steel wheels will clear with the right backspacing. usually under 4" is ok. aluminum wheels are thicker and will rub

 

good to see you did your homework on the clearance. That eliminates the "gotcha" when your all stoked to go for a test ride and you get hosed with something like that.

 

I'm running steel wheels with 3.75 back spacing and they are 15x8 or 15x10 not sure but I'm also planning on running a 1.5 wheel spacer, you think I could clear it? I have wj knuckles sitting at home but thought I couldn't clear the calipers

 

That should be plenty. The akebono calipers are a little bigger too, the teves are easier to clear, but even with the bigger, worst case you just have to grind a very little.

 

Absolutely. I make sure when I do something that I know all the details going in, I don't like surprises, or my jeep down for a simple oversight.

 

went and picked up a new set of pads and rotors, as well as a hardware kit because I was missing a spring.
I redrilled the bolt pattern to 5x4.5. You have to be careful to line up the hub opening because if the holes are off at all, the rotor wont clear the flange on the hub.
I drilled them first then used a roto-broach to make the final hole. If you have never used one and drill a lot of holes, buy a set. They are awesome.

Here is the broach









and the difference in size between the stock xj rotor, and wj rotor

 

Just a couple pics of how it sits at the moment. Only overall pics Ive taken so far on the iroks

 

God i love how it looks now! It makes me want 35's so bad!

 

well I got some work done today!
I went out side and started to dissasemble while I waited for ups to bring the hub spacers.
I got one wheel off before UPS showed up, perfect!
So I finished what I was doing and went at the hubs.
I bolted my stock hub into the WJ spindle with the spacer and tacked it in, I did this for both sides then removed the hub and welded the spacer to the knuckle



While they cooled I finished disasembly.





By the time I was done the knuckles were cool and I installed them. I then checked the drag link clearance and had to cut off the pass side sway bar mount, which I dont use anyway.
While doing this I found out I didnt shorten it enough, and also, that with the drag link bolted in the pitman arm, the drag link would only drop about 4" before binding, I have heard this but didnt think it would be so bad.
So I started to think, looked around the garage and decided to try something out.
The stock drag link OD is about the same as the ID of the WJ drag link, so I removed the adjuster collar from the oem drag link and cut the threaded end off. I ground it down until it fit inside with some persuasion, and welded it home





So this shortened up the drag link, and also now with it attached to the pitman arm, it will drop all the way to the ground.

So my next step was to install the rotors and calipers. I found out that I have a 2000 hub on one side and a mid 90's hub on the other, meaning one side caliper bracket had to be shimmed out and one did not. I will replace the older one with another soon. For now its fine.
Once I got the calipers on I mounted a wheel and checked for clearance, there are 2 spots on the caliper that are "high" that needed to be ground down. So I ground them down and anything that was close, literally about 1-2 minutes a side of work





Once that was all set I installed the tie rod



and figured out how to install the steering damper. I had an old bracket from a d60 that clamped the tie rod, so I modified it and mounted it



Then I set the toe, centered the wheel and went for a ride!
Boy even without the brakes seated yet, it stops so much better. I locked up the iroks coming in the driveway no problem.
I have to drive it some more and get everything broken in and re checked now.

 

Drove it around some this afternoon, calipers like to hang up. Apparently there is a tsb on this happening and chrysler replaced the teves calipers with akebonos to keep it from happening, so tomorrow morning Im gonna run over to napa and pick up a set of akebono calipers, brackets and pads and replace these.
I can still say though, if they arent hanging and hot, the stop amazing. Night and day, better than stock brakes and stock size tires.

 

I did the WJ swap. The akebonos wont fit with your rims. So once you get them on you will need 16s or 17 alum.

I have it all here:
http://www.xjsocal.com/showthread.ph...ng-on-a-D30-XJ

Without sounding like a ****head, i want to say you should have done some more homework. You wil be in a pickle with the 15s and Akebonos. I knew from the start to stay far away from Teves. Yur also going to need 2 akebono style caliper mount brackets. Dealer part only. 40-60$ a piece...Good luck man!

Need any help PM me ill check back soon.

 

No help needed. I did plenty of research, and know the dimensions of the calipers, just like the many people who run them with a 15" wheel.
Check back this afternoon to see my wheels mounted, and if you have any questions after that ill be happy to answer.

 

Oh, and the brackets are not a dealer only part. You can buy the semi loaded calipers from napa with hardware and brackets for, well my cost, 51$ each.

 

I did the impossible! lol, like many others. I got the akebono calipers today, with the mounting brackets and hardware from Napa, and a set of pads.
got them mounted up and checked for clearance with a new wheel

Here is the caliper mounted



and a sneak peek behind my new rim.



I had to do minimal grinding, just like with the teves, and they fit fine. Just like all my homework said they would.

so any more than 3.75" backspace would be a problem, they just rub the inside of the wheel where it steps up and the center is welded. With less backspace or spacers, you wouldnt have to grind at all.

 

FYI, if you havent changed it yet, in all the pics of your swap your calipers are upside down.