curious if the wj brake upgrade can be done in stages?

thought was perhaps i can upgrade knuckles and rotor/caliper while keeping the zj steering linkage. will the zj Y link steering fit on the xj with the wj knuckles?

 

I think you might run into problems trying to do it in stages. The steering is different from the WJ (crossover) and ZJ/XJ steering (inverted T). Also your drag link and track bar are going to be way out of whack.

I'm not 100% sure on this, so hopefully someone else will chime in. But from the research I've done you should upgrade the steering when you do the knuckle swap.

 

I have done it, and you have to do it all at once. Be prepared to redo the track bar brackets to get the geometry right so you won't have death wobble

 

This is exactly why I asked.

it seems tricky setting up the Trac bar bracket. Technically it should be right by the knuckle to prevent bumpsteer, not easily done cleanly.

is the bumpsteer harsh if an aftermarket bracket is used, one that places the Trac bar above and in from the stock location?

 

I've had WJ knuckles and brakes with XJ steering for almost two years now...works perfectly fine.
I have the go-fer-it tie rod inserts in mine because I originally wanted to do OTK with heims and drilled out the steering arms but then changed my mind. So no guarantees that the stock knuckles will work, with XJ tie rod ends. I think they should but I'm not 100%.
To be clear, I did not use the WJ steering arm for the draglink, its still all in the stock XJ/ZJ configuration I just have an extra unused steering arm on the knuckle. And no changes to the track bar.

 

when i did the wj swap i also just bolted my stock xj steering linkage utk to the wj knuckles,adjust the toe & center the steering wheel, used it that way months until i finally went otk 1 ton linkage.

 

thats nice to hear another account of this being doable. I have zj linkages currently but I do plan on upgrading. Mainly brakes are do sooner, as are tires, which i may size up to 35s from 33s. either way I prefer not to dump that much into stock pads/rotor/calipers when i can upgrade at the same time. looks like l need to source some new wj lower ball joints and knuckles from the JY.
did you have to sleeve the wj knuckles with the xj TREs?

 

no the xj tre s just bolt right in, when going to 1 ton tre s i reamed down from the top. btw i would not suggest using used jy ball joints. just buy a new set of JK uppers & lowers , its whats needed wj knuckles

 

oh ide never buy used ball joints, just knuckles.

didnt know JK ball joints worked for this?? i thought xj uppers, wj lowers were whats needed.

brakes,caliper spacers, knuckle spacers, my hubs are 97s- these dont need to change to do they?, im getting mixed reviews on every thread for these.

 

hubs need to be from 2000-2001 xj , pretty sure ? also need wj rotors but redrill to 4.5 pattern

 

crap, so it is the "bigger" hub. i know the 4.5 drilled discs are needed and i plan to use akebono brake calipers.

has anyone ever found the 1/4" caliper spacer is not needed, or is this definitely need? i know the hub spacer has to be welded on.

 

I don't run a caliper spacer. Never had a problem now in four years. It is just the hub spacer that is needed

 

Ball joints d30 xj upper, wj lower. Year on uppers doesn't change anything right. Lp/hp d30 ball joints stay the same don't they?
a parts list I'm referencing suggested 01 xj uppers 01 wj lowers?

 

The only thing I could see on the difference between XJ and WJ lower ball joints is the length of the stud

 

lower ball joint tapper is different iirc