Yet another rear disc question

[Oatmeal]

Ok, I've searched until my eyes were bleeding (Ok, not really bleeding). I was at the local Pick-a Part pulling the needed CV flange adapter for my ultra cheap Hack and Tap w/front shaft conversion off of an '82 Lincoln and started eyeballing the rear discs. I'm familiar with the ZJ disc swap, have read about Crown Vic discs (which I believe these to be the same as) on D44 and non C clip D35s and have read GoJeeps writeup ( http://www.go.jeep-xj.info/HowtoRearDiscs1.htm ). Can these be adapted to my 8.25? I can get the whole setup for about $120 and they seem to be in excellent condition-------Hans

 

[Ralph]

I believe you can do it, but it's not as easy as the ZJ swap. You'll also have to have the rotors drilled for 5 on 4.5 bolt pattern. I would recomend saving you coin for some ZJ rear disks. That's what I used on my XJ. I have to say it's one of the best mods I've made to my Jeep.

ZJ RearDisk Swap

 

[Kittrell]

Crown Vic bolts right onto a D44, ZJ bolts right onto a 8.25. Reversed, it makes alot more work for you.

 

[Kejtar]

I believe you can do it, but it's not as easy as the ZJ swap. You'll also have to have the rotors drilled for 5 on 4.5 bolt pattern. I would recomend saving you coin for some ZJ rear disks. That's what I used on my XJ. I have to say it's one of the best mods I've made to my Jeep.

ZJ RearDisk Swap

Drill out the rotors???? A crown vic is 5 on 4.5 bolt pattern.
Anyways I think that it would work with the only problem being bolting the bracket to the axle as I don't think that the bolt pattern on the axle tube flange and the crown vic adapter match so you'd just have to drill one or the other out.

 

[corbinafly]

Crown Vic bolts right onto a D44, ZJ bolts right onto a 8.25. Reversed, it makes alot more work for you.

x2

 

[Oatmeal]

Drill out the rotors???? A crown vic is 5 on 4.5 bolt pattern.
Anyways I think that it would work with the only problem being bolting the bracket to the axle as I don't think that the bolt pattern on the axle tube flange and the crown vic adapter match so you'd just have to drill one or the other out.

Yeah, that's what I figured. I think I'll pick them up next weekend, I'm not afraid of a little fab work (I thrive on it...lol). Let's see....$14 for an excellent condition front shaft, an adapter flange that got overlooked in the pile of stuff my buddy bought, $90 for a hack and tap kit (still gotta buy it) and maybe another $150 (+/-) for rear discs adds up to a whole lot of stuff for next to nothing! Gotta love Pick-a-Part------Hans

 

[Ralph]

Sorry for the misinfo. I must be thinking of the Caddie rear disks.

 

[lawsoncl]

Crown Vic bolts right onto a D44, ZJ bolts right onto a 8.25. Reversed, it makes alot more work for you.

Crown Vic rear disks also have the same bolt pattern as the Dana 35c non-clip. axle ends. The swap is fairly straight forward. Just have to fab a spacer to go between the retainer plate and the outer seal to account for the thicker backing plate. Other minor to slightly enlargen the rotor holes to fit the D35 shafts, trim a little bit off the axle flange, and redo the ends of the hard lines to a metric fitting.

 

[Kejtar]

Just have to fab a spacer to go between the retainer plate and the outer seal to account for the thicker backing plate.

Or in 99% of the cases Rubi retainer plate

 

[CharlesS]

Having done a disc brake conversion on my 98 almost 6 years ago.... I used Cadillac Seville rear calipers with the emergency brake actuating arms.... and custom mounting brackets. The rotors are redrilled 11" Lincoln rotors....
A year or so back the Jeep Liberty was offered with the Corp 8.25 and disc brakes... IF you can find a wrecked 04-06 Liberty; the rotors, calipers, mounting brackets, and dust shields should be PLUG and PLAY....

Charles

 

[Oatmeal]

Having done a disc brake conversion on my 98 almost 6 years ago.... I used Cadillac Seville rear calipers with the emergency brake actuating arms.... and custom mounting brackets. The rotors are redrilled 11" Lincoln rotors....
A year or so back the Jeep Liberty was offered with the Corp 8.25 and disc brakes... IF you can find a wrecked 04-06 Liberty; the rotors, calipers, mounting brackets, and dust shields should be PLUG and PLAY....

Charles

Oh, I understand all that but, it's all about the challenge of doing it for next to nothing because, that's what I have to spend!-------Hans

 

[lawsoncl]

Just have to fab a spacer to go between the retainer plate and the outer seal to account for the thicker backing plate.

Or in 99% of the cases Rubi retainer plate

You're wrong. When I did my Crown Vic -> D35 swap, I found the ID of the Rubi retainer plate hole was too big and barely hit the outside edge of the seal. The raised lip on the Rubi retainer plates fit the Crown Vic backing plates nicely though. When I did my swap, a bunch of "knowledgeable" people swore the Rubi D44 retainer plates would work. I'm guessing they made the assumption that since the Crown Vic backing plates fit both a D44 and a D35c non-clip, that the retainer plates would work on both. Obviously those experts had never actually done this swap and didn't consider that the D35 has smaller bearings.

For future reference, here are the TJ D44 retainer plate measurements:
They are part number 05083678AA

Plate Thickness 0.15"
Lip Height Above Plate 0.225" (note: the Crown Vic backing plate was about 0.14" thicker, so this is a bit too tall)
Center Hole ID 2.52" (note: D35 outer seal OD is 2.5560")
Raised Section OD 2.75"

The Holes are a Trapezoid Pattern. Approximate spacing based on me holding up the calipers and eyeballing it are:
Horizontal Spacing Between Top Holes ~3.55"
Horizontal Spacing Between Spacing ~3.18"
Vertical Spacing Between Top & Bottom Holes ~1.55"

-Chris

 

[ren]

Can't you simply just trim off the excess from the old drum brake backing plates, and use the pieces as the needed spacer? Just wondering.

 

[lawsoncl]

Not sure what you mean? The Crown Vic disck backing plates are thicker than the old drum backing plate. Hence you need a spacer between the bearing retainer and the outer seal to take up the extra space.

What I did was to take the old retainer plates, chuck them up in a homemade lath and turn them to get the right OD. They were a little thicker than I needed but the worked just fine.

 

[lazyxj]

Yeah, that's what I figured. I think I'll pick them up next weekend, I'm not afraid of a little fab work (I thrive on it...lol). Let's see....$14 for an excellent condition front shaft, an adapter flange that got overlooked in the pile of stuff my buddy bought, $90 for a hack and tap kit (still gotta buy it) and maybe another $150 (+/-) for rear discs adds up to a whole lot of stuff for next to nothing! Gotta love Pick-a-Part------Hans

Hans
When you finish this project, report back on how it went.
I have an 8.25 and want rear disc brakes. I have never seen a write up on Ford rear discs used on an 8.25.
I wonder if spacers will be needed or is this just a D44 problem. The mounting holes should be easy to move with a drill or a die grinder.

ZJ rear disc would be nice but the yards around here want to sell a complete ZJ axle and not just the brakes. The pick-a-parts are loaded with Crown Vics and Lincolns.

 

[cherokeekid]

I assume you mean a 1992 CV? 80's Lincolns/fords use a completely different design that uses a caliper that is also the parking brake. I can't recall the exact pattern but there was some reason I didn't grab a set.

You could measure the mounts but fir $14 it'd be worth grabbing them anyways.

 

[Oatmeal]

I assume you mean a 1992 CV? 80's Lincolns/fords use a completely different design that uses a caliper that is also the parking brake. I can't recall the exact pattern but there was some reason I didn't grab a set.

You could measure the mounts but fir $14 it'd be worth grabbing them anyways.

Yeah, upon reflection, I think the parking brake was incorporated into the caliper. It might still be worth consideration, though-------Hans

 

[Oatmeal]

Ok, here's the latest. Went back to Pick-A-Part and this time I paid an additional $2 to get into the late model yard to maybe find a Grand for the brakes (no luck) did find a Crown Vic, I figured I could make them work if the price was right, so, I pulled the brackets (with the e-brake setup) rotors, calipers and e-brake cables. Went to the window to pay for it and got the shock of my life! They tell me "those aren't just brackets, those are drum brakes", I tell them "those are the parking brakes and part of the brackets"! They want to charge me for each individual item: each brake shoe, hose, cable, bracket.......so, I ask "what are we up to so far?" she says "well, for the two calipers and the rotors $159" I tell them they're crazy and told them to keep them (ok, maybe I wasn't that nice about it)! If I added everything up, it would have cost me over $300 for junkyard parts! Besides, I wasn't too hot on the asymmetry of the caliper mounting (one facing forward and one facing rearward). Those Lincoln discs are starting to look better to me now but, I was too pissed off to get them after that-------Hans

 

[Kejtar]

Ok, here's the latest. Went back to Pick-A-Part and this time I paid an additional $2 to get into the late model yard to maybe find a Grand for the brakes (no luck) did find a Crown Vic, I figured I could make them work if the price was right, so, I pulled the brackets (with the e-brake setup) rotors, calipers and e-brake cables. Went to the window to pay for it and got the shock of my life! They tell me "those aren't just brackets, those are drum brakes", I tell them "those are the parking brakes and part of the brackets"! They want to charge me for each individual item: each brake shoe, hose, cable, bracket.......so, I ask "what are we up to so far?" she says "well, for the two calipers and the rotors $159" I tell them they're crazy and told them to keep them (ok, maybe I wasn't that nice about it)! If I added everything up, it would have cost me over $300 for junkyard parts! Besides, I wasn't too hot on the asymmetry of the caliper mounting (one facing forward and one facing rearward). Those Lincoln discs are starting to look better to me now but, I was too pissed off to get them after that-------Hans

Which yard did you go to? Cause the rotors, calipers, brackets and parking brake cables from a crown vic cost me about $120 or so.

 

[Oatmeal]

Which yard did you go to? Cause the rotors, calipers, brackets and parking brake cables from a crown vic cost me about $120 or so.

Man, I need to shop at the yards near you! It was "Pic-ur-Part" or something like that in Sun Valley. Their prices are outrageous, ie: they want $29 + core for a rotor when you can buy a brand new one for a couple a bucks more!--------Hans