Baystate Jeepers

Does a rear D44 axle require anything special to go from drum to disc brakes?

You need to swap out the axle shaft retainer plates. You should be able to pick up a disc set from any local dealer.
I have a rear disc kit from an 8.8 if you're interested. Need only rotors and pads. I'm pretty sure the mounting holes on the backing plates need to be re-drilled.

norstar wrote:You need to swap out the axle shaft retainer plates. You should be able to pick up a disc set from any local dealer.

X2. The disk retainer plates are different. TJ 44 disk retainers would be fine.

I got a kit from Crown, I have not installed it yet, but it has all I need for my TJ. My CJ is a whole other problem and there are no kits and not many people have done it. Basically I'm sol with that one.

mightymeglet wrote:I got a kit from Crown, I have not installed it yet, but it has all I need for my TJ. My CJ is a whole other problem and there are no kits and not many people have done it. Basically I'm sol with that one.

Personally, rear disk are more trouble than they are worth. I have more than enough stopping power with 11" drums and 150lb /ea tires. However, adding rear disks to a CJ 44 is a piece of cake using weld on mounts and El Dorado calipers.

Unfortunately, not everything can be found in kit form. Sometimes you have to make your own.

What about the tab welded to the axle used to retain the brake line? Is the tab included on both versions?

Chris wrote:What about the tab welded to the axle used to retain the brake line? Is the tab included on both versions?

Don't know. If it doesn't have it, I would just weld one on or find another method for retaining the brake line.

mightymeglet wrote:I got a kit from Crown, I have not installed it yet, but it has all I need for my TJ. My CJ is a whole other problem and there are no kits and not many people have done it. Basically I'm sol with that one.

You are not SOL with your CJ Dana 44 disc brake conversion.

http://tsmmfg.com/2591.htm

DOUG wrote:

mightymeglet wrote:I got a kit from Crown, I have not installed it yet, but it has all I need for my TJ. My CJ is a whole other problem and there are no kits and not many people have done it. Basically I'm sol with that one.

You are not SOL with your CJ Dana 44 disc brake conversion.

http://tsmmfg.com/2591.htm

Yep, just have to do the research.

Even a scratch built kit wouldn't take long to put together.

I looked when I got my CJ and came up with nothing, I looked while I was cleaning up the axle and again got nothing. I guess someone finally came up with something, but I was told there probably would not be much being that they only offered the d44 on a CJ for about 1/2 a year.

Bs Meg ! I told you all you need to know as I did my 44 last winter with a kit from Tsm . Gave out the numbers and his address. Chris : My kit just bolted on. No retainer plate change or any welding. My 44 might be different than a Tj 44. Look in the back of every off road mag , look for TSM Mfg. His kits are fantableiss and hes pretty cool also. My change to disk cost around 400.00 as I just bought the kit and rotors from him. FjR68

mightymeglet wrote:I looked when I got my CJ and came up with nothing, I looked while I was cleaning up the axle and again got nothing. I guess someone finally came up with something, but I was told there probably would not be much being that they only offered the d44 on a CJ for about 1/2 a year.

The CJ7 used the Dana 44 in '86, but the Dana 44 was used in several decades worth of earlier CJ's and M38's. My '59 CJ5 has a Dana 44 rear.

As for having enough stopping power. I dont notice any more power with rear disc over drum. What is a very big improvement is when they get wet , there is no loss of stopping power ! That my friends is a lot better. I think when I go to a booster its gonna take the strain off my little chicken sticks and help even more. Was it worth the expense , I just dont know, but it looks cool ! FjR68