Disc Brake conversion???

Hi All,
I am in the middle of converting a 73 CJ5 from front drums to discs. I have the complete front end out of a 79 CJ5. I am going to pull the knuckles and swap them over and I have the calipers and brackets. My question is regarding the brake lines. The 73 line has a smaller fitting than the caliper so I need to buy new ones. However, the ones I see online for a 79 appear to have "banjo" style fittings and I need a line to go from the caliper to the older style distribution block on the 73. Any ideas on what I need to look for?

Mike

 

Use the 79 flex lines with an adapter to fit 73 hard lines.

 

Any idea where to find said adapter?

 

http://www.inlinetube.com/

Speedway motors has a wide variety of fittings and adapters also.

 

Take in both parts to a napa store or like and they should have a drawer of brake adapters.

IRRC its 1/4 female flare to 3/16 male flare, you need to double check though.

The 3/16 screws in the the 79 flex line(buy new) and the factory hard line screws into the 1/4 side. You will have to tweak the hard lines 1/2" inward to get the flex lines to clip into the holders. I did this back in 04 and it has been trouble free since.

 

Thanks guys.

 

Re: Disc Brake conversion now with pics and more ???

Hi all,
Picked up the adapters and they work just fine. Need a little more help. As you know I am converting a 73 CJ5 to disc brakes from a 79 CJ5. The front axle and all the brake parts were in pieces when I got it so I never took it apart. I am having a hell of a time getting the brakes back together. I ordered new pads and hardware kits that included the anti rattle spring and the support key and support spring. I am having trouble figuring out where the support key and support srping go. The Haynes manual is not helping me and it seems like I have them in the right place but I do not want to force them in place. Here are a couple of pics. Can anyone help shed some light on this?







Mike

 

Yes, that's correct. Drive the key in place gently until the notch lines up with the hole and you can insert the bolt that holds it in place. It's a tight fit and since the calipers have been painted it might not slide easily.

 

So the support spring goes on top of the support key like in the pic and they both get driven in together? Looks like it will be a tight fit.

Mike

 

That's correct. It's recommended to use brake grease on the sliding parts.

Here's a pic...upside down, though...



Rich

 

It's not such a tight fit, but it's awkward to get it started. Once it's started it seems to slide in fairly easily.

 

Isn't the bleed screw should be on the top, so all air is pull out when open the bleed screw.That caliper belong on the other side. But I can be wrong .

 

I concur bleeder screw should be at the top of the chamber for proper bleeding. The picture indicates they should be swapped left to right to get the bleeder in the proper position.

 

Which pics are you talking about? Mine or Rixcj? His picture is upside down.

Mike

 

Unless he has lights on his floor, it's the caliper that's upside down and not the picture.

 

The axle is upside down not the pic. That wasn't that hard to figure out.

 

Yeah, I thought the same initially. But in his defense he did state that it was upside down, and he would still be there bleeding those brakes if he tried to install them that way

 

JeepDriver I was referring to your picture, the other stated it was upside down which would put the bleeder in the correct position when rotated. Your picture appears to show the bleeder lower than the top of the piston chamber which would make it difficult if not impossible to get the air out of the system when bleeding.

 

Ahhhh.. I see now what you are saying. There was no marking on the caliper to differentiate L from R. I will swap them around to get the bleeder higher up.

Mike

 

So I have swapped them around and now have a new issue. There is not enough space between the caliper and knuckle to install the brake line. Do i need a 90 deg adapter or something? Did the disc equipped dana 30's have a different brake line setup? The parts I see online look like they had a banjo fitting. Was this for the clearance issue?

Mike