HatonXJ

I have a 99 Cherokee with the Dana 35 and I'm looking to do a rear disc conversion. Most of the posts I find about this (if I can actually find one) are very old posts. Does anyone have either a full kit or a list of parts from donor vehicles to source from?

I've seen many websites that have kits but I have no way of knowing whether their replacement parts are proprietary through them or can be obtained from Napa/Autozone etc. Has anyone had any success with these kits?

cruiser54

You want a kit or are you willing to piece one together?

HatonXJ

If I have the option a kit is preferred but I will piece one together if needed.

cruiser54

I have only ever pieced one together.
94 to 98 ZJ rear discs. Get the longer studs from the axle flange. You'll need longer wheel studs also.
Grab the "guts" from the donor vehicle's proportioning valve.
MINOR opening up of the caliper mounts to fit the axle. we're talking sanding drum work. Minimal.

You can also use some Liberty rear disc setups. Doesn't require opening up the mount at all.

Old Man Minimalist

Isn't it the parking brake integration the part that makes it not completely "plug and play"? Is there some fabrication required to get the parking brake to work correctly?

I'd consider doing the swap if I could buy the components from someone like the guy on here that used to offer them, but I'm hesitant because I don't weld and I like my stuff to look/perform like factory.

But I figure since my current backing plates need replaced on my '99,since I will be going in that far, I should consider making the switch.

HatonXJ

Is that any year liberty?

cruiser54

I'm not sure on the Liberty years.

Hopefully someone will chime in who can provide that info.

No welding required BTW.

PJB

The parking brake cables will need to be changed out, or I bought some adapters I think were for a Ford 9 inch that are s shaped that make hooking up the parking brake super easy

vroomvroom

I did the rear disc conversion on my 8.25. I'm trying to remember the year Jeep Liberty I used. Let me think on it for a bit. I got parts from a junkyard, but used new brake pads and rotors. Parking brakes were a little tricky too. You can buy the correct parking brake cables that "hopefully fit" yours.

This conversion doesn't require welding, but you do have to be comfortable taking axle shafts out as well as the differential cross pin and c clips (If yours is an 8.25).

HatonXJ

I have the Dana 35

UKXJ

Liberties have C8.25's so I thought that was the conversion of choice if you had that axle.

In any event, bar the 1st couple of years, which had rear drums, I'm sure all all Liberties were the same.

Liberty parking brake cables work with with ZJ discs, which is surprising as the set-up is quite odd - & don't expect it to work 'cos, by all accounts they're worse than XJ's.

Old Man Minimalist

Other than the work needed at the junkyard, my biggest issue is everything is so rusty up here and my XJ is a Texas vehicle and I refuse to put rusty or even previously rusty parts on it. I was really hoping that fellow down south that was offering them would start up again. But I can imagine he is getting worn out stripping the stuff. The way the vehicles here sit on the ground, it would not be an easy day to get the axles out though I am capable.

But OP needs set up for a Dana. I don't want to jack his thread.

Corky

I was all for heading to the boneyard and piecing the conversion together.. But after a few boneyards I came to the realization of exactly what you're saying... All the donors were super rusty and unsuitable for my vehicle...I ended up buying the crown ZJ backing plate assemblies and hit up rock auto for the rest of the parts...Calipers,rotors,hoses and even the zj longer studs...In my case this area just wasn't cost effective to get the rusty parts and then back peddle to get them useable..Other geographical areas obviously won't have the problem...Also, the crown backing plates had a dual stud pattern to fit multiple rears{mine was an 8.25 and fit with no mods}..
The only word of advice would be to watch the older threads on what "junkyard or applications" to use for the emergency brakes... I read and reread all the old threads and still went for a ride ordering cables that would work.. With that being said there are now conversion cables out there that weren't available when most of those old threads were made...And lastly on the cables.. It's been a while but even after I found "the correct" application the cable stops weren't exact{overseas bad tolerances} and the equalizer bar was not balanced I ended up putting another end on the cable.. Hindsight says to just order the conversion set and be done with it...
Here's a pic of the crown backing plate ZJ assemblies from my build thread , you can see the dual pattern for the axle studs...

00t444e

I did it on my 8.25 and used parts from an 03 Liberty, everything was bolt on and I think I used parking brake cables for a ZJ. I wouldn't waste money putting them on a Dana 35 though, upgrade to a Chrysler 8.25 first.

HatonXJ

I've read over and over about the 8.25 and how everyone says the D35 isn't worth it but in what circumstances? I'm not intending on taking this jeep over the Rubicon trail. The purpose is mostly for my wife to drive to work in the snow, trips up to the cabin, hunting and occasionally taking the bass boat to the river. All these events would benefit from better brakes but I don't see how the D35 can't handle these events. I'm not planning on anything over 31 inch tires if I even go that far. What do you guys know that I don't?