disc brakes on dana 30

hey guys ive got a 74 cj5 with a front dana 30 and drum brakes.

aside from swapping discs from a newer dana 30 or buying a 600 dollar kit does anyone have any info for a peiced together kit. kinda like the article on this site for the dana 25 closed knuckle setup.

thanks in advance

jeep

 

You can convert the D30 same parts as the D25. I did one from a '73 CJ. I ordered the disc brake spindle washer from 4WD.com http://www.4wd.com/productdetails.aspx?partID=6149 and used a new inner bearing race that was about 1/8" thicker than the stock race. I don't have the PN at the moment, but a good counterman should be able to figure it out for you. Also, if you want to have full steering left to right, you need to re-drill the six holes in the GM backing plate exactly between the existing holes. This allows you to re-clock the backing plate to move the caliper to the right position. The last two pics on this album show how it looks after re-drilling. nickmil suggested this to me and it's been trouble free for about 4 years. http://community.webshots.com/album/356186105bdvZwq?start=12

 

By the way, I did this conversion for about $300.

 

Posimoto..... please tell more because I would like to do the same to my 75. Where did you get disks, calipers, pads, and hardware for under $300? Do you like the setup and does it work much better than the 11 inch drums? Got booster?

BTW... nice chromoly tie rod flip... and where did you get them?
Thanks

 

The 77 model dana 30 came from the factory with disk brakes. Just order all the parts at your local auto parts for that axle and the parts will bolt directly up.

 

I bought the discs from 4wd.com everything else I got at the local auto parts. Use organic pads unless you go with power assist. I got the backing plates at a junkyard ($50). Discs and calipers are your only real expences. I made the tie rod using 1/4" wall DOM tube with rod ends. I'm going back to TRE's with the build I'm working on now. Rod ends loosen up too soon in this sort of application. They should only be used in double shear applications. That is with an attachment on both sides of the rod end. I can't compare them to 11" brakes as I have never had them. I do know that unless you drill the drums you'll never get as good wet braking with them as you do with discs. Also, figuring the new hoses and misc stuff, it probably really cost me closer to $400 to do the disc swap. That's still better than the $600+ you pay for a "kit" .

 

There are kits available for $500 for everything rebuilt or new.

I agree you can get some good savings if you can scrounge the parts though.

 

When I did my '74, I found that my OEM hubs had not been machined flat for discs. It was cheaper for me to buy new hubs than have the old ones machined. Also, my knuckles interfered with the calipers. You can grind away at them until the caliper clears, or replace them with later knuckles. I do have a set of later knuckles if anyone needs them.

 

When I did my 75 years ago I got Dana 30 disc brake parts from the knuckles out off an 81 CJ from a wrecking yard. I didn't want the five bolt hubs so I got a set of 6 bolt hubs for a 1980 CJ. They worked with the rotors. New bearings, races, and rebuilt calipers and it was all done. I think it cost me $275 when it was completed and I used all Jeep parts...

Mike

 

How can you tell the year of a Dana 30 axle?

 

Here's a link from the tech section of ecj5

http://www.earlycj5.com/technical/brakes/early-cj-disk-brake-swap/

 

I don't think there's any date code on these axles. However, you can infer the era and application of the axle from some features, like the axle ratios, hub style, and type of brakes.

If there is a tag, it will have a Jeep PN which uniquely identifies the application.

 

Check out this image from the Spicer rebuild manual:

 

You can get the manuals at the Dana web site: http://www2.dana.com/expertforms/depdf.aspx?prod=JOI choose "Light Axle" as the product.

I think its catalog 5325 and/or 5304-2 for the 30. They also have the Bill of Material lists (which is also stamped on the axle tubing.

 

I don't see any axle#s but the axle is a Dana 30, 53 in wide, 427 gears, and disc brakes.

 

Mine was VERY faint, it sure didn't look like the picture I posted, not even close. I could only see it after using a 4" grinder with a wire brush cup to get down to metal.