POWER BRAKES?

[80CJRenegade]

OLD CJ-5... couple problems, think you can help?

1980 CJ-5.

Brakes seem to not be power brakes... did they not come with power brakes or is something broken? If it is broke, any ideas?

 

[far_right]

my 82 isnt power brakes..... but i do have power steering

 

[BakedAlaskan]

Real easy to tell if it is power or not. Look at the Master cylinder and were it bolts ups at. If it bolts to the fire wall, it manual brakes. If it bolts up to a large black round vacuum caniter then it is power brakes.

It is a easy swap over though. Simple buy a reman power booster with master cylinder from Napa. About $200 with tax and presto, power brakes. (You might need to adapt one fitting off your original brake lines.)

 

[avyoung]

To go to power brakes you have to buy a bracket. Usually from a junk yard. I just did the swap on my 80 CJ5 last weekend. You may also need a lengthened brake lever that attatches to the backet. I am waiting for mine to get here from Tri County Gear. It is adjustable. The peddle now is even with the gas peddle and when you mash on them you hit the floor. I paid about $185 for my booster/master cylinder. The master cylinder is differant so you have to change it out. I think I got it at parts plus they had the smallest core charge.

 

[TerryMason]

I'm in the process of doing this.

There is a bracket that you need, and most ebay power brake setups don't include it (I bought one already...). The brake lines are on the other side of the MC, so you will have to bend them up. I believe that the little adapters that screw the brake lines into the MC are different sizes, so I will need to find the correct ones and then figure out how to mount them on the lines. Avyoung, did you have to change these? Do you need special tools?

BTW - this is an 85 CJ7

Thanks
Terry

 

[avyoung]

The brake lines are reversed so the small line goes in the front instead of the back. I had to stretch it more than the larger one. I asume that this is the corect way because the small one should be for the back wheels. The larger tube for the front so it can brake more. That was my rational on the switching position.

Terry did your brake peddle drop?

 

[TerryMason]

Terry did your brake peddle drop?

Sorry, haven't gotten that far yet.

So your old lines matched up with the new MC... I'm pretty sure that I swapped mine, but they still weren't the same size. I'll have to check when I get back home.

Just searched on google, and there really isn't anything out there about this...

 

[avyoung]

Mine is an 80 cj5 I am not sure it older ones were differant. I bought a reman. for that year. It is confusing because all of the power stearing stuff I put on was from an 82 so I have to remember when I go to the parts store.

 

[80CJRenegade]

Well, I definately have manual brakes then. Thank you all for your help. I need to do a little shopping and spend another weekend on the jeep. Thanks!