you painted your calipers red ;)
+Jacob Aaron So that's what I'm missing...
🏎🏁🔴🤣🤣🤣🤣
Hello. Will this fit on a Tj, dana30, c clip axle?
Dana 30 is a front axle, so no. Dana 35 and 44 are rear axles.
Hey, how does the park brake actuator come out? (the piece that connects the shoes to the cables?
it's been a while, but I thought it just rotates and pulls through. Gotta lube them up if they are stiff
Do they come out towards you or out threw the back towards the center of the jeep?
Looks like it comes out through the front where the wheel would be, check 19:12 for a closeup
Awesome thanks, I'll be fighting with mine tomorrow
THANKS, VERY HELPFUL!!
Well done :-D, bloody smashing :-D.
You coped well with the problems of fitting, not exactly easy but worth every swear word.:-D.
Those brakes are much better than the drum types, drums are a very old design, but they worked ok for the slower era of vehicles where the roads were less mad.
I was dissapointed by the lack of cardboard used, but the cornflakes box can stay unmolested for another day LOL :).
+zx8401ztv I did try cardboard at first but it was terrible inaccurate so I had to step up to metal this time.
+NickInTimeFilms
lol, but you did do really excellent on this job, pat yourself on the back for quality modding :-D
Did you have to get longer Lug nuts?
Nope, that's why I got longer wheel studs. I measured them so that they wouldn't be too long, but would still have enough thread engagement to work
Are you going to need a new master cylinder?
+bemyers123 I swaped to a WJ Brake Booster and Master Cylinder a while ago. I was going to talk about the Internal Proportioning Valve but when I took out mine, It looked just like the ZJ one so I didn't bother.
NickInTimeFilms I don't know the size/volume difference between the WJ (Grand Cherokee) and a Dodge Durango master. I know that people have swapped out their pre-'97 booster for a newer '97+ booster staying with the XJ parts and then added a '99-'03 Dodge Durango master cylinder and ZJ rear disc brakes with the proportioning valve. This is my next mod. All I need is the Durango master cylinder to complete the job on my 2000 XJ.
you do know that there is a left and right side for pads right ? both of the clips should be facing down
I'm very much aware that the pads are directional, I got one that was assembled backwards so I had to make it work. Compare 25:00 to 25:34 . Referring to some RockAuto photos, I see that I grinded down the wrong one so good catch there. The outer pad Tab should be on the flat side, while the inner pad Tab should be on the hook side.
If you look at the two sets, the inners are correct as the flats/hooks are properly mirrored and the tabs are on the hook side. For the outers the tabs are properly mirrored but the flats/hooks are not as I have 2 pads with flats on the left and hooks on the right. That simply won't work on both sides. Hope that clears things up.
Here's a reference picture if you like: www.rockauto.com/info/30/MRD666_020912.jpg
lol i figured you knew what you were doing but i deal with some ppl that do there own breaks and wonder why they dont have breaks when they forget to put on the outer pad so i just didnt want to assume anything haha but loved the vid ether way looking to lift my jeep and put bigger tires on just dont know how big of a lift i want yet
It's all good, hard to tell with some people, haha. And as for lift, it really depends on what you want to use the truck for and what size tire you wanna fit. 3" 32's, 4.5" 33's and 6" 35's are all good combos. Cutout flares may allow a little less lift.
well i want to go off roading not like mudding right now ive got a 01 grand cherokee with the 4.0 was thinking 3 to 4" lift just havin a hard time trying to figure out what rim and tire size ill need or what lift kit i should get first off road thing im trying to build..
fatherknightroad 15x8 is the standard for rims. bumping up to 16-17 just means more expensive tires usually. 32" tires would probably be a safe bet, 33s If you can fit em
I know this is an old A** video buuuuuut... What e brake cables did you end up using ??????
I did a separate video on the ebrake when I finally got to it. Ended up buying from terraflex I think? Search on my channel and it should come up
I feel like there is alot of, if you dont fuck up it will work. hahahahahahah sounds like any time anyone has ever worked on a jeep project.
what bumper is that?
+zeph4x JCR Crusader: th-cam.com/video/MGritO5r2xg/w-d-xo.html
What's ur bolt pattern 5 on 4.5 or Iz it 5 on 5 after Tha swap
It's still the stock 5x4.5
NickInTimeFilms ok thanks I wanna eliminate my Adapters I got wheels from a 2013 jk
I got the same rims that's dope
Hey man how's ur Dana 35 holding up with the 35s I plan on swapping mine for a 8.8 from a explorer but just wondering if you are locked in back or anything
+89flstang XJ Oh hell yeah, I've got the works. 4.56 gears, Eaton elocker, chromos shafts, and obviously disk brake on 35x12.5 stt pros. No issues with the axle but my locker gets a little sticky in the cold.
Cool man just debating on wether or not to dump money in my 35 or just get the 8.8 just looking for others info thanks
+89flstang XJ my D35 is a non c clip which I feel helps it in strength a little. I think 89 and older usually are. But if you have the chance to build something better then do it.
NickInTimeFilms cool man thanks for advice man
Swap out the proportioning valve from the jeep with rear disc and the brakes will work even better.
That was the one thing I didn't cover in this video because I didn't see a visual difference. I swapped em anyway.
th-cam.com/video/NCSMYqzNxyc/w-d-xo.html
Duane albers. Are you sure ? i am looking to improve my rear brake's. just like this to my 1992 yj wrangler. you think would be better. with the proportioning valve? .
@@thecatfelix2988
Just take the guts of the prop valve from the donor vehicle and swap them into your prop valve. Simple.
+Pete Rushbrook . Thanks for the idea. I didn't know it was possible.
Just did my e brake. That weird two piece lever was so rusted together I had to take a mallet pipe and 30 minutes per side to get them out then 10 minutes of soaking each, 10 minutes wailing with a mallet each to separated them and and hour each with a wire wheel to get the rust off. Adjusting the e brake isn't an exact science ether because the tend to float when actuated.
+Adam949 Yeah, mine took a bit of persuading with channel locks and a hammer, but now they work good as new.
god i wish you would have done this video a month ago. my 88 has been on jack stands for weeks because of bad information on the early models
+Skippy Scott If you think this is bad, try tracking down some Chromoly Axle Shafts for these. I only found one set anywhere.
+NickInTimeFilms beleve it or not im not going for offroad im building it to race
+Skippy Scott Nice
+NickInTimeFilms have you had any issues with the parking brakes locking up or popping out of place? did you torque your axle plates to any specific torque? my rear passenger bearing keeps crapping out I think it's because I'm over torquing
How are the E-brake Cables? One of mine was pretty rusted on the inside and wouldn't return once it was pulled. Besides that make sure everything is clean and put together properly.
As for the Bearing retainer, it should do all the work for you. I just tightened it till it was good and tight, the spacer that I made keeps the stock preload on the bearing so everything is dandy. You didn't reuse the old race in the tube right? Packed it with grease? Is it sticking out more then usual or is the axle bent at all?
when you bled the Brakes towards the end It is showing a totally different set of axles. they are Chromoly axles.
this video is mixed with the axle upgrade vid you did. lol
Correct. The video would have been too long and confusing if it was all together so i split them
Well great job brother
love ur vids and comments !
thanks for sharing. now point me to a shop. beyond my skill lever. lol
No It wouldn’t, would need to be welded correctly . Thought it might be an easier route. Guess it depends on your skills.
Nice swap, but not as easy as I would've liked, so I'll keep the drums :D (Plus here brake mods are a bitch to pass inspection). I can adjust them from time to time just fine.
I'll need to do something about the booster, though. Most of the time I have to pump my brakes to have a decent pedal feel...
+Iñigo Zapata That WJ Booster can help quite a bit with pedal feel.
NickInTimeFilms
From what I read I'm suspecting I might also have a problem with the master cylinder, since slowly pressing the pedal works worse than sudden pumping, as if the slow press would allow the MC seals to fail but it still kept pressure when pressed suddenly.
+Iñigo Zapata I did the MC and BB at the same time because I'm not sure if you MC's interchange.
NickInTimeFilms
Hmm, I might try to rebuild the MC first and see what happens.
you could have just done a direct swap from a 8.25 with disc...
From my knowledge the Chrysler 8.25 didn't get disk brakes until the Liberty came out, and that is not a direct swap. Unless you meant a Ford 8.8 which you could get with disks but that still requires new mounts welded on. Nice thing with my setup was it swapped fairly easily over when I went to a Dana 44.
NickInTimeFilms it is a direct swap because it’s the same axle
The KJ Liberty is coil sprung in the rear so it's 8.25 won't have the proper leaf perches that the XJ 8.25 has. You could swap KJ Disks onto an XJ 8.25 and then it would be a direct fit, but that's basically what I had to do with my D35 which was already locked and geared.
NickInTimeFilms nooo not the whole axle just the swapping of the brakes I don’t understand why everyone touches the zj for it
I can't directly confirm this, but I would assume the 8.25 Backing Plates are different then the Dana 35/44, so they will probably require modification as well or may not even work properly. The ZJ is a popular donor vehicle because it uses a Dana axle so parts swap easier.
I’ll keep my drums or cheat and find a kit...
It's so worth it. I don't have to adjust my drums to have rear braking ever again.
i see you end up replacing your stud's! 😉
New Shafts as well, that's in this video: th-cam.com/video/NCSMYqzNxyc/w-d-xo.html
Idk why im watching this ive got a zj lol
Jack Dawson I have a zj also with drums and I got a d35 from another zj, do I have to do any drilling
Do a video of you replacing those fucking leaf springs.. Or do they come flat!!
Part of the Shackel Box, gives a better shackle angle but at the cost of a flatter leaf. Not like I need any more lift anyway.
I think I would have bought all of those parts new.
+Ken MacMillan Used baking plates are fine and the Jeep/Dodge dealer will charge you up the AZZ. He replaced the calipers with reman and he purchased new flex brake lines that go to the calipers and new emergency brake shoes...so, what did you miss?
here's what I made up for my rear brake cables
www.nwjeepn.com/images/Axle/Ebrakeadapter.pdf
also refer to
www.nwjeepn.com/Axleswap4.html
Not Bad, I knew the stock cable were a bit longer so that's an interesting solution. I'd probably try that if both my cables still worked properly but I may just buy the Teraflex cables since they should work perfectly.
NickInTimeFilms
You probably should have swapped proportioning valves from the ZJ also, going from drums to discs.
i really like your videos... but... why you snniffff all the time??? it start to annoying me 😂
Haha, prob had a runny nose. Cold does that too me. You're lucky I edit out most my throat clearing coughs, haha
hahaha... please keep doing your job... i've learned a lot from your channel... congrats from Guatemala 👍👍
I hate to state the obvious but, why not swap the axle and weld leaf saddles on ?
Doesn't sound very obvious to me. One method required modifying a backing plate, the other requires cutting and modifying axle mounts. I've got a flux core welder that I wouldn't feel comfortable with attaching structural axle components with. I also don't feel liking hauling an entire axle out of a junk yard in unknown condition to swap with a perfectly good axle, and let's not forget mine is already regeared and locked. So no, that would not be smart for me. I went with a Dana 44 later and this setup swapped right over with some sanding.