Another Disc brake install

[dirtweazle]

On my 2k no need for longer studs.(Stocker Steely wheels) Found an article about removing the rubber ring on the prop pin so both F and R have the same bias.. Works great for me. Also used the stock passenger side E-brake line on the drivers side for its length. Im at 5" Good length and flexes just fine. Nothing on passenger side at this time. On the late models they moved the exit for the e brake to the drivers side. Was in the middle.

 

[srmitchell]

So, I went to the yard today.

-It started to rain.
-I was missing a wrench, had to buy one.
-Had to pound the backing studs off, destroying them.
-The bitchy lady at the front desk made me leave at 3 when they closed. So I had to leave the yard with only one backing plate, and one caliper. They stashed it, and I have to go back to pull the other.

What a nightmare.

 

[altierior]

for the e-brake cables:
are the liberty cables a direct swap with no further modifications? how about the (2) passenger-side exploror cables?

 

[CharlesS]

Did a disc brake conversion to my '98 back in '01, but didn't use the ZJ brakes...
Had custom brackets made and used 11" rotors with GM calipers that included emergency brakes....
The factory emergency brake cables worked fine once I cut off the coil spring from the cable ends....
As for the proportioning valve modification; I just removed the seal off the proportioner pressure valve rod.... This will provide equal pressure to both front and rear calipers....
The above modification is not advisable unless you have larger than stock tires.... IF you have stock tires; the rear brakes will lock up before the fronts....

 

[dgrigorenko]

ok so on the topic, but kinda a hijack... i was hooking up my ebrakes yesterday, and i just did the "cut the spring off the cable and use a cable clamp" method, but they still dont do squat. i can pull up on my ebrake lever as hard as i want, and it wont even give a noticable slow down. any suggestions?

ok and on topic:

isnt removing the o-ring from the stock prop valve a bad idea because you need more braking pressure to the front since more load goes there when stopping? also, i could see a bad situation happening if you rears locked up on snow or slippery surfaces... although the fronts locking up isnt stellar either.

 

[DougJ]

I pulled the o-ring on my prop valve in my '01 after the test drive once I had the rear disks installed. I have not done the front brakes yet but she's due pads and rotors, in this condition the rears start squalling before the fronts, but only minutely. The brakes lock at the exact same time in the dirt though. I think after I freshen up the front brakes to match the new rears it's going to be just right.

dgrigorenko: On your e-brake, it sounds like a simple adjustment issue. How far does the e-brake handle come up? Did you turn the adjuster until you got a tiny bit of drag on each wheel? Are the cables properly adjusted?

I was planning on putting Liberty cables in mine, but I crawled under there today and I think I'll go ahead and give re-using the stock cables a try. I'm going to pick up a couple of cable clips tomorrow and see how it goes.

 

[dgrigorenko]

dgrigorenko: On your e-brake, it sounds like a simple adjustment issue. How far does the e-brake handle come up? Did you turn the adjuster until you got a tiny bit of drag on each wheel? Are the cables properly adjusted?

I was planning on putting Liberty cables in mine, but I crawled under there today and I think I'll go ahead and give re-using the stock cables a try. I'm going to pick up a couple of cable clips tomorrow and see how it goes.

yeah i did use the adjuster to get slight drag, and i cant pull the lever all the way up. i do experience some serious resistance about 3/4 of the way up, but still nada to braking power. it is definitely weird

 

[seanyb505]

Why cant the ZJ cables be used? I didnt get a chance to grab them from the 'yard but they look similar in length to the XJ cables, and they mount similarly under the body where it splits into two cables.

 

[DougJ]

Why cant the ZJ cables be used? I didnt get a chance to grab them from the 'yard but they look similar in length to the XJ cables, and they mount similarly under the body where it splits into two cables.

Good question and I don't know the answer. I could search for it but I'm not that motivated right now! If I had been thinking I would have grabbed them along with the ZJ proportioning valve just to see if they would work...

 

[spinnerdog]

I just did the conversion and took a porp. valve from a 98 zj stuck it in and wow brakes!!!!!!!!!! No need to take it apart with a 96 and newer master cylinder xj stops on a dime and gives me change back.

 

[srmitchell]

How do you bleed the master cylinder when you swap the valve?

I got all my rear parts today, need to save up and get all new pads and rotors.

 

[drknyt]

did you have to put spacers on the axles to compensate for the thickness of the backing plate?? i read somewhere you have to have small spacers made that you put between the axle flange and axle retaining plate

 

[DougJ]

did you have to put spacers on the axles to compensate for the thickness of the backing plate?? i read somewhere you have to have small spacers made that you put between the axle flange and axle retaining plate

Not with the ZJ brakes. If you read the captions with the pictures I covered most of it. Except for a bit of grinding to open the center-bore on the ZJ backing plate/caliper mount it's pretty much bolt on.

 

[Talyn]

did you have to put spacers on the axles to compensate for the thickness of the backing plate?? i read somewhere you have to have small spacers made that you put between the axle flange and axle retaining plate

On the 8.25 and d35 there is no axle retaining plate. You may be thinking of a D44.

 

[drknyt]

On the 8.25 and d35 there is no axle retaining plate. You may be thinking of a D44.

oh thanks, do you have to for the D44 then??

 

[Fred85]

How do you bleed the master cylinder when you swap the valve?

i was curious if this needed a bench bleed or not, as well.....

 

[smcdonaldaz]

Got my parts today, $55. The cashier made me cut the brake lines though. Pissed me off. Oh well. I did find one that was C4C and must have had a break job recently that included new rotors. I itching to get going on it.

Thanks for all the great info that makes it easier for the rest of us!

 

[Talyn]

i was curious if this needed a bench bleed or not, as well.....

You don't need to bench bleed the master when you change the prop valve. You usually bench bleed it when you are changing the master cylinder. As long as the MC doesn't go dry you will be fine. I bled the prop valve by cracking open the fittings then bleeding them individually followed by a full system bleed.

 

[Harleyhector]

I'm sure I am only going to say what one hundred other guys will say but, I did the same swap onto my '89. You don't NEED the P-valve. I have been running mine for a year with 34s and the brakes work fine. Scout the Craigslits and and other similar forums. You will find the parts cheap. basic hand tools and a jack or two will score you some serious stopping power. I just took the coils springs off the end off my E brake cables as illustrated in Eric Zappe's book and used the exact same tiny u bolts to secure them. worked great!! Your install looks great. clean, simple, functional. What els can a Jeep guy/gal ask for? Nice work.:firedevil

 

[Vanquish]

You don't NEED the P-valve.

Thats funny, I couldn't get my back wheels to lock up on gravel until I swapped the valve's internals.

But if you say so.