Rear Disc Brake Conversion With Parking Brake

Richard is on my call list soon, but just to ask, does his rotor press on to the back of the wheel hub, or is it outboard and slip over the lug studs on the outside of the hub?

 

Sorry I am a bit dense...so all the hubs are the same and just the bearings change with the d30 disk spindles, or the hub is also different between the D30 disk and the earlier D25/27/30drum?

Mostly, I ask as if I need new hubs with the machined disk mating surface, would D25/27 hubs from any of the typical aftermarket suppliers work, or would they be drum style castings? Parts dude sells hubs specifically for disc conversions for D25/27 (https://stores.partsdude4x4.net/wheel-hub/) - is that style the standard for the aftermarket today or do I have to be careful what I order for hubs (I am assuming my current hubs will not work, although that is TBD)? Or are only the 76+ D30 disc guaranteed to have the machined backside surface? It seems some early D25/27 hubs have the machined surfaced backside - so is it just random which ones are machined and which are not? Did something change with the hubs with the outboard 10" bendix style that came with the v6?
Sorry - even after a good amount of research - this topic of the hubs is new to me (although it makes sense). It seems a lot of people have gone ahead and made the drum style hubs work with the disks, but I understand its not ideal. The more you start adding in the cost of new hubs and associated bearings, the cost of the kits isn't so surprising (most of them include new hubs etc).

 

This is more documentation for my own use and to revisit later than anything else....

I talked to Richard from R&P....may have a new plan with regard to this - and in classic style, maybe more old school with less functionality . He has 11" bendix style backing plates with integrated cable parking brake function from the rear of 70s FSJs. That would solve the two important things which is getting rid of the manual adjusters, and keeps some sort of of parking brake without having to go to a D18 drum. I have the dual cable system on the wagon with an 'upper' cable from the handle to the cross-member mounted lever that pulls the 'lower' cable that goes to the brakes - not sure how of this cable set-up can be re-used with the bendix style, or how functional the parking brake truly is?

The other rear parking brake options would be
1) D18 parking drum - I have trouble keeping the CJ D18 parking brake oil free, clean, dry, adjusted and functional....Good thing about this option is that it keeps all drum and disc brakes option open.
2) Use a small 1/4 ton GM style disc brake conversion with Cadillac Eldorado style calipers on the rear - I don't like the eldo calipers as they are 'finnicky' and seem to be hard to keep the service caliper in adjustment. I realize it has a lot to do with ensuring use of the cable parking brake, but the cable spring is a poor design in that it is fully exposed to dirt and crud and gets pretty crusty and looses functionality as its condition deteriorates rather quickly. (this coming from having helped a friend with his on his well used YJ - seems every couple years he's got maintenance to do on them getting them cleaned and functional again).
3) Brennan's ford EEbrake which goes along with a full disc brake conversions - This may be the most functional by far, but not loving having such a wide range of 'random application' parts for the brakes on the both the front and rear - going this route would mean going disc on the on the front either using his Tracker style or GM 1/4 ton. I am kind of tempted by this as the parking brake seems very functional....
4) Go one-off custom and modify the caliper bracket to also fit a small parking brake caliper (which I think is what Norcal is trying to do).

I was planning the traditional 11" bendix style on all 4 corners until I realized the D30 backing plates I have are not parking brake compatible....so I definitely don't feel the need to run discs on the rear - it was mostly that I thought maybe there was a good parking brake solution going that route (Brennan is probably pretty close). So basically, I could stay the course of drums on all 4 corners using the FSJ backing plates from Richard, and I have the backing plates and its also a very known commodity for me as I've done them before. I think the 11" bendix improve braking over the OEM 11" manual adjusters (wagner) as the shoes 'float' better on each end and it makes better contact with the drum, but overall, it would be less about improving braking performance, and more about just getting rid of the manual adjusters. Also, no changes in to the 10lbs valves in my MC nor brake line mods would be needed, and its also a very known commodity for me as I've done them before, and its the cheapest option...

But, disc brakes are sexy, and discs in the front with self adjusting drums in the rear is also very tried and true and would improve braking performance. Richard has the traditional GM 1/4 ton (S-10) conversion using rotos that go over the outside of the wheel hub....this saves me some money from having to deal with machining or buying new hubs to fit the 'thick' rotors on the backside of the hub as used with the GM 1/2 ton conversion, as well as makes turning or replacing the rotors much easier. One big question here...I would like to do a knuckle stud conversion while doing this project, and the caliper bracket is thicker than the drum backing plate - so I would need a slightly longer knuckle stud than used normally - guessing 1/8-1/4" longer? Also, with the rotor going over the outside of the hub, longer wheel studs would probably be needed. Another thing I like about this route - if I ever got rid of the D25 (and went D44 with OEM discs), I could move these brakes over the CJ pretty easily, so it wouldn't be a waste of money...