xj braking dilemmas

[kj69]

Been having brake problems lately , and cant seem to find an answer :confused: i was not happy with how the xj (99 with ford front ba brake conversion rear d44 standard drums) was braking. So i sent it to a brake shop that i thought could handle the job, anyway they said to put new shoes machine the drums and replace the wheel cylinders would help a lot so i got them to do that and when i got it back i tried some hard braking to discover back brakes locking up . gradually they became worse over 2 days to the point just firm braking would cause lock up

so i returned the jeep to the brake shop after the weekend for them to look at and test as he was happy to investigate under warranty he even asked for wooders ph number so he could confirm he had right brake cylinders shoes ect considering the d44 d35 differences , he tried swapping one shoe from each side of drums and a few other things and has said he can do no more but still happy to honor warranty should i find anything he has done wrong.

He also has backed off the adjustment on the rear brakes so the lock up in the rear is not so easy to induce under medium braking but this has also made the braking less effective again and the rears still will lock up under firmer braking.

So where do i go next?? im now considering a willwood adjustable proportioning valve its only $80 but thats all i can think of at this point its driving me nuts trying to figure out.

[undecided]

so does it get worse with repeated braking ?

[cruiserfied]

I was going to suggest a proportioning valve seeing as the BA brakes would have bigger pistons which would require longer stroke at the master cylinder in turn more force being exerted on the rears.

[kj69]

No they don't get worse , i think they were just bedding in in the beginning and that's why they got worse initially

[bruggz351]

I'm goin to run with the proportioning valve idea too.

Since putting the 8.8 in my XJ, I've noticed that spirited driving on dirt roads is, interesting/fun now :mrgreen: The rears must just bite a little earlier and it's exacerbated on the dirt.

It passes a pink easy though. So dunno.

[rodxj]

Hey Kirk, I'll agree with the other fellas, thinking a adjustable valve should sort you out. But would still get some advice from a specialist.

[xjdavid]

Does it have oversize shoes in it? Post a picture of the rear brakes with the drum removed. Are they off the shelf shoes or re-manufactured. I did have a similar problem with re-bonded shoes that had been made incorrectly. Who did the job for you.

[kj69]

Hey Kirk, I'll agree with the other fellas, thinking a adjustable valve should sort you out. But would still get some advice from a specialist.

baileys brakes is where i sent it originally rod they pretty much said too hard for us .