Rear brake options for 8 1/4" and 8 3/4" rear axles ?

[Kern Dog]

Hello all,
I have a few rear axles here that have no brakes on them. In the past, I'd just go to the nearby self serve wrecking yards and grab some 10" drum assemblies and use them. As the rear wheel drive cars are harder to find, I'm having to expand my search.
I have seen trucks and vans with 8 1/4 and 9 1/4 axles. The 5 lug hub versions usually have 11" brakes. Thats a bit oversized for what I want but it is better than nothing. I once swapped Dakota 10" drums onto an 8 3/4 axle. I could do that again if it comes down to it.
See, I have a 65 Valiant that will get a 3.21 geared 8 1/4" axle. It came to me without brakes. A car this light would be fine with 11" discs and 10" drums. I have a 72 Duster that is getting a 3.55 geared 8 1/4" and it needs brakes too.
I have a fuzzy memory of people adapting Jeep rear discs to 8 1/4" axles. What does it take to make that work? Jeeps and Durangos are common in the yards. Is there a range of year models that I need to search for?
I have a couple of 8 3/4 axles that need brakes too. One has the stock tapered bearings, the other has fixed/non adjustable type bearings. Can the Jeep/Durango discs be fitted to them?
I'm not fixated on any specific type of brake. Drum or disc will work, I just need something that requires no trips to a machine shop and has no no crazy or unusual parking brake cable arrangements.

 

[Demonic]

Jeep Liberty rear disc. I don't have any helpful links, but Google is your friend... I suspect there will be some sort of effort beyond bolt on stuff.

 

[Kern Dog]

The Liberty is supposed to work on the fixed bearing axles, right? I have the Mopar Action magazine articles on the swap but the parking brake cable looks iffy to me.
Google is not necessarily my friend. I prefer to hear from forum members.

 

[dangina]

I run a Dr.diff setup on my rear - Cass is a great guy - give him a call!

 

[Kern Dog]

I do like what he sells but I am looking to do this C H E A P.

 

[4mulas]

Chrysler fifth ave, New Yorker, dodge diplomat late 70’s to mid 80’s that are rear wheel drive will all fit your application and are 10x2.5
You can usually find one or two of those at the wrecker

 

[HALIFAXHOPS]

Here is what I did on a 8 1/4
https://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/threads/8-1-4-rear-and-jeep-brakes.301415/

 

[dodgedifferent2]

I make adapter brackets to run the mustang rotors and calipers on the 8 3/4.
I despise the mopar drum parking brake setup.

 

[Dipstick]

Get the Scarebird brackets and source your own parts.

https://scarebird.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=64&product_id=104

 

[Kern Dog]

Chrysler fifth ave, New Yorker, dodge diplomat late 70’s to mid 80’s that are rear wheel drive will all fit your application and are 10x2.5
You can usually find one or two of those at the wrecker

I do see those occasionally but since most of them had 7 1/4" axles, I doubt that the brakes fit the larger axles.

 

[Kern Dog]

I have a mixed report.
I went out to a couple of "Pick N Pull" yards today.
These guys embraced an annoying business model a few years ago. They have made it more customer friendly for the people that rarely ever go to the yards BUT it slows down everything for the people that know what they are doing. The cashier offers to look up their inventory for customers, to print out a list of the cars, to quote prices too. All the while, I have already looked at their online inventory and I know where the cars are in the yard.
I wanted to find some 10" drum brakes. Simple, effective and relatively light.
No rear wheel drive classics at the 2 yards I went to. The first was supposed to have a '69 Fury but the car was not there. This is a common thing....their inventory is rarely ever 100% accurate.
I looked at several Jeep Cherokees. Some had 9" drums, some had 10" drums, others had disc brakes.
The 1/2 ton trucks and vans that did have rear drums were 11" and the bigger 5x5 bolt pattern that started sometime around the 1985 model year. I saw several Jeeps and a few Dakota trucks with both disc and drum brakes.
I did find a '73 Van with an 8 3/4" axle and 11" brakes. I pulled the 3.23 3rd member and the brakes. The shoes were worn out, the van looked to have been sitting for 20 years so I suspect that the wheel cylinders were rusted solid too.
The counter monkey did what most of them do: Itemize every individual part. Brake shoes. Springs. Wheel cylinders. Parking brake levers. Backing plates. Drums.
I asked if they had a sales code for a "Brake assembly". He said no.
$ 126 for the two drum assemblies with all the fees. The drums were rusty and the backing plates were heavily pitted. $126 for parts that aren't exactly what I wanted and I'd need at least another $70 or more in parts to make the brakes complete. I'd be in the set $200 easily.
The 3rd member was $130.
That is $250 for brakes and gears. The entire axle complete would have been right at $200 but I already have several axles here that need brakes !

 

[4mulas]

I do see those occasionally but since most of them had 7 1/4" axles, I doubt that the brakes fit the larger axles.

They fit. The five bolt holes on the backing plates
Are the same for Dana 60, 8.75, 8.25, 7.25
Get the spreader bars and e brake levers too

These are off one

 

[Kern Dog]

That is good news. Now if the penny pinching pricks at the yards don't try to squeeze me for every spring and shoe....

 

[Ranger16]

The yards (Men's Malls) ain't what they used to be.

 

[JoePole]

Hey Kern. I got mine for 8.25 rear on ebang for 97 jeep Cherokee. Only had to clearance the center axle register slightly and just bolt on. Got mine from this guy....

https://www.ebay.com/itm/JEEP-Chero...Sw5JJZjoIs&LH_ItemCondition=4&redirect=mobile



here's another......
https://www.ebay.com/itm/JEEP-Dana-35-44-Rear-Axle-Disc-Brake-Conversion-Kit-Wrangler-Cherokee-Grand/113186797142?fits=Year:1997|Model:Cherokee|Make:Jeep&hash=item1a5a757656:g:3c8AAOSwhlZZxqFH:sc:FedExHomeDelivery!12538!US!-1&redirect=mobile

 

[4mulas]

That is good news. Now if the penny pinching pricks at the yards don't try to squeeze me for every spring and shoe....

If you can find them at the self serve yard just take the plates, spreader bars, and e-brake lever. The hardware and hold down kits are super cheap at rock auto as are the shoes and drums

Good luck!

 

[rolling_Thunder]

That is good news. Now if the penny pinching pricks at the yards don't try to squeeze me for every spring and shoe....

Maybe with this CORVID-19 thing going around the yards might have large sales like on holidays - local yards to me (never mopar stuff there) does like 50% or 40% off stuff for President's day and holidays.

 

[Kern Dog]

I am not one to wish for that sort of thing.
I knew a guy that was a borderline idiot. He wanted to buy a house to fix up and sell but he didn't find anything within his price range.
He said..."What we need is a recession so things get more affordable."
Asshole.
Yeah, lets throw the country into a tailspin so YOU can afford a second house to make some money.

 

[Roger63]

I am not one to wish for that sort of thing.
I knew a guy that was a borderline idiot. He wanted to buy a house to fix up and sell but he didn't find anything within his price range.
He said..."What we need is a recession so things get more affordable."
Asshole.
Yeah, lets throw the country into a tailspin so YOU can afford a second house to make some money.

That's hilarious, a recession to buy a house to flip. Who's gonna buy it?