installing power brakes on a cj?
 

I bought a vacuum booster and a master cylinder of a wrangler on ebay and
will be installing it on my 86 cj7 this weekend. my jeep has front disks and
back drum brakes with a proportioning valve mounted to the frame. I noticed
that the wrangler master cylinder has the brake lines coming out of the
opposite side is this a problem? can I unbolt the wrangler master cylinder
and bolt my CJ master cylinder on and not have to bleed the brakes? or do I
have to use the master cylinder and booster as a set? where should I hook up
the vacuum line to? anything else anyone can think of that I should do or
should'nt do? thanks carmine

Re: installing power brakes on a cj?
 

On or about Thu, 4 Dec 2003, Jet of jet@bestweb.net wrote:

> I bought a vacuum booster and a master cylinder of a wrangler on ebay and
> will be installing it on my 86 cj7 this weekend.

Have you made reservations for your funeral on Tuesday?


> my jeep has front disks and back drum brakes with a proportioning valve
> mounted to the frame. I noticed that the wrangler master cylinder has
> the brake lines coming out of the opposite side is this a problem? can I
> unbolt the wrangler master cylinder and bolt my CJ master cylinder on
> and not have to bleed the brakes? or do I have to use the master
> cylinder and booster as a set? where should I hook up the vacuum line
> to? anything else anyone can think of that I should do or should'nt do?
> thanks carmine

I think you might be in for some trouble making it fit, and the brake
lines are sending you an important message.

Looking quickly in a mail order catalogue, I notice that the parts numbers
for the 78-86 power master cylinder are not the same as the master for
the 87-89 YJ, the 90-94 (without ABS) or the 95 YJ (with or w/o ABS).
All different, as are the proportioning valves for 82-86 and 87-93. Even
if you can physically make it fit (remember the sheet metal redesign at
the end of the CJ run -- did they change pedal assemblies too?), you still
should want to know if they are hydraulically equal. Looking again, the
front calipers fit 82 through 89, then change for 90 through 00, the rear
cylinders fit 76 through 89.

Call me a yellow-livered milktoast mamma's boy chicken corporate
ass-sucker if you like, but I wouldn't mess around with brakes unless I
knew for sure I was doing the right thing. The "right thing" in this case
would be getting the right master and booster for my Jeep instead of
trying to cobble something up from bits and pieces. You're not going to
feel too good about it if the first time you panic-stab the brakes you
lock the front wheels, skid and kill someone other than yourself.

Re: installing power brakes on a cj?
 

On or about Thu, 4 Dec 2003, Jet of jet@bestweb.net wrote:

> I bought a vacuum booster and a master cylinder of a wrangler on ebay and
> will be installing it on my 86 cj7 this weekend.

Have you made reservations for your funeral on Tuesday?


> my jeep has front disks and back drum brakes with a proportioning valve
> mounted to the frame. I noticed that the wrangler master cylinder has
> the brake lines coming out of the opposite side is this a problem? can I
> unbolt the wrangler master cylinder and bolt my CJ master cylinder on
> and not have to bleed the brakes? or do I have to use the master
> cylinder and booster as a set? where should I hook up the vacuum line
> to? anything else anyone can think of that I should do or should'nt do?
> thanks carmine

I think you might be in for some trouble making it fit, and the brake
lines are sending you an important message.

Looking quickly in a mail order catalogue, I notice that the parts numbers
for the 78-86 power master cylinder are not the same as the master for
the 87-89 YJ, the 90-94 (without ABS) or the 95 YJ (with or w/o ABS).
All different, as are the proportioning valves for 82-86 and 87-93. Even
if you can physically make it fit (remember the sheet metal redesign at
the end of the CJ run -- did they change pedal assemblies too?), you still
should want to know if they are hydraulically equal. Looking again, the
front calipers fit 82 through 89, then change for 90 through 00, the rear
cylinders fit 76 through 89.

Call me a yellow-livered milktoast mamma's boy chicken corporate
ass-sucker if you like, but I wouldn't mess around with brakes unless I
knew for sure I was doing the right thing. The "right thing" in this case
would be getting the right master and booster for my Jeep instead of
trying to cobble something up from bits and pieces. You're not going to
feel too good about it if the first time you panic-stab the brakes you
lock the front wheels, skid and kill someone other than yourself.

Re: installing power brakes on a cj?
 

On or about Thu, 4 Dec 2003, Jet of jet@bestweb.net wrote:

> I bought a vacuum booster and a master cylinder of a wrangler on ebay and
> will be installing it on my 86 cj7 this weekend.

Have you made reservations for your funeral on Tuesday?


> my jeep has front disks and back drum brakes with a proportioning valve
> mounted to the frame. I noticed that the wrangler master cylinder has
> the brake lines coming out of the opposite side is this a problem? can I
> unbolt the wrangler master cylinder and bolt my CJ master cylinder on
> and not have to bleed the brakes? or do I have to use the master
> cylinder and booster as a set? where should I hook up the vacuum line
> to? anything else anyone can think of that I should do or should'nt do?
> thanks carmine

I think you might be in for some trouble making it fit, and the brake
lines are sending you an important message.

Looking quickly in a mail order catalogue, I notice that the parts numbers
for the 78-86 power master cylinder are not the same as the master for
the 87-89 YJ, the 90-94 (without ABS) or the 95 YJ (with or w/o ABS).
All different, as are the proportioning valves for 82-86 and 87-93. Even
if you can physically make it fit (remember the sheet metal redesign at
the end of the CJ run -- did they change pedal assemblies too?), you still
should want to know if they are hydraulically equal. Looking again, the
front calipers fit 82 through 89, then change for 90 through 00, the rear
cylinders fit 76 through 89.

Call me a yellow-livered milktoast mamma's boy chicken corporate
ass-sucker if you like, but I wouldn't mess around with brakes unless I
knew for sure I was doing the right thing. The "right thing" in this case
would be getting the right master and booster for my Jeep instead of
trying to cobble something up from bits and pieces. You're not going to
feel too good about it if the first time you panic-stab the brakes you
lock the front wheels, skid and kill someone other than yourself.

Re: installing power brakes on a cj?
 

Can you install a booster without changing the master?

In response to Lee's post, I have changed my Jeepster from non-power 11 inch
drums to a Bronco Master and early series power conversion kit, Scout
Booster, CJ disk front, and have significantly increased the brake
effectivness and safety of my machine. I am certified as a Master Auto tech,
so I do have an advantage here.

--
Paul Calman, Hathaway Pines, California

Re: installing power brakes on a cj?
 

Can you install a booster without changing the master?

In response to Lee's post, I have changed my Jeepster from non-power 11 inch
drums to a Bronco Master and early series power conversion kit, Scout
Booster, CJ disk front, and have significantly increased the brake
effectivness and safety of my machine. I am certified as a Master Auto tech,
so I do have an advantage here.

--
Paul Calman, Hathaway Pines, California

Re: installing power brakes on a cj?
 

Can you install a booster without changing the master?

In response to Lee's post, I have changed my Jeepster from non-power 11 inch
drums to a Bronco Master and early series power conversion kit, Scout
Booster, CJ disk front, and have significantly increased the brake
effectivness and safety of my machine. I am certified as a Master Auto tech,
so I do have an advantage here.

--
Paul Calman, Hathaway Pines, California

Re: installing power brakes on a cj?
 

No, the master is totally different for power brakes.

There also are two varieties on top of that, one is for front disks, the
other is for drum fronts.

A 'proper' power brake master for a CJ7 isn't expensive at all. He will
also need the proper proportioning or combination valve for it.

On that note, I have had the chance to compare an 85 with manual brakes
and my 86 with power brakes and the 85 stops a bunch faster than my 86.
The owner of the 85 decided not to bother going to power after he saw
the lack of improvement or an actual downgrade in performance.

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's

Paul Calman wrote:
>
> Can you install a booster without changing the master?
>
> In response to Lee's post, I have changed my Jeepster from non-power 11 inch
> drums to a Bronco Master and early series power conversion kit, Scout
> Booster, CJ disk front, and have significantly increased the brake
> effectivness and safety of my machine. I am certified as a Master Auto tech,
> so I do have an advantage here.
>
> --
> Paul Calman, Hathaway Pines, California

Re: installing power brakes on a cj?
 

No, the master is totally different for power brakes.

There also are two varieties on top of that, one is for front disks, the
other is for drum fronts.

A 'proper' power brake master for a CJ7 isn't expensive at all. He will
also need the proper proportioning or combination valve for it.

On that note, I have had the chance to compare an 85 with manual brakes
and my 86 with power brakes and the 85 stops a bunch faster than my 86.
The owner of the 85 decided not to bother going to power after he saw
the lack of improvement or an actual downgrade in performance.

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's

Paul Calman wrote:
>
> Can you install a booster without changing the master?
>
> In response to Lee's post, I have changed my Jeepster from non-power 11 inch
> drums to a Bronco Master and early series power conversion kit, Scout
> Booster, CJ disk front, and have significantly increased the brake
> effectivness and safety of my machine. I am certified as a Master Auto tech,
> so I do have an advantage here.
>
> --
> Paul Calman, Hathaway Pines, California

Re: installing power brakes on a cj?
 

No, the master is totally different for power brakes.

There also are two varieties on top of that, one is for front disks, the
other is for drum fronts.

A 'proper' power brake master for a CJ7 isn't expensive at all. He will
also need the proper proportioning or combination valve for it.

On that note, I have had the chance to compare an 85 with manual brakes
and my 86 with power brakes and the 85 stops a bunch faster than my 86.
The owner of the 85 decided not to bother going to power after he saw
the lack of improvement or an actual downgrade in performance.

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's

Paul Calman wrote:
>
> Can you install a booster without changing the master?
>
> In response to Lee's post, I have changed my Jeepster from non-power 11 inch
> drums to a Bronco Master and early series power conversion kit, Scout
> Booster, CJ disk front, and have significantly increased the brake
> effectivness and safety of my machine. I am certified as a Master Auto tech,
> so I do have an advantage here.
>
> --
> Paul Calman, Hathaway Pines, California