TeraFlex Rear Disc ?

[DXJ]

I can't seem to get an answer from TeraFlex that sounds like they are confident about so...

To anyone who has done the TeraFlex rear disc conversion on an XJ:

What do I need to do with the e-brake cables? Teraflex says I need "longer" cables. I have YJ cables due to my lift. If anything they are a little too long. Is this the "length" he means or is he talking about the length of the cable sticking out of the sheath? He doesn't know if YJ cables will work. He says that the system is set up for TJ cables. How different are TJ cables from YJ cables for my application?

Once it's all apart it may be obvious but I want to know ahead of time and have everything ready to go. Any first hand knowledge would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Dan

PS: I have the 8.25" rearend.

[DXJ]

Nobody has done this yet?

btt

[mikedashg]

dunno about teraflex, but I know stainless steel has a kit for the 8.25, I think it's about 500 bucks. Charles Stein has it on his 8.25.

I think you can make a kit for less from ZJ rears. I think Scott Suetto did it for 200 from a junk yard. I don't know if Scott is on Naxja, but I know he's on www.socalxj.com yahoo groups.

Good luck.

[h.curtis]

I can't help you with Terraflex, but I am in the process of putting rear disc's on my XJ d44 using '96 ZJ parts. If youi can find a set of ZJ discs then you can do a pretty easy install.

There are people that do it for the 8.25.

Curt

[Jeep'nD]

If you do come up with a definitive answer to the Teraflex ebrake fitment question please let us all know.

[cherokeekid]

I would guess that the Tera kit is just the brackets/hardware for a ZJ, that is what it looks like from the pics I have seen. Is there a pic of the inside of the bracket where the park brake cable attaches?

Unless they are cheap I would just keep my eyes out for a set of ZJ brakes.

http://cherokeekid5.tripod.com

[fatwreck]

I would definitely do the ZJ setup.....I'm in the process of doing mine now.....and here's a pic of how the ebrake cable works out:
http://www.projectxj.com/images/temp/standard.jpg

[cherokeekid]

Originally posted by fatwreck
I would definitely do the ZJ setup.....I'm in the process of doing mine now.....and here's a pic of how the ebrake cable works out:
http://www.projectxj.com/images/temp/standard.jpg

The question is,...is the Tera the same setup?

[DXJ]

I was looking for a little more refined solution than the doubled back cable technique.

TJ cables like TeraFlex sells and recomends are just a little too short for my amount of droop. ZJ cables look a little too short as well but I haven't actually tried to bolt them up, so I don't know for sure. Passenger side Explorer cables look good but I haven't tried them yet.

I found these thingies called "Explorer Rear Clevis Kit" at the bottom of the following site:

http://www.rjays.com/Lokar/Lokar-Brake-Cables.htm

I just got them. It looks like I will still have to tweak them to work with my YJ cables but for $25 they could work great. I'll try to do it this weekend. If all goes well, I'll post what I did.

Dan

[cherokeekid]

ZJ cables will be too short (Although a guy in S America made it sound like his were longer)

check out www.madxj.xom I did the same thing as he did to the park brake lever (I thought about the loop cable thing too but it seemed to boot fab at the time:D )

http://www.madxj.com/MADXJ/technical/technicalfiles/BAzjRearDiscsOnXJ/images/large/ZJrearDiscsOnXJ46.jpg

[DXJ]

The TerFlex kit is made up of Explorer discs brakes and a ZJ bracket. I went with this kit because I wanted all new stuff instead of the junkyard route.

The kit is on except for the cables. So far the stopping feels a little better. The real improvement I'm hoping for is when off-road. I have an automatic so in 4low I almost need to use two feet on the brake pedal to get it to come to a complete stop. My drums would fill with water and mud and be useless so the front was doing all the work. These should pull their weight off-road wet, dry, or other. I haven't gotten to try that out yet though.

[cherokeekid]

Originally posted by DXJ
The real improvement I'm hoping for is when off-road. I have an automatic so in 4low I almost need to use two feet on the brake pedal to get it to come to a complete stop.

Pop the trans into neutral

[DXJ]

Originally posted by cherokeekid
Pop the trans into neutral

That would be too easy. Then I wouldn't have a "good" reason to get rear discs.

[Bones]

I ordered the Terra kit with the e-cables yesterday. I was assured they will be long enough to run with a big flex 6.5" lift.

We'll see when it gets here.:rolleyes:

Bones :skull1:

[ECKSJAY]

What's that particular kit going for?

[crimsonride]

If the cables aren't the right length, look for a local shop to make the cables for you. They're not going to cost you as much as $500.

[Incredible Hulk]

I have read and talked with a few people that have done a disc swap from a crown victoria (8.8) and they said it was straight bolt on compared to the ZJ with all the drilling and backing plate changing etc. Can anyone vouch for this or explain pros cons of this route?
josh

[cherokeekid]

I have read and talked with a few people that have done a disc swap from a crown victoria (8.8) and they said it was straight bolt on compared to the ZJ with all the drilling and backing plate changing etc. Can anyone vouch for this or explain pros cons of this route?
josh


That would be me. I haven't finished yet. Need to replace the retainer plates the rubicon ones (the retainers will need to be redrilled. or you can fab your own spacer like on www.madxj.com)

http://cherokeekid5.tripod.com/zj_axle_build_up.htm

Not much there yet but you can at least see them on the axle. Click on the first pic and it will show a large vs of the bracket on the axle (the thumbnail is incorrect)

[Ivan]

Here are some random "notes" on rear disk brakes I've compiled over the years. Don't remember who posted this, so sorry I can't give credit to them...

Ivan
================================================== ===

"The disks off of a ZJ Dana 35 will bolt directly up to an 8.25 once the center holes in the caliper mounting bracket and dust shield are enlarged to accept the larger 8.25 axle tubes. Just bend the hard line to meet the flex line for the caliper, adapt the parking brake cable (or buy the custom one from M.O.R.E.) and you're done. Check out the article on MADXJ to see how to adapt the e-brake cables. Again, all the hardware will bolt directly on to the 8.25 once the center holes are enlarged.

More on brakes: After looking the globe over for a D35 axle that a junkyard would part out for the brake hardware, I finally broke down and bought new. None of the junkyards had a D35 for less than 500 and wouldn't remove the caliper knuckle for me. I found a good parts guy to deal with at the local stealership. Told him what I was wanting to do and he helped me look at all the diagrams and such to make sure I was ordering exactly what I needed.
I ordered the caliper knuckle and backing plate for the D35 off a Jeep Grand Cherokee. Now all I have to do is get the rotors and calipers and install it all.

Here ya go. I am still trying to find a good price for the actual calipers. I need to find an old set from the junkyard to use as a core exchange. These are parts to use for the 8.25 axle.

Caliper Knuckle for a D35 (1995 Grand Cherokee):
RH - 4796342 $105
LH - 4796343 $105

Backing Plate:
RH - 4762128 $19.95
LH - 4762129 $19.95

The knuckle will actually bolt to the end of the axles and backing plate is what needs to be ground a little to fit the 8.25 axle.

In addition to this you will need the calipers, pads and rotors. Expect a heavy core charge ($40+) for the calipers."

[Bones]

What's that particular kit going for?
The kit lists for around $490 IIRC. I didn't pay near that amount. It ended up being about what most yards that I contacted wanted for salvage ZJ stuff.
DC4WD had a fantastic price on it. Shoot them an email and they'll give you a quote with shipping figured in.

Bones :skull1:

[ECKSJAY]

The kit lists for around $490 IIRC. I didn't pay near that amount. It ended up being about what most yards that I contacted wanted for salvage ZJ stuff.
DC4WD had a fantastic price on it. Shoot them an email and they'll give you a quote with shipping figured in.

Bones :skull1:

Great Bones, thanks a lot. I'll get ahold of them on Monday.

[XJEEPER]

I'm running the stock cables on my Explorer disc kit and the cable clamp trick worked fine, except I didn't fold the cable in half, I used the "u-bolt" piece of the clamp in the brake lever notch, then layed the cable in the ubolt parallel with the lever and then screwed the clamp together.....no issues after 2 years of use.....but what I've found is that the 89 XJ park brake lever doesn't have enough throw to engage the e-brake firmly. The rig will still move with the e-brake lever pulled all the way, which I have not been able to adjust to correct.
I doubt this is cable length issue, more a lever travel....I've toyed with ideas of a cam mod to the lever, or mid linkage, that increase the throw, but haven't devoted much time to it. I need to resolve this, I may really need the e-brake sometime and not have it.

[CharlesS]

About 3 years ago I installed the TSM disc brake conversion for my 8.25 on my 98 XJ. There are a few minor mods that needed to be done to get it working right. The newer style dual diaphram vacuum booster found on 95+ XJs helps actuate the disc brakes properly where the older style may not.
I believe NAXJA has a copy on file of the article I wrote explaining the installation.

[XJEEPER]

About 3 years ago I installed the TSM disc brake conversion for my 8.25 on my 98 XJ. There are a few minor mods that needed to be done to get it working right. The newer style dual diaphram vacuum booster found on 95+ XJs helps actuate the disc brakes properly where the older style may not.


Chuckles, my rear discs work well .......it's the internal drum parking brake that 's the issue. Based on my experiences with the TSM setup........the kit creates way more suction than a dual vacuum booster!
:)

[DXJ]

I finally got around to doing my cables. I used the "Explorer Clevis Kit" that I put a link to above. I also reused my YJ cables. I had to drill a hole in the side of the clevis and cut a slot to the existing hole. Once I slipped my cable end into the clevis, I hooked everything up and found that there was too much spring on the cable at the brake end. It was binding up pretty bad. I removed about half of the length of the spring. I probably should have only removed a third but it still works fine.

At the e-brake handle end of the cable I was nervous that the cables would be too long. When I got it adjusted though there was about 1" of available thread left on the shaft thingie that the two cables mount to.

It seems that I have to pull the brake handle further to fully engage the brakes. I think they just have a longer travel distance to engage. They work like they should though. The handle is a easier to pull as well. Now the wife can actually set the ebrake.

[Kejtar]

I don't know if Scott is on Naxja

Scott is hiding as RisingSun... :D

[Jeff 98XJ WI]

As for increased handle throw, here is what I did: I don't have any pics of it, but on my old '92, I had bolted an angle iron piece to the bottom of the tranny tunnel and made a 2-3" swinging piece bolted to that. I then connected the handle output to the center of the swinging piece and connected the cable adjuster to the bottom. This increased the distance that the cable is pulled compared to the distance that the handle is pulled. It did however decrease the mechanical advantage of the stock setup a bit. I did this when trying to get some Hearst Airheart mechanical calipers working on a set of stock XJ rotors. The whole system never worked that well, so I ditched the parking brake setup and just ran with small chevy front calipers as rear brakes for a number of years without parking brakes. I have since changed to a Waggy rear D44. I set it up with small GM front calipers using a weld on caliper mounting bracket (modified to be bolt on.) I'm using late model Chevy truck front rotors, but still don't have a parking brake. The GM calipers work well though for rear brakes. Just some more useless inf. Jeff

[XJEEPER]

You've described a cam type e-brake actuation where the output is greater than the input. Bell crank units work in a similar fashion. I'm working on a version of this right now.......stay tuned.

[basalt51]

Don't the ABS cherokees have discs? Has anybody just swapped those in?

[cherokeekid]

Don't the ABS cherokees have discs? Has anybody just swapped those in?


Nope they are all drum.