After months of sub-standard drum brakes, it was time for some serious hardware. I began by buying a set of "6bolt" brackets and calipers from a guy on the SWB board. (I also grabbed a set of "2bolt" brackets and calipers for future use on the rear.).

The brackets were treated to a healthy wire brushing and painted with my usual cheap spray paint. The calipers were a bit rougher than I had anticipated, but were cheap and would make great cores. I ordered the replacement calipers, pads, & parts kit from the local Advance Auto (AA). They are direct replacement for the '77-'78 CJ calipers (D30 Scouts used the same). Though AA comes thru on the calipers, the rotors can't be sourced (reasonably priced) thru any of the local suppliers and I was forced to purchase online from 4WD Hardware. I also got a set of longer "disc brake" studs at the same time.

Armed with a ton of info, correspondance from others that have done the swap, & parts, the fabled day had arrived. My Dad had some time to kill, and decided to "assist". It was great having another set of hands and a seasoned wrench looking over my shoulder.

I began by jacking up Mossy with a pitiful floorjack and putting my even more pitiful stands under the axle. We decided that one side at a time is a prudent way to start, so the tire, drum & hub is removed. The shoes, springs, & backing plate are quickly (couldn't wait to take that crap off!) chunked and everything given a light "dusting". After a few tries to get the proper position on the bracket, it was bolted in place using the existing studs/nuts.

 Once in place, clearancing the knuckle for the caliper can begin. I set the caliper into the backet loosely and used a "Sharpie" to mark the knuckle (you can just see the mark in the next picture). It doesn't require removing too much material. I used a 4.5" grinder and took my time, stopping often to check the clearance. It's simple to see WHAT & WHERE things are binding with a flashlight shining from the backside. I stopped grinding once the caliper "floated" along it's path.
 

 
 

After everything is moving freely, the lug studs were driven out of the hubs using a BFH, punch, and large socket underneath. NOTE** I've been told that the PO must have trashed the hubs at some point and replaced them with disc hubs, as NO grinding was needed. The back of the hubs were flat (except for some ribs, and layed flat on the rotors.** The new (longer) studs were hammered thru the rotor and hub using the same BFH, punch, & socket. The bearings, nuts, & locks were re-installed and torqued to spec. The caliper was loaded with new pads and installed on the backet, over the rotor using "caliper" lube on the contact surfaces. Once I was sure everything was kosher, the key, spring, and funky retaining bolt were installed. A final check was done to make sure everything was still good, and the locking hub and wheels were bolted into place. So far, so good!

 

Next, I began to search for lines to accomodate the discs and enough length for the SOA's flex. After opening about 25 different packages at AA, I ended up with with some hoses for a '79 Blazer 4x2. The length is great, although the banjo's needed drilling out to 7/16" and an adapter is needed to mate with the hard lines. Some new brake fluid, and a little bleeding was all it took to firm the pedal up. The MC is a reman, so I guessed the "residual valve" was already missing, and haven't bothered to look yet. I "broke them in" by doing several (4-5) emergency stops from 35-45MPH , letting them cool, and repeating the stops. They are GREAT in comparison to drums, but I feel like they can do better, as they will not lock completely up and pedal travel is a bit more than I'd like. This all may be due to the vac booster and associated linkage. Regardless, they are a massive improvement over drums up front.