Big brake package for the front
 

Look what I just finished getting together for the front D30.
http://go.jeep-xj.info/DiscBrakes%20070.jpg

I designed the brackets in CAD and had them laser cut and then machined up some bosses that were then tig welded on to them. It was then all plated. The braided stainless steel brake lines ( longer than stock for lifted Jeeps ) are custom made with the Ford metric fitting for the caliper and the Jeep at the other end. Brackets to hold them are out of stainless steel. The calipers are the new design twin piston Ford BA Falcon brakes by PBR and look the same as the 2006 Mustang with 300 mm slotted rotors. The pads are a police special compound. All bolts needed as well.
The company that got me all the contacts and paid up front for the things used are going to sell them as a complete kit as shown. There will be no welding necessary but cutting off the old caliper brackets will need to be done.
Will start fitting them tomorrow but am waiting on some new hubs that I want to change at the same time to arrive this week I hope. Otherwise will put them together with the old ones and fit the new hubs later.
There will also be a 325 mm rotor with special FPR calipers option too but you will need 17" wheels for that. I think these are just going to fit into 15" rims so long as the BS is around 3.75".
What do you all think? Total price will be around $700 AUD plus freight. The company ( Competition Engineering ) be happy to have distrubutors too if anyone is interested?

Excellent work Marcus! im sure this will sell like mad! its great that someone has finnaly CUSTOM made and brought out a kit to give the front end better brakes! this looks of very good quality, im sure if i had 700 spare ide buy a set this split second off you.

congrats man!

ps. time to start on a rear end kit... hehe

John

Are these just for XJ's ?

So will they fit inside stock rims or is the backspacing on them not right.

Cheers
Steve

Oooh.. and tax time approaches. :)

Go Jeep

This brake package looks excellent.
Where can I order from ?

These brakes will bolt onto the front of any Dana 30 for a TJ, XJ or ZJ.
I already have done a rear Falcon conversion for the D35 and just did one last week for my new D44 as well using Falcon discs as well. Wish I was getting money for any of this!
They are not ready to be sold this week as I will be writing up the instructions for it after I fit them today. I will do the write up and instructoins no later than next week as have to finish it off as want to do them before I leave for Africa for 6 weeks at the end of next week. :)
You can contact the company already if you like at: competitionengineering@optusnet.com.au They already export up-grade upgrade kits for Commodores, HSV's and Monaro's etc to New Zealand and the UK. http://stores.ebay.com.au/MR-SPARES_...Q3amesstQQtZkm
I tried on my stock steel wheel as I was making up this kit and it looked like it would just clear but will have to check it once I have it completed as caliper placement might not have been in the final postion then. I will be test fitting a AR 15" wheel ( Nitro ) with 3.75 of BS when I get back as I dont think I can get hold of a wheel before then? Some clearancing of the caliper just on the forward edge maybe needed where it also safe to do it and they will look at that before hand and will offer that as a service for extra cost. Might have to come with the polished option they also offer for more bling. ;)

How will this go with ABS?

Is it just the spacers on the brackets that are different depending on the year of the XJ? I'm leaning towards getting this kit but I guess I have to wait until after your write up and any clearance issues on stock wheels.

My other issue is the strength of the knuckle after cutting, is it weakened in anyway particularily around the upper balljoint, also will the knuckles need to come off for trimming? So many questions ;)

I just need to convince myself this is a better option than slotted DBA rotors from a cost point of view.

Cheers
Steve

This is fine with ABS and the bracket sheilds the sensor.

I am actually fitting late model hubs and did so today. Only difference in the kit is that the spacers are 5 mm shorter for them. You could do the cuts while on the car but one nut and a whack removes the tie rod and two nuts and another whack removes the knuckle. They even remove it this way in the factory service manual and even the place to hit it is cast into the knuckle!
Did my research and the upper ball joint has plenty of strength left and Jeep even had a knuckle with a bolt on caliper on early XJ's etc that has even less. Even compared the upper dimensions after cutting and still the same as 2 ton Dodge Rams etc who have even more leverage as the upper part of the knuckle is three times as long on them. The cuts are the same as a kit sold in the US for $4500 using Brembo calipers.
You also have way cheaper replacement parts from now on and can get them at any two bit place around Australia. There was a easier way to use Commodore rotors and re-drill them but I wanted stock replacement pieces for the above reason.
You wont any more have trouble with the stock caliper piston cocking as has happened to quite a few of you now. The two pistons are smaller and push more evenly on the brake pad.
The leverage of the 20 mm bigger rotors also reduces braking effort which helps over come the losses incurred by running larger tyre in the first place too. Let along the better placement of force on the pad from two pistons rather then just one pushing in the middle and not even centred to top bottom if you look at the stock one. The rotors are also far heavier which helps dissipate the heat much better.
The price is fantastic as you would not even buy a pair of new calipers for this price let alone with all the ADR approved braided brakes lines etc and pads for Ford ones let alone Jeep parts!!!

We'll I'm sold, if it fits inside the stock rims then I'll be ordering the kit :)

Cheers
Steve

Go-Jeep you already know I'm All In on this hand, once you check with the fitting of the 15" AR's. I need new discs bad, just been holding out till this project was finished. Wish I lived near by as I'd bring around a rim tonight to test the fit.

Great Work.

any chance of a rear disc kit???

I will try a stock rim today but only have a steel one if I get the new plates as have everything else ready to go. Might see if a can borrow my Dads spare as he still has the stock Limited wheels on his XJ. It they clear than everything else will fit fine.
I must say it went so quick I surprised myself. Took longer the clean and paint the knuckle afterwards than to cut off the old caliper supports.

Dont think so as too much mucking around with the different handbrake cables between all the models. Easy enough to provide the adapters and bearing space rings and you could even source your own stock Ford caliper mounts and calipers from there I guess but you would need to modify your own handbrake cables. Easy enough as I found that using stock Ford ones and then having a new ends flanged on at a place that sells gym equipment works the best. I be doing that tomorrow for Danxj tomorrow as making up some new cables to go with my old rear disc conversion I sold to him for the D35.
I also found a new way of doing the D44 conversion that does not even require the pressing off of the old bearings. I will do write up on it when I get back from Africa at the end of August at the earliest.

Cool, look forward to hearing that the stock rim fits over the brakes ;) as I'm now 100% sold on the idea nad ready to order :)

Cheers
Steve

Ditto. Just need my tax return.

Yip may have to do that mine are nearly cactus.

This has gone together to incredibly well. Everything just fitted like a glove so pretty stoked right now.
The only thing I have found, and thought might be the case, is that a stock 15" rim, either steel or alloy, does not go on quite all the way. There is about a 1/2" gap from mounting hard against the rotor which means that anyone with less back spacing then 4.75" ( stock is 5.25" ) will clear. Looks like the first batch at least will all be fully polished calipers anyway and they have been linished first and that does skim off a mm or two so will wait with completing my setup until after I get a pair tomorrow to try for all those with stock rims. Be easy to make them fit as is only a few mm at the edge of the caliper that is stopping it even if this is not enough.

http://go.jeep-xj.info/DiscBrakes%20094.jpg

http://go.jeep-xj.info/DiscBrakes%20095.jpg

http://go.jeep-xj.info/DiscBrakes%20097.jpg

http://go.jeep-xj.info/DiscBrakes%20098.jpg

Man I hope they can be made to fit without too much hassle.... Sounds like they will though right? right? ;)

Cheers
Steve

For some reason PBR have put extra thickness there where they have not on the VT Commodore one they make which is nearly identical every where else? I tried to see if the VT caliper would slide on to the BA bracket but it just misses out as that would have worked out well. He was confident it could be easily made to fit but will wait until he has had a close look now that I have some rims to show him.

Just got back from the engineering place and showed the setup inside the wheel. It was even closer than I thought ( was hard to see in the dark last night ) and only missed seating on the rotor by a few millimeters. All calipers wil be sent out clearanced to fit even the stock rim. :)

Brilliant news, is it too early to look at ordering or are they already expecting emails for the kit :)

Cheers
Steve

Where can i get the adpters and bearing space rings is that from u or the engineering place and how much?

Well just got in from going around the block 6 times to bed the pads in. The rotors will take longer but don't have the time right now. And the verdict is: Worth it. :)
The pedal is so light and controlled and none of the dead pedal you feel with the old brakes. The stock setup had a similar feel to when too big a master cylinder is used but now it feels so nice and progressive. This will even get better as it all wears in too. :)

http://go.jeep-xj.info/DiscBrakes%20122.jpg
http://go.jeep-xj.info/DiscBrakes%20130.jpg
http://go.jeep-xj.info/DiscBrakes%20134.jpg

Will go well with my new Ford Falcon PBR rear brakes I made a kit for and fitted last week on my new D44. :)
http://go.jeep-xj.info/D44Brakes%20029.jpg
The D44 is NOS for a MJ ( Cherokee ute ) that I got from the USA fitted with a Detriot locker, 4.56 gears and USA Alloy Cromo axle shafts. ;)
Just fitted matching gears to the front last week with the Detriot Tru-Trac.

They will have 10 sets already to go out on Monday so order away. :)
competitionengineering@optusnet.com.au

The first batch is of 25 so more can be put together after that without much delay.

Already sent an email to confirm pricing and availability (before your last post). I just need to confirm the hub on my XJ I guess and then I will order. Probably tomorrow if I get a chance to look at the hub tonight.

Looks like you've done another great job for us all and from a timing point of view it's perfect for me, just as I wa about to upgrade my rotors anyway :)

Cheers
Steve

I better get busy writing the install instructions this weekend then! ;)

Nice work Gojeep- and YES - you should be getting paid for this!

I'm having development flashbacks as I type - arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

I have rear EA disks (as you know) but I'm wondering what the differnce in Bias will be for all those with rear drums.... Maybe it's time for a Gojeep bias conversion!

Yep, I've had an email from Tony and will be checking my hub over the weekend and ordering on Monday. The price for the polished ones is even better than you said :)

Cheers
Steve

Just punched off an email to order mine. By the way what year is the hub that these were designed for? My TJ is a 98, all should be good right?

Go-Jeep this kit is awesome, great work.
:-)

Kits are for both hub types with the brakets made to suit. There is a 5 mm difference in offset between the hubs that were changed in mid 99 in the USA for the first time. Not sure here as likely the end of 99 for us. The difference you can measure if you have a late 99 or early 00 but the height of the centre spigot.
http://go.jeep-xj.info/Hub11.jpg
Early is 12 mm high and late is 19 mm high.

Looks like pricing has been set at $650 with the polished calipers and $850 for the powder coated PBR Sports calipers in black red or yellow.
The braided lines you can choose in silver, red, blue or black as well. ;)

/Droool

That price is great. Can't wait!

The proportioning valve changes with the pedal pressure and starts at 50-50 and then increases more to the front the harder you push. The better the front brakes you have the more the weight transfer so you need less to the rear to stop them locking up first. The fronts should always lock before the rears to keep you in a straight line and I tested that yesterday and it still does. It will be even more so with those with drum brakes.

Chalk and Cheese?

http://go.jeep-xj.info/DiscBrakes%20114.jpg

Stock is 280 mm and the new 300 mm or nearly 12" of the Ford rotor. Big difference in weight too allowing for better heat dissipation and warpage prevention with stock at 5 kgs ( 11 lbs ) and the Ford at 8.6 kgs ( 19 lbs )!

I got a chance to go down the street again today and getting used to the new feel. Feels so light and you do use a little bit more pedal travel ( still completely fine just not the short wooden feel Jeeps normally have ) but was a bit less today with everything beading in. The master is the same size on the XJ as it is in the WJ which has the twin piston fronts as well. ;)

Will the PBR Sports Caliper option fit with 3.75" backspacing (15x8 alloys)? Is it worth the extra $$. I want the bling bling Red PBR ones just no sure if they will fit, how much bigger are they? I realise they will definately not work with standard 15x7 steelies but they will look sweet :-)

No extra performance or size difference for the PBR Sports calipers as they are basically the same just power coated.
http://www.pbrperformance.com.au/ima...sFlame_000.jpg http://www.pbrperformance.com.au/ima...sBlaze_000.jpg http://www.pbrperformance.com.au/ima...tsMidnight.jpg
The kit will fit all 15" rims so long as you have less than 4.75" of BS which you do. Just the edge profile has to be machined in a CNC machine to fit the stock wheels and a extra charge of $50 per kit for that.

Also take note that the $650 and $850 prices are an introductory price for the first 2 weeks only and then they will have GST added to them.

If you want even more performance you can run 325mm rotors with FPR calipers which need a 17" rim or greater and will sell around the $1200 mark.
http://i7.ebayimg.com/01/i/07/78/0e/43_1_b.JPG http://i6.ebayimg.com/05/i/07/77/ee/da_1.JPG

Got up early this Saturday morning ( 6 am ) so I could do the write up for you guys which is now up. :)
So just go to my web site and it is under the brake modification section.

Cheers

Nice work. Reading the instructions it all looks pretty straight forward, how long do you think it would take to fit them?

Cheers
Steve