WJ brake upgrade w/Warn 5x5.5 hubs?

[Flux]

I am new here and was steered over by a member of ROF. I have an '04 Rubicon (pertinent only to show which front axle I have). I have upgraded to the Warn 5x5.5 front hublocks and drive flanges for the rear. I'm currently running 4.88s and 37" MT/R tires. I realize that this setup has negatively affected my braking, and am trying to evaluate my options. The main option I'm considering is doing the WJ knuckle/brake upgrade but don't know much of anything about it. Does anyone else run this same setup? Is it doable, and if so, how difficult? My main concern lies with the rotors themselves. I have to use '80-'86 CJ front rotors to work with the Warn hubs, and don't know if they are compatible with the WJ brake calipers. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated. TIA

Dave

[mrblaine]

Originally posted by Flux
I am new here and was steered over by a member of ROF. I have an '04 Rubicon (pertinent only to show which front axle I have). I have upgraded to the Warn 5x5.5 front hublocks and drive flanges for the rear. I'm currently running 4.88s and 37" MT/R tires. I realize that this setup has negatively affected my braking, and am trying to evaluate my options. The main option I'm considering is doing the WJ knuckle/brake upgrade but don't know much of anything about it. Does anyone else run this same setup? Is it doable, and if so, how difficult? My main concern lies with the rotors themselves. I have to use '80-'86 CJ front rotors to work with the Warn hubs, and don't know if they are compatible with the WJ brake calipers. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated. TIA

Dave

I run it. I've built a few of them also. I'll need to get a few specifics dug out of the memory banks, but essentially, you have to use a custom spacer welded to the knuckle, leave out the spacer between the wheel hub and rotor face, and use a new larger diameter rotor.

Of course you have to build all new steering and relocate the trackbar, and make a new one. The CJ rotors in your hub kit have been turned down to a smaller diameter and are the wrong thickness to be perfectly compatible with the WJ calipers.

[Flux]

Thanks for replying. I have the ORO U-turn steering on order, and I hope it would work or at least be made to work relatively easily with the WJ knuckle. I have a FT 6" lift on it now. Exactly what changes would need to be made to the track bar? Also, what rotor do you use, or if it's a different set up, what would I need?
Thanks again for responding.

Dave

[mrblaine]

Originally posted by Flux
Thanks for replying. I have the ORO U-turn steering on order, and I hope it would work or at least be made to work relatively easily with the WJ knuckle. I have a FT 6" lift on it now. Exactly what changes would need to be made to the track bar? Also, what rotor do you use, or if it's a different set up, what would I need?
Thanks again for responding.

Dave

I have to see what rotor I am running. I think it may be the full size CJ rotor, but I'm not sure. It's been awhile and many conversions since I did mine.

The track bar axle end needs to be relocated to bring it into alignment with the higher draglink.

[Flux]

Gotcha on the tracbar bracket. Do you know if the U-Turn is even compatible with the WJ knuckle?

Dave

[mrblaine]

Originally posted by Flux
Gotcha on the tracbar bracket. Do you know if the U-Turn is even compatible with the WJ knuckle?

Dave

I think by the time you got through adapting it, you'd not be happy with cutting up that much money.



The answer is, I don't know.

[Flux]

Try a I might, I can figure out thats your front passenger side, but can't figure out where your spring could fit in there. I don't see it in the picture. I went out and looked at my front end earlier and don't see how you got the track bar to fit in there with the spring. It looks like the bottom bar is your tie rod, the next one up is the drag link and the top one is the tracbar if I'm not mistaken. After looking at mine, that tracbar would be damn near in the middle of the spring. What am I missing?

Dave

[mrblaine]

Originally posted by Flux
Try a I might, I can figure out thats your front passenger side, but can't figure out where your spring could fit in there. I don't see it in the picture. I went out and looked at my front end earlier and don't see how you got the track bar to fit in there with the spring. It looks like the bottom bar is your tie rod, the next one up is the drag link and the top one is the tracbar if I'm not mistaken. After looking at mine, that tracbar would be damn near in the middle of the spring. What am I missing?

Dave

Well, I'm a fairly sneaky bastard. I made new mounts for the springs and centered them on the axle. The trackbar is made with TRE's.

The trackbar issue is one that has not yet been adequately addressed for optimum steering geometry, which by most standards is defined by having the track bar and draglink equal length and parallel.

I did it, but some more tinkering needs to be done to make this solution more accessible to the less sneaky among us.