My First Jeep CJ

[Creekin]

For the rear, I hope to add disc brakes with a 5x5.5" bolt pattern. The rotors need to be ~11.75" so they fit under 15" wheels.
I have a set of 1988 Caddy calipers with integrated E-Brake.

However, I have run into a snag.
The OD of the new axles (about 7 1/8")( does not fit into the hat for the rotors I have from either the CJ, the waggy, or the Scout.
Went to the store and tried some rotors from a 77-78 Bronco. Same problem. The ID of where of the rotor where the rotor hat is just under 7".
Really don't want to grind down the OD of the new axles so they fit into the rotor hat.



I know they sell rear disc brake conversion kits for CJ's and Scouts.
Just trying to figure out which rotor to use.
Maybe I have to use a rear rotor 5x5.5" that was designed with a drum brake type E-Brake?

Any ideas?

 

[rodney eppes]

Been some time since I looked into this. But Do recall, the Only rear disc brake set-up For Scout, is a GM style, with the outboard e-brake [which is useless]. You get the weld - on- axle mount, for the caliper. Probably any full size caliper will fit the mount. And I guess the rotor would be any full size 5x5 1/2 lug pattern. Might need longer lug bolts as the rotor would be bolted on them. You can Goggle "rear disc brake kits" & work from there, Or, goggle the Scout / IH parts, & see what they offer! Also "Binder Parts", plus Binder/Scout forums. I Searched All those sources, for a disc brake kit, with Hat style e-brake. Supposedly Can't be done, due to Scout using an Oddball flange! Go figure.
If you choose to run the GM caliper, I'd forget trying to hook up & getting the useless e-brake to work. Just add a Micro-Lock brake, & be done with it. Leave the E-foot brake installed [unhooked], in case some smarty Safety inspector wants to see it.

 

[Creekin]

Looking around, it appears that vented rotors from a four door 1997 Geo Tracker will work.
When they arrive, I will update...

 

[rodney eppes]

Looking around, it appears that vented rotors from a four door 1997 Geo Tracker will work.
When they arrive, I will update...

Hum. Isuzu had D-44 rear with disc, & maybe some Honda breeds, too.

 

[Creekin]

Time to build up the new axles.
To start with, needed to get the old disc brake backing plate and the bearing retaining pieces off the old axles.
The pieces of the old backing plate needed to be cut out and used as the required spacer.

To accomplish all this, first, the old bearing retainer needed to be drilled and then split it with a chisel.



Then the old roller bearings come off



Now the old backing plate comes and bearing retaining plate are slid off the axle.
Then the inner portion of the bearing is removed



The part of the backing plate this is needed is cut off



Some time with a wire brush and paint from a rattle can, and the retaining plate and backing plate were made ready for install onto the new axles

 

[Creekin]

To get the axles ready, new longer wheel studs (1/2"-20 0.627" Knurl by 1-15/16" [NAPA part # NOE 6414265) needed to be pressed into the axle.
A 20 Ton press really helps in this situation.



With the wheel studs pressed in, the bearing retaining plate, the backing plate, and bearing seal were slid onto the axle.
The Timken Set 10 bearing and retaining ring were slid onto the axle and then pressed into position.
For pressing on new bearing and retaining ring, the old bearing retaining ring was used to distribute the forces onto the new ring.



The new axles were installed and fasteners hand tighten.



Next, its time to install the OX cover.
Oops, the cover does not slide into position.
The large "C" on the Ox cover that is used to move the locking piece into position inside of the differential hits a tab on then inside of the diff, as seen in the top of the photo below.



Take every out of the rear diff and then grind the tab down .
Now the OX cover's "C" slides into place.

 

[Creekin]

The Geo rotors came in for the rear disc brake conversion.
Good news! They fit over the outer diameter of the Scout axle, as shown below:



With the rotor temporarily in place, time to see if the 86 Caddy calipers with integrated E-Brake and the mounting bracket might work



Looks like everything might work. May have to do a bit of trimming to the bracket to get it to seat onto the axle though.



Hope to get this system setup and welded into position soon

 

[paradisePWoffrd]

Make sure you can still get those bearing bolts/nuts out when you put the brake bracket on.

 

[Creekin]

May some head way with the rear brakes this weekend.

Modified the rear brake bracket to fit onto the axle (next time I will likely try the 3 inch vs. the 2.75 inch bracket).
This allowed the pads to sit better onto the rotor



Also made made some small pieces to stiffen up the bracket. They will also serve as a guard for the brake line.
Used the E-Brake to lock the pads in place while everything was being tacked into place.



The caliper location was to allow for E-Brake cable to be installed and to allow three of the four bolts to be replaced if needed (Thx Ben for the heads up on that one).
After it was tacked into place, checked the clearance for 15" wheels



The caliper and axles were removed as to prevent the heat from the welding to damage the axle seals and bearings
Welded the brackets and the stiffening pieces onto the axle.



Mounted the caliper to make sure everything stayed in place during welding.
So far so good...



Then onto the other side



Now ready to install the axle

 

[Creekin]

With the rear brakes on the axle, time to see how the axle will look on the Jeep



Now to install the rear wheels and tires to see what lift height will look like



And how much the additional width will look like

 

[Creekin]

With the rear axle installed, time to work on the stuff needed to mount the front axle.

Warrior Welder came by and did some amazing work.
We made new leaf spring hanger boxes from 1/4" 3x3 angle iron . Each piece of angle iron was about 6" long.

Since YJ 2.5" springs are being used along with poly bushing with a 1/4" outer lip, the boxes needed to have a 3" spacing.
For each box, one side of the angle iron was trimmed.
After which, each box was had two pieces of angle iron (one trimmed and one not trimmed) were welded together to have a 3" wide spring hanger box.
The spring hangers boxes with three inch spacing are shown below.



The tubing and washer was used to maintain the 3" spacing during the welding process.
As shown above, one end of the bracket was boxed and then the 9/16" holes were drilled to for the leaf spring hanger.

Originally, the distance center-to-center of the frame rail for the Scout axles was 31".
The CJ frame rails are about 27" center-to-center where the front axle is mounted.
Therefore, the part of new spring hangers have to be mounted outside of the frame rails and some of the hanger will be under the frame rail.
So the new spring hangers were welded onto 7.5" long 3x3 1/4" pieces of angle iron.



One thing for sure about Warrior Welder, he sure knows how to weld.
Some of the nicest work I have ever seen.

Gussets were made to stiffen up the bracket and welded into place.
After double checking our measurements and placement of the brackets, the new spring boxes were welded onto frame rail.



With the eye hangers installed, next will be the front brackets for the shackles.
I cannot thank Warrior Welder enough for all his help.

 

[WARRIORWELDING]

I'll hold the squirt gun and lend a hand measuring......You had a plan. I'm just a dude helping you get it done. I was amazed at how much that little cutting disk got done. This is truely a DIY build with basic shop tools with the addition to 1 grinder and a nice little welder. I'm still super impressed with that inverter Miller.

 

[Creekin]

With the rear axle installed and the back hangers for the front springs installed, time to build the front hangers for the front springs.
Using some DOM tubing with a 1" ID they were welded to a 3"x3" by 1/4" thick angle iron.
The angle iron was cut down on one side to 2 inches on the DOM end 1" on the other end.
A 1.5" hole was drilled into the 2" side of the angle iron for the DOM tubing to slide through and welded.


Of course those welds are not mine, that's the work of Warrior Welder.

One thing was to figure out was how to square up the DOM to the angle iron.
Since the DOM sticks out 3/8" Warrior asked if I had any 3/8" pieces of metal laying around.
Luckily, the anti wrap brackets are 3/8" and he used those pieces and a kind of jig to get things squared up and tacked
I must say, Warrior got some serious skills.



Next the gussets were made up and the angle iron pieces were set to 31" on center located on the front of the frame.
With everything tacked up, it was mine turn to weld.
This is how the passenger side came out.



Now to see how the leaf spring will hang. So the shackles were quickly installed for an initial look.



So far so good.
Onto the Driver side.

 

[Creekin]

Had time today to make some gussets and weld in the driver side front hanger.



Of course there is the old "grinder and paint, to hide fact a welder I a'int.

 

[Creekin]

Next in line was to install the springs and then see how the axle is going to look.
Hopefully all those measurements and checking measurements paid off.



So far looks like everything aligns.
Next its time to grind down the axle's spring perch for the spring over.

 

[Creekin]

Start to work on the passenger spring perch for the front axle.
One of the items is to grind down the top portion of the axle where the spring perch is going to sit



The next item was to make the brackets that are going to help set the pinion angle and hold the spring perch
Started with a piece of 1/4" stock and drilled a 2.75" hole.



Then the brackets and a flat piece of 3" stock was welded together.



The brackets allow for the rotation of the axle while adjusting the pinion angle.



Next is to modify the spring perch.
More to follow.

 

[WARRIORWELDING]

meant to send you these earlier......

 

[XJsavage]

For the rear, I hope to add disc brakes with a 5x5.5" bolt pattern. The rotors need to be ~11.75" so they fit under 15" wheels.
I have a set of 1988 Caddy calipers with integrated E-Brake.

However, I have run into a snag.
The OD of the new axles (about 7 1/8")( does not fit into the hat for the rotors I have from either the CJ, the waggy, or the Scout.
Went to the store and tried some rotors from a 77-78 Bronco. Same problem. The ID of where of the rotor where the rotor hat is just under 7".
Really don't want to grind down the OD of the new axles so they fit into the rotor hat.

View attachment 277078 View attachment 277079

I know they sell rear disc brake conversion kits for CJ's and Scouts.
Just trying to figure out which rotor to use.
Maybe I have to use a rear rotor 5x5.5" that was designed with a drum brake type E-Brake?

Any ideas?

The ID/OD situation is identical to what I ran into years ago doing a disc brake conversion on a 9". I eventually found a solution to it while I was at a junkyard. After pulling every 5 on 5.5 rotor known to man, I grabbed a set of early 2000s Dodge ram 1500 rotors and they slid right on perfectly. Only issue was the wheel studs on the 9 were not seating the rotor properly and a quick comparison of the two axle pointed out that the wheel studs on the Rams, even though the same size, have a longer neck that sticks out past the flange and is what actually seats the rotors. So you'll need a full set of wheel studs from the same vehicle if you do use those rotors.

 

[rodney eppes]

Sounds like a thin spacer would also work. Just whichever is easier & your comfortable with.

 

[Creekin]

Since the Jeep is now sitting higher, the new old shocks will be an issue.
The back shocks will definitely be too short.
Maybe the Monroe shocks on the front can work on the back.
They only had one trail ride on them.
Looked on CL and found a lightly used set of Bilstein from a Chevy 2500.
They were just a few bucks for all four.



I only need the longer pair.
Anyone need the shorter pair?

The longer pair should work until things get sorted out and figure out what set of shocks would be best.

 

[Creekin]

Been working on the front axle.
One item not thought of till now is that the casting on the passenger side of the pumpkin results in needing a wider U-Bolt and wider spring brackets at the top.
Picked up some semi-round U-Bolts and made a spring bracket out of 1/4"



The U-bolt for the driver side is noticeably smaller.

Had to do some more grinding on the pumpkin to get the U-Bolts to sit right



Since the drivers side spring perch allow for a one inch movement to position the axle forward, I thought why not...
Forgot that you also have to drill a hole in the top plate so everything aligns.

 

[Creekin]

This time I ground down the tab inside of the pumpkin before the carrier was installed.



This should make installing OX diff cover a lot easier

 

[Creekin]

Well, time to see how everything is going to work under the Jeep.
To set the pinion angle, the axle was temporarily put under the jeep with all the U-Bolts.
Then jack stands used to hold up the axle.



So far so good.
Now the axle is ready to set the pinion angle and then weld on the C's to the end of the axle
Hope to have about 6 degrees of caster when everything is installed.

Just could not wait, had to see how the Jeep would look with wheels.
So the drivers front wheel was propped up to about the right running height.



Looks like I will have a little more lift than when the CJ first came home.

 

[rodney eppes]

Been working on the front axle.
One item not thought of till now is that the casting on the passenger side of the pumpkin results in needing a wider U-Bolt and wider spring brackets at the top.
Picked up some semi-round U-Bolts and made a spring bracket out of 1/4"

View attachment 278336 View attachment 278337

The U-bolt for the driver side is noticeably smaller.

Had to do some more grinding on the pumpkin to get the U-Bolts to sit right

View attachment 278338 View attachment 278339

Since the drivers side spring perch allow for a one inch movement to position the axle forward, I thought why not...
Forgot that you also have to drill a hole in the top plate so everything aligns.

View attachment 278340

Should have saved the Special Scout U bolt, that fits the pumpkin. Hope the pumpkin doesn't break from grinding so much out of it!

 

[Creekin]

Need to do some work to get the rear parking brake to work.
Since the rear parking brake cables were new, thought they would be usable.
One problem is that the cables were designed for drum brakes.
Therefore, the exposed part of the cable was too long.



Some folks have shorten the cable, but the CJ needed the length because of the amount of lift
So some square tubing and a washer were used as the spacer to take up the slack.
The tubing was angled towards the center of the jeep.
The washer is used to lock in the black part of the cable into place.
The square tubing was then welded onto the bracket for the parking brake.



The parts were then installed onto the caliper



Also shown above is the bracket to hold the flexible brake line in place.