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Rear Disc brake upgrade

Joeygo

NAXJA Forum User
I have a question for the ones that have done this conversion. Is it really worth it and does it increase braking? I'm not talking about the simplicity of maintenance of disc over drum brakes. Did you really see any benefits over a properly adjusted drum setup? I'm getting ready to build my D44 and I am working thru the wants, needs, and final vision of where I want to go with this.What is everyones opinion?
 
I would say the only benefits I noticed was the ability to "hold" the Jeep better on a hill, particularly if you just came thru water.
 
I have drums on my rear D44 with 35's and see no need to upgrade to discs. Rig is mostly trail and sometimes street driven.
 
When i built my D44 rear 12 yrs ago, it was a bare housing, so needing complete a complete brake setup made the decision easy for me and I opted for a TJ disc setup.

As for the best braking upgrade for the buck, installing WJ knuckles/brakes up front was a much better upgrade in the brake performance department, plus the steering upgrade benefits. If you could only afford to do one, upgrade the front brakes, as the WJ dual piston calipers and larger rotors will net better stopping, as the front brakes do 70% of the stopping.
 
When i built my D44 rear 12 yrs ago, it was a bare housing, so needing complete a complete brake setup made the decision easy for me and I opted for a TJ disc setup.

As for the best braking upgrade for the buck, installing WJ knuckles/brakes up front was a much better upgrade in the brake performance department, plus the steering upgrade benefits. If you could only afford to do one, upgrade the front brakes, as the WJ dual piston calipers and larger rotors will net better stopping, as the front brakes do 70% of the stopping.

Simplicity of maintenance,...yada, yada, yada. You already know what I was about to say. While it is apart, this is the time to upgrade IF rear brake upgrade is on the list of things to do, or, as said by XJEEPER, invest in something that will give more bang for the buck.

I was building a D44 that had no brakes. I went with the Grand Cherokee discs. I needed to experience the new thing in breaking. 12 years+ later, I am still waiting for it to kick in.
 
A couple of things that made mine a lot better was EBC pads and shimming my axles.
 
Has anyone had a clearance issue running rear disc brakes with a 15" wheel 3.75 offset? Any issues running the WJ upgrade wit 15" wheels?

I run a C8.25 with KJ disc brakes and 15” steelies with 3.75” offset. No clearance issues.
 
I was building a D44 that had no brakes. I went with the Grand Cherokee discs. I needed to experience the new thing in breaking. 12 years+ later, I am still waiting for it to kick in.

Mirrors my experience exactly, save your money for a bigger front brakes, a improvement you will definitely feel.
 
Has anyone had a clearance issue running rear disc brakes with a 15" wheel 3.75 offset? Any issues running the WJ upgrade wit 15" wheels?

I had 15X8 Canyons. A Ford 8.8 rear. Had to use spacers on the front. Spacers on the rear or remove the sway bar. I can't remember if the WJ Big brakes were installed first or both that and the Ford 8.8 at the same time. I think at the same time. It was a vast improvement.

I have changed to WJ 17" rims. I do not have spacers on the front. I do have spacer/adapters on the rear.

Edit: I remember 2" spacers up front to run the 15 X 8 Canyon rims and 1.5 or 1.75 on the rear, to have the rear swaybar installed. I did not notice any difference with 4.5" RC springs on the rear with or with out the swaybar.
 
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My drums worked fine most of the time, even loaded down. Not that good in reverse direction. Had the nose pointed up on a trail and backing around, not much braking out of the rears and the fronts lock - no steering - wanted to slide off trail. Discs work good fwd or reverse.
 
You can always increase the drum brake drag if you want a better pedal feel and it should increase braking. The brake drum expands anyways when you drive and brake so there "should" be less drag when you drive versus adjusting the brakes cold. I have done this with the stock 8.25 and wifey's civic - which has a lot less shoe pad material and it did not dramatically increase shoe pad wear even after putting 50k miles.

Shoes work by rotational friction and "jamming" adjust the drum, the leading edge bites first and moves downwards then the rear shoe engages, more movement versus calipers. So I would think you are removing some of this slack from the shoe to drum
 
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