Birty Dastards Jeep Club

Tech Forum => Workshop => Topic started by: Yakko on March 03, 2015, 11:16:19 AM

Title: Rear Axle Removal
Post by: Yakko on March 03, 2015, 11:16:19 AM
Hi,

This has become a bit of the Yakko asks a silly question section the last couple of days, I promise I'll bring a couple of crates to the Birtys at Kirton day to say thanks.

Doing a straight swap of my axles in the next few weeks, D30 for D30 and D44 for D44. Hopefully starting this weekend.

Less bothered about the front axle as I don't mind disk brakes, drum brakes however are the work of the devil!

Can I take the rear brake assemblies off the axle completely, without disassembling them, leaving them still connected to the car and just bolt back on to the new axle? This would save me having to bleed them and messing about with springs etc.

Any other hints for quick and easy axle swaps? 
Title: Re: Rear Axle Removal
Post by: scrw on March 03, 2015, 11:38:41 AM
unsure if you can get the slave cylinder off the axle without disconnecting the hydro pipes, would be more faff than just bleeding the brakes
Title: Re: Rear Axle Removal
Post by: wildwood on March 03, 2015, 11:44:41 AM
 :iagree:copper or hard line goes through back plate from behind, into slave cylinder which is attached thro backplate by two bolts......so you need to disconnect......

If new axle (to you) has all brakes attached and the pipes running along the axle to the centre then you could just clamp the flexi line above the diff and disconnect there.......


But while it's all in bits its a good time to attend to and rebuild or replace those pesky little drum brake shoes that as we know only work once a year.....on MOT day :hysterical:
Title: Re: Rear Axle Removal
Post by: Yakko on March 03, 2015, 11:57:31 AM
Balls.

Ok, thanks. I hate drum brakes!
Title: Re: Rear Axle Removal
Post by: georgen on March 03, 2015, 02:56:15 PM
Balls.

Ok, thanks. I hate drum brakes!

And just to upset you some more, a mad man must of came up with design as the handbrake activation levers on the shoes are not attached so it would be better to have three hands lol.
Title: Re: Rear Axle Removal
Post by: wildwood on March 03, 2015, 03:30:11 PM
And......
 :hysterical: the knurled wheeley thing is meant to make,contact with the brake adjuster so that Everytime you reverse it adjusts the brakes.......keeping them perfectly adjusted :hysterical:

Does it work??????

1 Guess! :jpshakehead:
Title: Re: Rear Axle Removal
Post by: Yakko on March 03, 2015, 03:42:51 PM
Desperately hoping the "new" axle still has the rear brakes on it..
Title: Re: Rear Axle Removal
Post by: Nosebolt on March 03, 2015, 04:59:18 PM
I'll just put this here  :greggmo:

http://jeeppartsuk.co.uk/product/disc-brake-conversion-kit-2/
Title: Re: Rear Axle Removal
Post by: scrw on March 03, 2015, 06:00:32 PM
reassuringly expensive  :017:
Title: Re: Rear Axle Removal
Post by: georgen on March 03, 2015, 08:08:36 PM
I'll just put this here  :greggmo:

http://jeeppartsuk.co.uk/product/disc-brake-conversion-kit-2/
says its for the dana 35, will this fit a 44?, there are a few kits out there but stupid money for what they are.
Title: Re: Rear Axle Removal
Post by: bisleywrangler on March 03, 2015, 10:02:39 PM
You can fit the rear discs off the grand cherokee zj on the wrangler d44 with not much modding. You can probably pick up a whole rear axle for 100 quid. You will also need some new wheel bearings and the axle shaft retaining plates from a disc brake wrangler d44.
Title: Re: Rear Axle Removal
Post by: Mike Pavelin on March 03, 2015, 10:11:20 PM
Nowt wrong with drums if you maintain them properly.
Title: Re: Rear Axle Removal
Post by: Jonny Jeep on March 03, 2015, 10:17:18 PM
Aren't the ZJ brakes drum in hat? In those there is no room for an auto adjuster for the handbrake so they have to manually adjusted anyway.

My drum brakes work well. Adjusters and all. Am I the only one?
The FSM has you drive forwards and backwards to equalise the adjusters. Maybe the adjusters only actually work in reverse.
Title: Re: Rear Axle Removal
Post by: bisleywrangler on March 03, 2015, 10:55:22 PM
Yeah the zj has drum inside but they are only used as the handbrake so very little wear and manually adjust so you don't really have to adjust them often at all. The rear drums on my wrangler are totally crap, I have replaced part after part and adjust them all the time but I still never have a hand brake that works properly, plus after getting really muddy they tend to lock up with the first few applications on the road, it's quite disconcerting when it happens.