Just picked up a new rear 44 from an 87' Cherokee to replace the one that currently "smiles" at me every day. The drums aren't worth rebuilding and I just discovered that the bolt pattern on the flange is different than the TJ 44. (I was looking for an excuse to ditch those baby brakes anyway.)

Question is, what is the cheapest way to convert to discs, fab some brackets and use misc parts or is there a kit out there worth while?

Originally posted by P&T jeeps
Just picked up a new rear 44 from an 87' Cherokee to replace the one that currently "smiles" at me every day. The drums aren't worth rebuilding and I just discovered that the bolt pattern on the flange is different than the TJ 44. (I was looking for an excuse to ditch those baby brakes anyway.)

Question is, what is the cheapest way to convert to discs, fab some brackets and use misc parts or is there a kit out there worth while?

I think there's a 9-inch kit that can be adapted, but you have to fabricate and weld a piece between the tube and the caliper/flange assembly.

I know it's been discussed here quite extensively. If you've already searched for 44 discs, you might try Waggy 44 full floater or somesuch...

Good luck,
Jake

Lou Feger's weld on caliper brackets, chevy or caddy rear calipers, CJ or YJ (depends on bolt pattern) rotors.

Bolt the caliper onto the bracket, use that to position it on the axle. Weld.

They also have a bolt on bracket, but it gives me the heebie jeebies.

I am running a Warn caliper bracket with my full float kit.

Lou Ferger, just a guy or a company? :confused:

Sounds as if fabbing is the route to go rather than a kit?

Originally posted by P&T jeeps
Lou Ferger, just a guy or a company? :confused:

Sounds as if fabbing is the route to go rather than a kit?

Both. Lou Feger's racing is in a small town just west of the Twin Cities. I've met him and he's a stand-up guy that sells quality stuff--mostly to auto racers so he's all about the Ford 9-inch... He's not really focused on the hardcore off-road stuff, but alot of it carries over.

Jake

do the two above mentioned calipers allow for e-brakes?

Jakester, do you have any contact info, web address on Ferger?

Originally posted by P&T jeeps
Jakester, do you have any contact info, web address on Ferger?

http://www.loufegersracing.com/

Originally posted by Grendel
,

chevy or caddy rear calipers,




ok I am buying the brackets locally and the guy says he has the GM and the Metric GM brackets.......any one know if the caddy brackets are the GM bolt pattern? if not what GM bolt pattern calipers have the ebrake?

AA-mfg (www.aa-mfg.com) has the brackets you want for $7.50 each and they allow you to use mid-eighties Caddy calipers with the e-brake. The part number is 113-a. I just had some delivered to my house yesterday and they are nice. Good luck.

zach, is there any specific rotor that needs to be used w/ that bracket?

just found out some infor that might be useful for some. some might know.

but AA-mfg part 113-a says 5.5" distance from center to center of holes. and it was said that this will fit mid 80's caddy calipers. well the speed shops around here only have brackets for GM and Metric GM. when they measured the Metric GM came out to 5.5"

so from this it seems like Metric GM brackets is the same mounting as the caddy calipers. the only reason I am saying this is b/c most shops say metric GM or GM brackets and not mid 80s brackets.

HTH

to clarify, your saying that you can use the AA-mfg part 113-a with the GM calipers w/ e-brake? if so what is the specs on the rotor?

Do a search on this site to find the full scoop. I am not saying that to be a typical jerk, but I have not finished the swap yet so I am no expert.

To my understanding, though, you use an early 7/8" CJ rotor and '80s Eldorado rear e-brake calipers if you want e-brake. Basically, you mock up your axle with the rotor on the front or rear of the axle flange, your choice I have been told, and when you have the caliper bolted up and in the right place you tack the bracket in place, then remove all of the items and final weld.

If you do it before I do please post here to let us know how it went.

The mid 80's Caddy calipers are the same size as the the small GM calipers and the older (70's) Caddy calipers use the Large GM caliper spacing.

The brackets I used to attach '84 Caddy calipers to my D44 were some no name brand from one of the local speed shops. Worked like a charm.

I sure your tired of the damn questins but my major concern hasn't been covered yet. b/c the weld on bracket is not height adjustable (just making a point) the most important aspect of the rotor choice would be the radius, right? it cant be too short or tall. sorry if I hadn't clarified what my concern was before.

use grand cherokee discs. i think the write up is on the nadxja website or something like that. My brother is doing it now to his D44 from a 87 cherokee. He got rid of the full floater that was in it and is using tj d44 shafts. Its a pretty straight forward swap except for a couple of things (getting spacers made for the discs, $20 a piece round here) but not a hard swap at all. My brother just needs to get his perches and shock mounts on then he'll put it in and finish off the brake lines and e-brake cable. Don't forget to get a manual proportioning valve, or else it will brake like crap.

Oh yeah, I forgot about the smaller bolt pattern since I am building a CJ. The GC disc sound right.

as far as the bolt pattern on the flange, the 87' cherokee is bigger than the TJ 44. I'd have to assume that the GC has the smaller flange also, right? how did your bro get around that?

what other application has the same flange size as the Cherokee 44?

where'd you find a D44 in lafayette?

had it sent from Boston. PLEASE, don't kill this thread. :flipoff2:

My article:

You could use Exploder parts too, or I believ Ford mo sports sell an exploder kit for $400

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

damn informative write up Billa, I'll prob end up doing the same. do you know of any axle that has a matching flange pattern by any chance to posibly simplify the process?

I'm sorry the site is MADXJ.com (http://www.madxj.com) It details everything in there. Click on Technical on the side bar, then scroll down to the brakes section. Let me know if you if have any questions.