Swapping rear TJ disc brakes to rear TJ Dana 44

TexasTJ2004

I love my TJ
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Is anybody familiar with any potential issues?
I got the entire LJ dana 44 axle, with brakes lines, calipers, shafts, rotors, etc. I plan to move all brake components to my TJ Dana 44 (Early Dana 44 from 97+). Main motivation is ease of maintenance. BTW, both are non ABS, so no ABS problems here.
Will all relevant brake components simply fit in? Likee the backing plate, rotors, calipers etc? Do i need to use the shafts that came with LJ Dana 44 or i can use the ones on TJ Dana 44?
 
Further research shows that the retainer plate that is installed on dana 44 shafts is not the same. Drum Dana 44 shafts have the drum brake retainer plate connected, and disk Dana 44 shafts have the disk plate retainer plate. Seems like in order to swap the brakes from LJ to Drum TJ Dana 44, i need to move the shafts as well, as they already come with the right retainer plate.
This thread helped me found more information.
https://wranglertjforum.com/threads/will-these-axle-shafts-fit-in-my-dana-44.22813/
 
As you found, the retainer plates are different, but the shafts will swap right over.

There's a little splitter block retained by the vent hose fitting to the driver side axle tube. From there to the calipers you will use the disc brake lines.

You'll also need the parking brake cables for the discs.
 
As you found, the retainer plates are different, but the shafts will swap right over.

There's a little splitter block retained by the vent hose fitting to the driver side axle tube. From there to the calipers you will use the disc brake lines.

You'll also need the parking brake cables for the discs.
So, I need the brake lines from the splitter to calipers, the calipers, backing plate, brake cables, and the shafts as well. Basically if I pull the entire shaft from the LJ axle, I can simply install it into TJ Dana 44 after installing the LJ backing plate?
 
I am not installing the LJ axle
Into my TJ. I already have TJ Dana 44 installed, I am swapping the Disk brake from LJ axle
 
If you install the shafts from the axle with the disk brakes into your existing Dana 44 it'll be an easy swap. If you want to keep your existing shafts, you'll need to replace the seal, SET10 bearings, and bearing retainers when you install the new disk-style retainer plate. That requires a press to press the new bearings and bearing retainers onto the shafts.
 
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So, I need the brake lines from the splitter to calipers, the calipers, backing plate, brake cables, and the shafts as well. Basically if I pull the entire shaft from the LJ axle, I can simply install it into TJ Dana 44 after installing the LJ backing plate?
If you can cut and flare, you can reuse your existing drum brake hard lines from the T block.
 
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So, I need the brake lines from the splitter to calipers, the calipers, backing plate, brake cables, and the shafts as well. Basically if I pull the entire shaft from the LJ axle, I can simply install it into TJ Dana 44 after installing the LJ backing plate?

yes, that will make it an entirely bolt-on affair.

As mrblaine indicated, you can modify your existing brake lines to fit, and I think I've heard of people doing the same with the cables, but if I can get a reasonably priced and usable factory part intended for the purpose, that's my default.

It'll be clear as you do it, but once you pull the shaft, you'll be able to take the entire backing plate and parking brake assembly off of one axle and put it right onto the other, then install the disc brake shaft, rotor and caliper, brake lines and cables. If you have all the tools and parts handy when you start, the longest part of the process will be bleeding the brakes and adjusting the parking brake.
 
If you install the shafts from the axle with the disk brakes into your existing Dana 44 it'll be an easy swap. If you want to keep your existing shafts, you'll need to replace the seal, SET10 bearings, and bearing retainers when you install the new disk-style retainer plate. That requires a press to press the new bearings and bearing retainers onto the shafts.
Thanks for clarifying Jerry. My plan is to the easy way, taking everything, including the shafts with the correct retainer plate. This way I avoid buying press, and buying new seals, bearings, and installing all this.
 
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Something to consider if you haven't already. The discs have a drum as well. They are much weaker as a parking brake. You'll probably only replace the rear shoes a few times over the life of your Jeep. The rear parking shoes on the discs get filled with mud and are terrible to clean. You are adding two flex lines which wear and need to be replaced now an then. There is almost no upside except the ease of replacing the rear pads which I've done on my rears three times in 150,000 miles. When the parking brake shoes needed service I still had to go through the same drum headache except in miniature. I get that allot of people really like discs in the rear but it really is a low bang for the buck mod.
 
Something to consider if you haven't already. The discs have a drum as well. They are much weaker as a parking brake. You'll probably only replace the rear shoes a few times over the life of your Jeep. The rear parking shoes on the discs get filled with mud and are terrible to clean. You are adding two flex lines which wear and need to be replaced now an then. There is almost no upside except the ease of replacing the rear pads which I've done on my rears three times in 150,000 miles. When the parking brake shoes needed service I still had to go through the same drum headache except in miniature. I get that allot of people really like discs in the rear but it really is a low bang for the buck mod.
I am not a brake expert like MrBlaine or TJ expert at all. But, disk brakes are better at providing consistent performance at different conditions, like heat, water/mud, tear and wear and what not. It is true that if you keep your drum brakes clean and adjusted they provide same stopping power. It is true that I still need to deal with cleaning the e-brake drum part even with disks, but my life mainly depends on the disk part performance, that is activated by hydraulics and not the e-brake cable activated shoes.
Main aspect in the which they are better for me is that lame nerd like myself can have properly running rear stopping brakes, without dealing with proper adjustment complexity. It is true that for e-brake I still need to deal with adjustment, but I see it as less of a critical matter. It does not affect how I stop in normal case, only in case of emergency.
 
I am not a brake expert like MrBlaine or TJ expert at all. But, disk brakes are better at providing consistent performance at different conditions, like heat, water/mud, tear and wear and what not. It is true that if you keep your drum brakes clean and adjusted they provide same stopping power. It is true that I still need to deal with cleaning the e-brake drum part even with disks, but my life mainly depends on the disk part performance, that is activated by hydraulics and not the e-brake cable activated shoes.
Main aspect in the which they are better for me is that lame nerd like myself can have properly running rear stopping brakes, without dealing with proper adjustment complexity. It is true that for e-brake I still need to deal with adjustment, but I see it as less of a critical matter. It does not affect how I stop in normal case, only in case of emergency.
I found the e-brake operation was vastly improved with the conversion and I only had to adjust after the frame swap. Lever consistently engages in the same location.
 
I found the e-brake operation was vastly improved with the conversion and I only had to adjust after the frame swap. Lever consistently engages in the same location.
It might related to fact that the shoes do not wear as fast as in case for drum brakes. These e-brake shoes will be engaged only when the vehicle is static (unless you have emergencies when you pull e-brake frequently), as a result they don’t overheat or wear as much.
 
It might related to fact that the shoes do not wear as fast as in case for drum brakes. These e-brake shoes will be engaged only when the vehicle is static (unless you have emergencies when you pull e-brake frequently), as a result they don’t overheat or wear as much.
It does relate as it is a stand alone operation.
 
I finished the swap. I have to say that the rig brakes much better, but it is mainly because i got rid of the drum brakes that were not 100% adjusted.
I did have to deal with adjusting the parking brake shoes, and spent an hour getting it right, but I am not too much concerned with it.
New brake pads and disks in the front and the rear, feels much better.
 
couple of lessons learned:
1. The shafts of Dana 44 with Drum Brakes from let’s say 99 have shorter wheel studs. Prepare to knock out the old wheel studs and install new ones, that are same length as wheel studs that come on shafts from 2003. AutoZone has them. - Dorman (610-449.1) 1/2"-20 Thread and 1-15/16" Long Serrated Wheel Stud
https://a.co/d/gyq8W2PYou

You will need the small tool from amazon SoCiMa 22800 Wheel Stud Installer Replace Most All Automotive and Light-Duty Truck Wheel Studs https://a.co/d/8nZZKcm

And use the impact wrench to install the new studs.

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Second lesson:
You will need 2 of these Spicer Rear Axle Bearing and Seal Kit For 1997-2006 Jeep TJ w/Disc Brakes https://a.co/d/41uVVzk

The issue is that the bearing and the seal are same between Drum and Disk, it is only the small plate that is different Between Disk and Drum shaft assembly

You will need to cut off the old bearing and seal and remove the drum plate and install the new bearing, seal and plate