How big can I go?

[Rex]

I'm going to be converting the front drum brakes on my '74 CJ5 to discs shortly. But I'm not sure what size of discs I can put on my jeep. I have some calipers and am looking for some backing plates off a Chevy truck right now. I'd like to put the biggest discs that will fit but haven't any idea what the range of sizes that will fit are. A friend told me that 11" is probably as big as will fit but I thought I would ask here and see if anyone knows for sure how big a disc will fit on a '74 CJ5. So, what's the biggest disc that will fit on my jeep?

 

[TLCJ5]

The discs that AMC put on the later CJs are 11"....maybe a 12" would fit with a 15" wheel,but the only way to go bigger would need a bigger wheel. I'm not sure what other factors my come into play,but considering the vehicle I'm not sure that a bigger disc would be worth the trouble.The advantage of a bigger disc would be heat disapation & I've never found that top be an issue...a CJ is not a high speed vehicle & so many other things become an issue before brake temp.(handling,rough ride etc)
Just my opinion,but I like to go with factory stuff when I can to avoid reengineering things that work pretty well already.

 

[xt master]

11 or 12 sounds about right for the 15" rim.As stated earlier you should not need any thing bigger unless you towing some thing heavy,but even then I would get trailer brakes if you are pulling it with a Jeep.

 

[54cj3b]

depends on what size rimes you want to run

10 would stop you just fine 12 i think overkill on a cj