WJ brake upgrade for a 2001 XJ... Simplified?

[RidgeRunnerXJ]

Which? 99 was the split year, early 99 unit bearings are the old style and late 99 unit bearings are the new style. I'm guessing you got lucky and have the new style, but could be wrong as usual.

I'm not sure if they are the old or new...I do know I had the one piece cast rotors, opposed to the the 2 peice composite rotors if that helps at all. I'd go check MFG date but that won't help since my front axle is from another '99.

 

[foxwar71]

Here's a pic.

pssst...your draglink is on backwards and not threaded in evenly on both ends

 

[konadht]

Yeah I figured someone would notice that. Due to the curve, the TRE that is suppose to go to the knuckle was hitting on the track bar bracket as the suspension cycled. The tapers seemed to measure out to be the same. So I just flipped it. Kind of a a ghetto fix, I know.

 

[foxwar71]

youre gunna destroy the end at the pitman arm in no time now. you have two options:

1. ditch the WJ draglink and build one the uses 1ton TRE's (spefically the ones meant for high misalignment on a draglink). remove the insert on the upper knuckle arm and drill both that and the pitman arm out to 1". use a ballistic insert with the correct larger taper.

2. get a RHD WJ draglink end (when flipped and used OTK on a LHD setup, it bends the correct way to clear the coil/trackbar.

 

[konadht]

Since I had to space out the caliper brackets I had to use longer bolts. I was curious what others have used, as this is "kind of" an important area. The M12 1.25 pitch are hard to find. I don't like the idea of spacers there. What would you recommend? I am running hex head bolts in 10.9(stock uses 10.9 flange bolts) but was thinking about getting socket cap screws in 12.9?

 

[millhousenator]

Bump with a quick question. Im in contact with a guy parting out an 04 wj, I just want to clarify that the wj hubs redrilled would work and no spacer needed at all. This jeep has less than 50k on it, so everything is fairly new. Everything knuckle out will be fine?

 

[kastein]

Don't forget to convert the rear bolt pattern to match as well. You could get some wheel spacers to match. The XJ/TJ outer stub will work in a WJ unitbearing but it is not the correct length. You will not have enough threads unless you do not run the washer under the 36mm nut.

Bump with a quick question. Im in contact with a guy parting out an 04 wj, I just want to clarify that the wj hubs redrilled would work and no spacer needed at all. This jeep has less than 50k on it, so everything is fairly new. Everything knuckle out will be fine?

The post I quoted above is all you have to worry about. If you could find u-joint outers meant for a WJ bearing, it'd work great (combine that outer with your XJ inner), but the WJs all came with CV joints iirc.

 

[millhousenator]

will not running the washer hurt anything? If not ill just do that.

 

[redneck]

I have already done this swap once and am doing it a second time. This was one of the best mods that I did, especially with 35's. This time I want to try and simplify it. I currently have the WJ knuckles with JKS spacer, 99 XJ hub bearings and redrilled WJ rotors. Im looking at all this spacing and mixing of parts wondering, why? Is it possible to just use the WJ knuckles, calipers and brackets, hub bearings, and disks then just get a 5x5 to 5x4.5 1" spacer? They have the adapters for 5x4.5 to 5x5 to put JK rims on and XJ. Seems a lot simpler, unless im missing something here :dunno:.

 

[kastein]

This was just brought up in another thread - it's possible except that the stub shafts on the XJ d30 don't have as long a splined section as the ones on a WJ d30, so you can't get the axleshaft nut on all the way without removing the washer under it. I forget what thread it was in.

 

[redneck]

This was just brought up in another thread - it's possible except that the stub shafts on the XJ d30 don't have as long a splined section as the ones on a WJ d30, so you can't get the axleshaft nut on all the way without removing the washer under it. I forget what thread it was in.

Im planning on putting this set up on a D44 instead of the D30. I dont know if the stub shafts are any longer on the 44.

 

[Mike L]

Im planning on putting this set up on a D44 instead of the D30. I dont know if the stub shafts are any longer on the 44.

44 as in rubicon 44 from an 04-06? If so, the 30 and 44 use the same stub shafts, lengths, splines, etc.

 

[Mike L]

This was just brought up in another thread - it's possible except that the stub shafts on the XJ d30 don't have as long a splined section as the ones on a WJ d30, so you can't get the axleshaft nut on all the way without removing the washer under it. I forget what thread it was in.

This thread, post 153:

http://naxja.org/forum/showpost.php?p=244933809&postcount=153

 

[djblade311]

figured I would post up my progress. I have it mostly done but am far from impressed with the stock WJ TRE on the pitman arm. draglink with the stock WJ TREs and a ZJ pitman gives me only 4" of droop so I have held off doing the goferit on the upper knuckle bracket and am considering either bending the draglink a little or doing the ballistic one ton for the draglink only.

Here were my parts so far
WJ knuckles
WJ tre's
JKS knuckle spacers
2001 Explorer Sporttrac rotors / pads
stock XJ unit bearings from my 99

I'm happy to report that my 15" steelies clear the akebono's without grinding the calipers. Dunno how that worked out but it did.

 

[garr]

This was just brought up in another thread - it's possible except that the stub shafts on the XJ d30 don't have as long a splined section as the ones on a WJ d30, so you can't get the axleshaft nut on all the way without removing the washer under it. I forget what thread it was in.

I have to Resurrect this thread, Striped Bass season is ending & I am about to start working on the Xj to get me through the winter.
My first mod is going to be upgrading the front brakes.

My question is can the WJ D30 stub shafts be used on the XJ D30 to solve the problem listed above?
And if you use the XJ D30 shafts & don't run the washer will it harm anything? Is it a bad Idea to not run the washer?

 

[1990JEEPXJ]

no because WJ's use CV joints in the shafts, not u-joints

 

[garr]

no because WJ's use CV joints in the shafts, not u-joints

Thanks, I was not thinking!

 

[tomcat]

looking at RCV Birfields, they make a WJ ABS compatible birf. do you think if you use a XJ inner and WJ outer RCV's that you wouldn't need the spacer at all and you could just run WJ hubs? throw some dual-pattern alloy's in the back and be good to go? i already have a d44 w/ABS built, but without alloys. e-mailed RCV and they didn't respond.

thoughts? ignore what the price would end up being

 

[kastein]

I would bet you could do that if rcv uses the same size parts in the xj and wj joints.

For the rear, you could compensate by running an 8.8 with 5x4.5 to 5x5 (wj pattern, I think?) spacers. Then you get free rear discs etc etc as well.

If I was still planning a d30 I'd look into this more, but I'm presently getting ready to build a high pinion 44.

 

[tomcat]

already have an ABS D44 built, would just need dual pattern shafts, and already have WJ knuckles and calipers for the 30, and an ARB and gears in the D30 this truck is probably staying on 33's, so dont' really need to move to a 44 front.