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Brakes and Lockers, good times

S

sinat01

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Preston county, WV
So I know there are threads about brake upgrades, but most arnt too specific. I know you can swap the liberty disks over to an XJ 8.25, but ive read that the parking brake sucks, and I have a 5 speed, so I use mine a lot. What other axles can I pull the disk brakes off of? I don't want to do the 8.8 swap, im content with the 8.25 on 33s, just hate that drum brakes suck so bad lol.
Then on to lockers... I know a full case Detroit would be best, buuut money is tight. I have been looking at aussies, Spartan, and lokka. Pros and cons for each? i know they are similar in design, just trying to find out as much info as possible on them before I order.
1999 2 DR xj
4.5" lift
33x10.50 KM2
D30 up front
29 spline 8.25 in the rear.
 
I just did this so I won't speak of the "lasting" value of KJ parking brakes(their working now), but the biggest gain was the WJ front brakes. It stops like a Porche now!! :)
 
For the WJ front brakes don't you have to swap the knuckle and all that good stuff? And from what ive read (take that with a grain of salt) the issue with the KJ parking brake is a lack of leverage for whatever reason. my brakes arnt horrible, but my drums refuse to stay adjusted
 
Any of the rear disc brake conversions are going to have a parking brake problem due to the small drum size. They're really small, looking like the drums off the rear of a Honda Fit.
I improved the parking brake, and retained the stock brake cables, by cutting the parking brake arms off the old drum brakes and welding them to the new disc brake's parking brake arms.
The modified parking brake arms were made longer than stock for improved leverage.
TJs, with rear disc brakes, have the same issue, Black Magic Brakes has a kit that does something similar to my mod, but in a completely different way.
http://www.shop.blackmagicbrakes.co...arking-Brake-Cables-BRAKE-WIZARD-BRACKETS.htm
Not sure how they would fit on a 8.25, an email to Blaine should yield the answer.
 
srb531 said:
all the so called lunchbox lockers are inexpensive for a reason, they make noise, push them too hard & they break.
Click to expand...

I've broke everything in a 30 but the spartan..
carrier, broke stock shaft, twisted chromos, stripped ring gear, ujoints, bent a housing, hardened cross pin.

Not saying it's not possible. Just stating my experience
 
noise doesn't bother me, its a jeep, its what they do lol
and any good ways to keep the drums in adjustment?
and thanks for the links, ive read some of those, but im primarily looking at the difference between aussie, lokka and Spartan, pros and cons of each, known issues/failures etc. and im only doing the rear axle for now, the D30 will prolly get either an ox or Detroit, maybe an ARB, but they are pricy
 
sinat01 said:
noise doesn't bother me, its a jeep, its what they do lol
and any good ways to keep the drums in adjustment?
and thanks for the links, ive read some of those, but im primarily looking at the difference between aussie, lokka and Spartan, pros and cons of each, known issues/failures etc. and im only doing the rear axle for now, the D30 will prolly get either an ox or Detroit, maybe an ARB, but they are pricy
Click to expand...

consider a e locker in the front, less cost then a arb, no compressor or air lines to deal with or fail.
 
sinat01 said:
Quick question about the E-locker, they make a 30 spline version for the D30, to go from 27 to 30 spline id just need that locker and new shafts correct?
Click to expand...

sounds right, i went w/ the 27 spline w/ alloy inner & outershafts. i run 35's w/ 4.56 gears, best thing about a selectable in the frt. is you can leave it open most of the time offroad, i only engage mine when things start to look really rough. but i run a detriot in the rear , its amazing where you can go in 3 wheel drive.
 
sweet, I figured if I can go to a 30 spline axle in the D30, itd hold up pretty good, im prolly going to 3.73 gears for the axles (im runnin 33s) and I am in the slow and easy group off road, because my XJ is my daily driver, aaand I don't like destroying everything on it lol
 
sinat01 said:
sweet, I figured if I can go to a 30 spline axle in the D30, itd hold up pretty good, im prolly going to 3.73 gears for the axles (im runnin 33s) and I am in the slow and easy group off road, because my XJ is my daily driver, aaand I don't like destroying everything on it lol
Click to expand...

for 33's you should do at least 4.10 , i run 33's on the street w/ 4.56 and its fine. 33's w/ 3.73 you wont have much get up & go.
 
I got a 5 speed, the way I figured 3.73 would return it to stock, the local offroad guru suggested 4.10s, I just worry about being overgeared for the highway. im rolling on 3.07s right now
 
with a 5 speed you would have no problem w/ 4.56 since fifth is a overdrive gear, but believe the guru 4.10 at the least if you think 4.56 is too much. 4.10 will be closer to stock due to the extra weight of 33's & wheels compared to stock tires, plus any other weight added to the jeep as always happens. you dont want spend all that money for a gear change to end up saying, i wish i had of went to lower gear.
 
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