• NAXJA is having its 18th annual March Membership Drive!!!
    Everyone who joins or renews during March will be entered into a drawing!
    More Information - Join/Renew
  • Welcome to the new NAXJA Forum! If your password does not work, please use "Forgot your password?" link on the log-in page. Please feel free to reach out to [email protected] if we can provide any assistance.

KJ disc conversion

Whitetail

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Maryland
Has anyone thought about or tried useing liberty rear discs on their rear 8.25 axle? Im thinking not, because its new, and you cant really get junkyard parts yet. But you never know. I know they have a 8.25 rear axle with discs and thats why i was wondering.
 
If you can find a rolled KJ then it's just a matter of having the coil spring mounts removed and new perches welded on. I'd take a ruler and measure the width though just to be sure but it might be just pretty much a straight swap over. I'm not anywhere near to doing this myself but it's one of those things I've considered. Got too much else on my plate right now..
 
I just read a thread about this a week or two ago. I don't know if it was on here or JU. A guy picked up all the parts for $200. Try searching JU if you don't find it here. I know it was just a week or two ago.
 
The conversion is easy to do if you are comfortable with opening your rear diff, removing the C clips and sliding out your axles. If you are not comfortable with that then don't go any further because after removing the tires, drums and brake hardware thats the next step prior to unbolting the drum brake backing plate. Then it's just a matter of reverseing the install with the new ZJ backing plate that you made the hole in the center bigger. Theres a bit more but I don't remember it all off hand. One here posted a couple of months ago the step by step with pictures on how he did his and I have a couple of links on how to do it also on the 35 and 44.
As for the KJ to XJ switch of the rear the KJ uses rear coils *I think*, been a while since I was under one to look and honestly it's not that clear to me anymore as my eyes were continually drawn to those two big honking control arms hanging down in the front and my mind going 'wtf is that up there, then, no no no tell me they didn't do that'. :laugh3: [I didn't know it had IFS before hand]
 
roke40 said:
I just read a thread about this a week or two ago. I don't know if it was on here or JU. A guy picked up all the parts for $200. Try searching JU if you don't find it here. I know it was just a week or two ago.
Did you find the thread?
 
91 Jeep Project said:
Now your just ignoring me.......... :laugh3:
Whoops, sorry 'bout that DJ. I've been slacking. :speepin:
Same old-same old here. I got my interior done but I think you already knew that? :repair: Definitely limo style now, heated leather and all black panels (used to be gray).
 
The KJ 8.25 is narrower than the XJ's... So shafts, and what not will not work... I don't see why the brakes wouldn't bolt right up though...

Will.
 
JEEPZZ said:
Whoops, sorry 'bout that DJ. I've been slacking. :speepin:
Same old-same old here. I got my interior done but I think you already knew that? :repair: Definitely limo style now, heated leather and all black panels (used to be gray).

Last time we talked it was in process, waiting on finished pics........ :rattle:

And my '99 came with that pretty black interior.............. :laugh3:
 
xjwillyb said:
The KJ 8.25 is narrower than the XJ's... So shafts, and what not will not work... I don't see why the brakes wouldn't bolt right up though...

Will.

Actually the KJ 8.25 is a few inches wider than an XJ. I know this because I got a KJ axleshaft that I wanted to use on my XJ 8.25 and the KJ shaft was too long.

As far as the KJ rear disc, I am running it on my 8.25". The swap was easy, no grinding, enlarging, or drilling needed. I just used some TJ rubicon D44 rear brake lines for the calipers and modified some YJ park brake cables for the park brake hook-up. They work great, but are noisey when cold or damp. The KJ has had rear disc noise issues since they were introduced in '03, DC has yet to remedy the problem. Good set-up and is easier to do than the ZJ conversion.

Bryan
 
You can buy a loaded backing plate from the dealer for about $100 a side, then buy rotors, brake hoses, and calipers.

left side p/n 52128415ab
right side p/n 52128414ab

this includes the mount, backing plate, e-brake shoes, etc. already bolted up.

Not sure if this route is cheaper/better than the teraflex route.
 
:thumbup: The only excuse to dig up the dead; updated info. Thanks for the update.. Can you buy the ZJ backing plates loaded for similar or cheaper?
 
WAY cheaper than the teraflex route. Not sure about better.

I just did ZJ discs on the new axle for my MJ for a whopping $65.50 (plus whatever it costs me for new lug studs if I need them, and getting the e-brake cables hooked up.) All junkyard parts, unless I end up having to replace the rotors/pads as well. That does include new axle tube seals though.

If the jeep wasn't a rustbucket already, I probably would have bothered to buy new parts or clean these ones up and paint them, but I just threw them on.
 
Back
Top