Mike in Wis.

I'll keep you posted.... I'm sure I'll have to 🙂 Here's a pic of the project..... it's further restorable, but would need some work and parts, springs are shot because it carries so much weight for plowing, rust repair in rear corners of box, floor boards etc are amazingly in pretty good shape. Plows like an 50's Oshkosh with a Detroit diesel LOL

Thanks Moses, Glad I ordered both sets of hardware.... the top one will go back. I argued with the parts guy, even showed him my VIN number because he refused to believe that my 1981 had that lower kit, which according to him didn't hit the CJ line until 1982. If you search brake parts on line some list both hardware types for 1981, some list the top only.... some are the correct bottom one. My VIN has the "B" character.... but is a "C" engine.... which is according to my neighbor, the original owner, is what it was delivered with when he got it. Certainly could have been swapped.... the engine block build date code is for a Feb 1980 258 ci 6 cylinder. It runs well and has plenty of snort to move large amounts of snow... which it has been relegated to for at least the last 25 years.

I've decided to change the front rotors and disc brake pads on my 1981 Scrambler.... I've detected an interesting phenominon. Most brake kits reportedly for the CJ8 I find say they use the hardware pictured here... However,in looking at the calipoers on my jeep I find the hardware and pad hardware is like these.... Did they use two different caliper designs on the 1981 CJ8 Scramblers ? I have a real mutt it appears.... the VIN decodes that it was built with a 4 cylinder engine.... however it has (and always has had) a 4.2L (258ci) 6 cylinder. Odd that.... it's been in the family siince new and never had an engine or axle swap. Mike

I got a GM metering valve tool and modified it a bit to work. I replaced the rear bleeders to quick bleeders like I did the front and bled the rear brakes. That did the trick.... the brake light is now off, and the braking is more effective. I'm pretty sure that there is a need for front pads/roters as you stated.... but for a non roadworthy vehicle used to plow my driveway it's good enough for now. There's a ton of added weight including a D6 Cat ballast weight on the very rear. The weight is part of the issue as well... Thanks for the tip.

I have a new to me 1981 CJ8 Scrambler plow truck. At the end of last winter the brakes stopped working, pedal went to thefloor and brakelight came on. LAst week, yes quite a while after, I decided to get it repaired for this coming winter. I noticed brake fluid on the drivers side floor.... and verified the master cylinder was leaking out the back piston area.... vbrake likes are not leaking nor is anything on the wheels. The fluid chambers on the master were filled yet on the rear brake section (front) and the chamber (rear - large) was empty. This is a manual front disk rear drum system. I've replaced the bleeders in the front with quick bleeders, replaced the master cylinder and bled the front brakes. My proportional valve seems to be t he type with the pin that needs to be held in... it was found with the pin already all the way in. I did not have a tool to hold the pin in.... but the pin never moved during the bleeding process. After bleeding the front brakes I regained a very firm pedal... but the brakes don't seem that effective. This Jeep has A LOT of added weight.... so perhaps that and wear of brake components are much of the issue....it stops much quicker in reverse than it does going forward. I'm going to try and check the bleeders on the rear drums.... hopefully I'll be lucky enough to be able to get the old bleeders out and replaced.... to see if that might help. Does it sound like the proportional valve might be the issue / stuck ? Mike