Dana 44 disk conversion

[Joopin]

Hey again...
I decided I'm done with drums. I am going to upgrade my drum brakes on the D44 to disks. I have seen options like ZJ disks, Crown Vic Disks, and Ford Explorer Disks.
I actually found some Crown vic brake parts I could use on craigslist... but I went there, an hour away... and the guys brother sold them and didn't tell the guy selling them.
So... I found a 1998 Ford Explorer that is being parted out in my area... Would that year explorer work for what I need to do? I need the backing plate, calipers, rotors, soft brake lines... or at least to start with... and buy what I need to replace. Any help?

 

[Joopin]

turns out the 98 is sold... but found a 91... what about that? haha

 

[Bounty__Hunter]

'91 has drums, '95+ is disc brakes. I would search for a ZJ with rear discs, should be an easier conversion.

 

[jps4jeep]

Hey Jesse,

I made my own D44 rear disk set up, if you want to keep the e brake, search for a rear 84 caddilac calipers or if you don't want to spend the money, 82 camaro front calipers are the same, just no ebrake provisions. I made a simple bracket to hold the caliper I initially was going to weld it to the tube, but due to the placement of the rotors I chose, I was able to bolt it to the flange. Just make sure you cut out the center potrion of the backing plate so the bearing retainer is the proper distance off the flange. for rotors I used a 99 chevy C1500 rear rotor (might have been a K1500) but mine was a 6 lug. I would strat with a couple junkyard rotorsa to see where yours will fall into and then work from there. The only thing I would also recommend is swapping the master out for one with a larger bore. 69 corvette or a 86 E350 (what I run) very little modding, but great up grade.

 

[Bounty__Hunter]

I used a master cylinder from a '78 Grand Marquis with 4whl disc and hydroboost. Prop valve from a Grand Cherokee with 4whl disc. I'd change your setup to get away from the high residual line pressure going to the drum brakes.

 

[jps4jeep]

I used the prop from a 5.9L zj, it does not have the metering functions for left and right like the stock one does, this way I was able to run one line to the rear and splits at the axle and one line to the front and splits at the axle as well.

if you do not want to swap prop valves, I have a wilwood adjustable prop valve I can sell you dirt cheap. I bought it and never used it.


edit.. I also added a 2 psi residual pressure valve to the rear brakes to firm up the pedal. Not sure if it is because of the tube I used, the bore in the piston pushing out or what, but I was having issue with the fluid emptying from the rear caliper bores into the master. the residual valve kept this from happening.

 

[Joopin]

Well this is what I found about the Crown Vic conversion...

It seems pretty straight forward

To be honest John, I don't have the time to go getting all those parts from all those vehicles. I don't even have a junkyard around me, closest one is an hour away!

With the crown vic, it seems everything I need is there... and I just found this.