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How important is an e-brake? (rear disc swap)

MJ_Chubs

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Twin Cities, MN
I'm going to be swapping rear discs onto a D44 that I'm putting under my MJ. I've got a spare D44A from a WJ laying around with all of the brake hardware and was thinking about making up custom brackets (and redrilling the rotors to 5 x 4.5) to mount the calipers and throwing the bigger rotors onto the MJ axle.

I hadn't planned on adapting the e-brake but that got me wondering, how important is an ebrake on a mostly trail rig with an automatic? Is it easy to adapt a e-brake on the TC output (NP-231)? Thanks.
 
MJ_Chubs said:
how important is an ebrake on a mostly trail rig with an automatic?

have you ever seen what the "parking pin" in an automatic tranny really consists of?? not sure about the AW4 but i have seen others and its really a pretty small bit of steel engaging a tooth on a hub... thats alot of faith to b eputting into a rig left parked on a hill.... i always liked the d/shaft e-brake setups.. never researched but i bet Advance Adapters is a good place to start...
 
I just noticed the other day when I was flexing on a hill that my e-brake didn't work. I kept putting it in park and getting out to look at it and i'd put it in reverse and just CLUNK...I feel sorry for that poor parking pin, hope it doesn't go out on me..
 
Look this over: http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=33450
There are many things to consider when removing/upgrading parts and brakes are something that you should pay special attention to as they make sure that the jeep doesn't go when you don't want it to. ANyways below is a quote from the above mentioned thread that I think summarizes it best as it covers everything from usage on the trail to emergency use/substitute for when the hydraulics fail.
FarmerMatt said:
Mark & I are on the same page here. I use mine constantly on the trails, especially on descents. With the lack of compression braking because of the automatic the e-brake works really well to help with the really steep down hills. It also helps keep the rear end from feeling like it's going to come up over the top of you because you don't get the nose dive with hitting the front brakes hard. As for saftey, what happens when you're on a nasty hill climb & you rip a brake line? Ask Brian Harmon about his experience with this. I garantee you would wish you had spent the extra time to put an e-brake in once you start rolling backwards down the trail. You'd be begging for something to grab other than the seat with your butt cheaks. For those of you who would come back with, "I'll just throw it in park", you're going to have an exciting ride backwards down the hill. A line lock won't do you much good in a ripped brake line situation either. Don't be a back woods hack... Fix your brakes!
 
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Good points about the e-brake. Has anybody ever fabbed up a TC-mounted ebrake set up? Or is there an easy way to fab up a seperate ebrake caliper?
 
Aside from the obvious stuff stated already, some states require a working e-brake to pass inspection. If you hit POR, there are some links and conversations about "driveline" mounted e-brakes, interesting idea, but regardless of how you do it, you should do it.
 
Terry,
That's cool as hell! I may end up doing something like that. Thanks.
 
I like the spidertrax mech caliper but where do you put it, dont like the transfer case idea as I have broken rear universals.
 
I tried installing one of the Hearst/airheart calipers shown on the spidertrax page on each rear disc back awhile and they didn't work for shit! They may perhaps work on a tcase rotor, I don't know. The caliper that High Angle, All Pro, Sky, and one of the units sold at TSM(http://www.tsmmfg.com/7211.htm) apparently works well, but is only part of the equation. High Angle does make a 231 kit, but he requires purchase of his 1 ton CV driveshaft along with the brake components and it was quite expensive. I opted to use a Tom Woods output flange on my 231 W/HD SYE along with a 1310 CV shaft from Tom Woods with the idea that at some point I'll fab up a rotor and caliper mount. I haven't done it yet though. Here is a link to the manufacturer of that caliper (Hayes): http://www.hayesbrake.com/standard_products.html. Jeff
 
I'll have to look around but I seem to remember that vettes when they still had a seperate rear diff and drive shaft had a rotor mounted on the pintle between the universal and the pintle seal. The last vette I saw were a couple of 03's that we were putting those labro doors on one and regearing the other, both had those torque shafts tunnels to the rear transaxle.
 
One of the best parking brakes is a line lock. Just mash the brakes and flip the switch and it won't go anywhere. Look up part # SBR-LL on summit racing's website. For $40 and a couple of adapters and a switch, you can't beat it and a mechanical E-brake won't even touch this especially with larger than factory tires.
 
With these line locks do you simply splice into the existing hardline? Or do you have to replace all the lines? I know jack about brakes-- sorry
 
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