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Rant: People who think that drum brakes are dangerous

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by Tugmaster, Nov 13, 2011.

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  1. BanjoBoy
    Joined: Oct 2, 2005
    Posts: 570

    BanjoBoy
    Member


    I agree with above statement.
    Although I run drum brakes on my Daily Driver 51 Ford P/u / I sometimes feel Im out of time. Due to others having the "Stab and Steer" Phobia.

    Regardless of how we feel about drum brakes, We still have to drive at Modern Speeds and Modern Stops.
     
  2. 6inarow
    Joined: Jan 24, 2007
    Posts: 2,361

    6inarow
    Member

    AMEN to that brother. this thread is stupid
     
  3. Jeff J
    Joined: Mar 15, 2007
    Posts: 961

    Jeff J
    Member

    Well my Bel-Air has all four paw drive and stops and handles just fine and does great cornering even on skid stops !:p
     

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  4. hotrodchevy
    Joined: Jan 20, 2009
    Posts: 127

    hotrodchevy
    Member

    drum brakes have been fine for years and still are ,when set up propperly . but with more power and less weight disks will stop faster and shorter. using comon sense is the answer. same story linkage cable drum band brakes versus juice drums all stop but how soon at what speed.
     
  5. OK, I gotta throw in my .02 with some experiences with most of the subjects.
    Big truck drum and disc arguement really doesn't apply here because of many reasons if applied with air as opposed to hydraulic or linkage. Big trucks got rid of hydraulics for the most part YEARS ago with the exception of a few trucks that had large Kelsey-Hayes air over hydraulics disc front brakes. Medium duty trucks and school busses went hydraulic disc around '82. Fire trucks of today both have problems with air disc and air drum because of driving hard and stopping ast fast as possible from drivers that aren't trained as truck drivers.
    Let's get down to it. Are you like me? Did you have a close experience with four wheel drums on a vehicle like a '65 C10 pickup because of a vehicle that didn't show a signal and could stop better than you? Modify the truck to have later disc brakes without power assist and have other problems with braking, even though better? Modify more to have power assist and stop damn good? Then build an A with power assist 4 wheel disc that doesn't stop as good as that truck because you thought you had learned almost enough?
    Many cars look great with good old drum combos when you see them hangin' in the wind, and would look confused if the wrong era of discs were in place. Drive accordingly. Skinny cars apply here.
    Build with what you know and drive with knowledge of what you have. You can get yourself into trouble with a damn Honda Civic as fast as you can with an old car if attention is not paid. A good rear view mirror is a good tool to also keep you out of braking trouble if a jackass is behind you instead of in front of you if you have room to avoid a bad situation.
    And yes, with big trucks as well as auto disc brakes, brake material formula can make a large change in braking capabilities for the conditions in what it is used. It will also apply to hydraulic and manual drum.
    Some brake materials don't work well without high pressure and repeated high heat conditions. Some formulas will fade if worked too hard with pressure or repetitive heat without a chance for the drum to cool down, along with the brake material. Why? With any kind of brake material and application it's being used in, with enough heat, the brake material will create a gas cushion between the friction receiver surface and friction material that the application tool pressure cannot overcome. This is brake fade, then to burnt brakes.
    Sorry, didn't mean to put some science in. Drive wisely with what you know about your vehicle.
     
    Last edited: Nov 14, 2011
  6. Drive Em
    Joined: Aug 25, 2006
    Posts: 1,748

    Drive Em
    Member

    I agree with the O.P., now let me start my rant about people who think that points distributors are unreliable, not as accurate and don't belong on a Hot Rod.............
     
  7. poprockcrusher
    Joined: May 17, 2009
    Posts: 123

    poprockcrusher
    Member

    damn straight
     
  8. 296 V8
    Joined: Sep 17, 2003
    Posts: 4,666

    296 V8
    BANNED
    from Nor~Cal

    Not a thing wrong with healthy drums.
    The only problem I have with them is working on them.
    When you work on vehicles and equipment all day like me you can easily develop a dislike for them ……. thankfully newer stuff is all disc.
    So with me its drums if you can see them and discs if you cant……on a hot rod
     
  9. Okay seeing that this is now over 150 posts long has it moved on to a RANT & RAVE ? :cool:
     
  10. Last bit of science.
    All brake systems will fail if the friction surface that has to dissipate the heat is too thin or not large enough to do the job. Drag racers don't put the Scirroco radiator into their tow rig to make the truck go faster or pull harder. An engine cooling system radiator does the same job as a brake drum or disc. Worn out discs or drums are bad in all applications because they don't have enough material to receive friction and to dissipate heat. Changing kinetic energy to heat energy is a hard job.
     
    Last edited: Nov 14, 2011
  11. R Frederick
    Joined: Mar 30, 2009
    Posts: 2,658

    R Frederick
    Member
    from illinois

    Either way, all I know is I just got on my buddy about buying a freakin single pot master cylinder for his 65 Chevelle. I said "you know, you're spending all this money on this restoration and nobody gives a shit if the master is correct or not. Especially, if it fails and you have no brakes at all.":rolleyes:
     
  12. I started buying a conversion kit for my 64 belair, CPP master and a scare bird bracket/bearing set - look for it in the classified section soon......
     
  13. slim tempo
    Joined: Sep 16, 2010
    Posts: 412

    slim tempo
    Member

    I drive the speed limit and leave 1 car length for every 10 mph. No failures here.
     
  14. outlaw256
    Joined: Jun 26, 2008
    Posts: 2,022

    outlaw256
    Member

    well ive had my say awhile back.but im gonna say it maybe alittle more clear.there aint nothing wrong or dangerous with drum brakes.if a drum brake set up is properly maintained and set up right they are just fine.almost all my cars have 4drum set up and a few are high horse cars.i dont think nothing of driving one of them in fast moving, bumber to bumber traffic.they stop just fine. but i do drive ready for anything.i really dont think people today can drive our old cars. you have to drive it.not just point it and step on the gas.im not going into the different types of friction material or heat bs.we all know that or should.i like drum brakes. really ive never given drum brakes a second thought..if there was something wrong i fixed it. that is all there is to it.then i had good brakes again.im sure as hell not going thru the trouble of changing from drum to disc because someone thinks its safer.because in my book it just aint.oh hell im starting to ramble on im tired im going to bed.
     
  15. Mad Mouse
    Joined: Apr 1, 2007
    Posts: 93

    Mad Mouse
    Member

    We have a 32 Tudor with late Corvette SS disc brakes. I will trade this et up for a good set of Buick or Lincoln drum brakes in a second. Any takers?
     
  16. burnout2614
    Joined: Sep 21, 2009
    Posts: 612

    burnout2614
    Member

    We all agree stopping is important. I try to make sure ALL my vehicles stop quickly, drums AND disc. Today I saw 4 vehicles (all with antilock) piled up, their brakes worked damn good! peace
     
  17. Dane
    Joined: May 6, 2010
    Posts: 1,351

    Dane
    Member
    from Soquel, CA

    If you've ever lost your brakes driving down a mountain road with 4 drums you'll understand. Drums work great... for a little while.
     
  18. butti
    Joined: Nov 23, 2009
    Posts: 86

    butti
    Member



    I dont mean to sound like a smartass but if you loose your brakes driving down a mountain road wtf does it matter if they are disc or drum?
     
  19. LSGUN
    Joined: May 26, 2007
    Posts: 1,358

    LSGUN
    Member
    from TX

    I'm still running mechanical brakes on my A, they could use an adjustment I'm sure but they'll stop the car!
     

  20. Think he was talking about brake fade with drums due to excess heat.
     
  21. Arominus
    Joined: Feb 2, 2011
    Posts: 394

    Arominus
    Member

    I wouldn't call drums dangerous, but i will say they are not always the best choice. The drums can and do stop as well for the first stop but after that not so much. Also discs require less maintenance. Ill take discs over late 50's chrysler drums anyday, I say this after having DD'd a 57 dodge and a 58 new yorker (12" drums) for a few years and numerous other 60's mopars.
     
  22. Jimv
    Joined: Dec 5, 2001
    Posts: 2,924

    Jimv
    Member

    This thread like every other "I hate" or "Not traditional" is getting out of hand again!!
    Drum brakes won't wreck your car!! plan & simple!!Person saying that is a fuckin idiot!!But there is a reason why they don't use them any more.Single MC SUCK!! plan & simple!Losing your brakes is a Major problem.
    Now i think from now on we should use the number system to have "Old vs.New" etc threads
    So how about we use :No.1 seat belts Vs.no seatbelts
    No.2: Bias ply vs.radials
    No.3: engine driven fan vs.electric
    No.4:Turn signals Vs.Arm signals
    N0.5:Tractor grills Vs.Car grills
    No.6:Steel Vs.Fiberglass
    No.7:SBC vs.traditional
    No.8:drum vs. Disc
    No.9:Hairpin vs.4 link
    No.10: Joe D'Maggio vs. Ted Williams
    And finally: No.11: Superman vs. Batman!!
    Now we can try & figure out a Number system for the answers & we won't have to type anything but numbers!! Nice clean & simple!!
    JimV
    PS forgot!!"No.12: Number system vs.typed system!
     
  23. gnichols
    Joined: Mar 6, 2008
    Posts: 11,345

    gnichols
    Member
    from Tampa, FL

    I sure hope this thread isn't going to be a drag. Gary
     
  24. Kripfink
    Joined: Sep 30, 2008
    Posts: 2,040

    Kripfink
    Member Emeritus

    Hey now, don't forget 13; McDonald's versus Burger King.
     
  25. Jalopy Journalist
    Joined: Nov 4, 2011
    Posts: 255

    Jalopy Journalist
    Member
    from Austin, TX

    What? Not only is there no link, I am not spam. Was this intended for someone else? :confused:
     
  26. Jalopy Journalist
    Joined: Nov 4, 2011
    Posts: 255

    Jalopy Journalist
    Member
    from Austin, TX

    13. Wat-a-burger vs. P. Terrys... Oh, you don't live in Texas do you? :D

    My number 13 might be a distant 30 something.
     
  27. Mine stops fine too.
     
  28. BeatnikPirate
    Joined: May 21, 2006
    Posts: 1,416

    BeatnikPirate
    Member
    from Media, Pa.

    I agree. Good summary. But you left out:
    LED lights vs old style
    3rd brakelight vs none
    Frankenstien vs Godzilla
     
  29. stude_trucks
    Joined: Sep 13, 2007
    Posts: 4,755

    stude_trucks
    Member

    the spam post got deleted by the mods, wasn't meant for you.


    While we are at it, semis also have straight front axles; modern cars and lightduty trucks don't. I guess that is because the makers are too cheap to use big ass straight axles for stuff like that - air brakes too.
     
  30. MeanGene427
    Joined: Dec 15, 2010
    Posts: 2,307

    MeanGene427
    Member
    from Napa

    And don't forget the best one- cool, interesting engines vs boring elcheapo bellybuttons :p
     
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