Liberty Rear Disk Brakes for A-Body

jos51700 said

It's early, and I ain't too bright to begin with, but...

Couldn't you just install the bracket and backing plate for the liberty stuff on top of the axle bearing retainer, instead of under it, and avoid all the custom machined stuff? As long as the backing plates don't hit the p-brake shoes (which could be omitted for an automatic equipped car not driven by Bo or Luke), the plates would just slide out with the axles any time the axles are removed.

Or, couldn't someone just make a longer adjuster, and banish the bracket-milling business?

Don't bash me, I haven't seen the parts personally; just thinking out loud...

Click to expand...

As you noted, it would be difficult, if even possible to adjust the axle shaft end play. With the bracket on, the tabs on the adjuster could be too short to reach. This wouldn't be a problem for those using Green bearings, BUT

You would have a spacing problem, in that the thickness of the axle retainer, plus the thickness of the bracket would put the rotor closer to the inboard side of the caliper. My guess is by about 3/8". The rotor wouldn't be centered in the pads, and might contact the parking brake shoes. As you noted, they could be omitted, but many will need an operating parking brake to pass an annual safety inspection. This spacing issue could be overcome by using custom axles with a larger axle offset, the expense of which takes this out of the low-buck swap category. Another possibility would be to use a spacer between the rotor and axle flange, which probably isn't the best idea.

An interesting solution is that of member @blue missile who made spacers to be able to use the stock adjuster and unmachined Cherokee brackets. This solution required axle replacement, too, I believe.
Jeep rear discs on an 8 3/4 axle solution