D44 Rear Disc Brake Hardware Sources

I just aquired a rear D44 from an 87 cherokee. Now it's time for some upgrades. I'm planning on doing the disc brake swap and have been reading up on all the options...ZJ and Crown Vic. It got me thinking...since the Crown Vic uses an 8.8 and an Explorer uses an 8.8, would the disc brake hardware from an Explorer work also? If so then there is another option when the other two are hard to find.

pretty sure crown vic is a 44 but dont hold me to it.

i just did what you did. but i scored a set of ZJ backing plates at the same junkyard i got the axle from.

after that i got new zj calipers/pads/rotors. and then i got the rubicon bearing retainer, JEEP part number 5083678-AA

get TJ rubicon bearings and seals. part number CRBR10 and CR18731

you have to open up the zj backing plates a little, the hole is too small to fit the 44 shafts and bearings through. i used a large dremel-type tool. make sure you open them good enough, otherwise they will catch the seal and leak(happened to me, not fun)

next i redrilled the xj 44 axle flange to the zj/tj bolt pattern.

next i got some longer studs and grinded one side flat, and used those to hold the backing plates and bearing retainers to the axle.

next i had to get 81-83 mercury cougar lug nut studs. the stock were too short. part number 9210075

after that i bled the brakes and all was well and good. it was quite an upgrade from my stock 27 spline 8.25 that was leaking into the brake drums causing the pedal to goto the floor.

you may want to use an upgraded proportioning valve. i havnt, but it is my next upgrade. also, i was able to sell the stock drum brake backing plates and such for about $50. they were in mint condition. overall i totalled everything up and i am about $500 into the axle. next comes an aussie.

good luck

redyouch said:

get TJ rubicon bearings and seals. part number CRBR10 and CR18731

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Kind of curious why you specifically list TJ bearings and seals?

Kejtar said:

Kind of curious why you specifically list TJ bearings and seals?

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its the same. and its easier to find than saying a D44 from an 87 xj; most parts stores dont have it on their computer.

redyouch said:

its the same. and its easier to find than saying a D44 from an 87 xj; most parts stores dont have it on their computer.

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OK, cause you had me scratching my head there for a moment.

redyouch said:

pretty sure crown vic is a 44 but dont hold me to it.

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Nah, it's an 8.8, but from what I understand it's only the mid-90's crown vic (and merc grand marquis) that have that particular bolt pattern on it. The advantage there is you don't have to redrill the axle flange or the backing plate, solely the Rubi retainer plate. The calipers and rotors from the crown vic work as well, except you'll need to grind out the center of the rotor a little bit to fit over the D44 axle shaft properly.

Using the crown vic backing plates you'll also need to grind a little bit of the ribbing on the plate off to make it sit flush, and also grind out the center hole, as was mentioned about the ZJ plates.

Thanks everybody for all the good tips and info. It will definately help in my upcomming conversion.