Technical Anyone Ever Swap Disc Brakes To Drums?

Hoodlums beaner, we are hoodlums.


I still build stuff with drum brakes and drive them in traffic! Gasp!!

Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.

 

Hey Brother Fargo,
I fixed up a 47 Chrysler some years back.
It was a Royal Coupe, had 11 inch brakes.
The stock Lockheed drums are reputed to be marginal, unless adjusted well and in close spec.
So I rebuilt MC and all wheel cyls, (i was so broke supporting 2 households 4 kids) machined drums, all new lines and hoses.
Installed used Dot 5 and bled and adjusted brakes. Crappy brakes, kept adjusting and after a few thousand miles shoes wore in.
Had no clue on pre arcing shoes, so miles did that.
End result, really great brakes, I was very surprised.
Hit those brakes and you might hit dash. Very responsive.

 

I started to legally drive in 1977. I drove a number of vehicles with drum brakes, never even gavenit a thought. Some were single jug MC too...
Worse brakes I ever experienced were on 2 cars, 1 a 1970 Cougar all worn out, and early 70s Galaxie pedal to floor for brakes.
Both most likely had no shoe or disc material left. Or air in system..

 

I guess to stick with the original question, would I change discs to drums? My answer is it depends. If it was a factory disc setup or a correctly set up system then there would be no reason to. If it was a cobbled together “upgraded” disc brake setup I wouldn’t hesitate to switch back to the original drums. Properly set up they work fine. Oh yea, I still use single masters...double GASP!!


Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.

 

No doubt they work great, dissipate heat well, shed water too.
Less parts, cheaper to produce no doubt a win win.
But make no mistake drum brakes correctly sized to specific vehicle in good mechanical form function very well too.
The problem is some times folks add disc setups and their specific application and components need to be well engineered.
I do know a few who have swapped in discs up front to state its a little better but not what they expected. Or there adding discs to single jug MC setups and stock rear drums and then residual and proportioning valves and setup becomes critical.
All in all It can be argued that disc brakes are a better braking system in most cases.
Im sure there is automotive engineering science to validate any of hypothesis on brake comparison.

 

Talk about cobbled up "upgrade" to disk brakes...the one I am working on recently is 4-wheel disk brake and still has the single reservoir master cylinder. I looked at changing it to a dual reservoir, but talked myself out of it for now. It is working and I would have to do quite a bit of changing to do that... I also have two other vehicles that are still running single-reservoir master cylinders so it isn't like I see that as a problem.

 

As long as you don’t run out of fluid as the brakes wear it’ll work. Unfortunately lots of people who throw brake parts at a vehicle I. The name of upgrades end up with worse brakes than the original drum setup. Don’t get me wrong I understand the advantages to disc brakes, however drum brakes can still work well, just like they did when they were new


Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.

 

Yes back in late 70s to early 80s I drove a number of beaters and a few nice cars or trucks single MC. Never thought a thing about it.
Both of my brake failure systems while driving were mpre modern vehicles with dual chamber MCs.
Just lucky on my part.
Yes Im also running single jug, I watch it very closely too. The donor MC I may use is from 60s Corvette dual MC it bolts up with a thin adaptor plate in my setup.
Yes I think about my setup while driving.
Gotta get my ebrakes back up again..

 

Your driving area, traffic volume, terrain also will be a factor on choice of systems I suppose.
Im lucky in my area to some degree, flat terrain, lower traffic volume, speeds are no too crazy.
I can understand anyone who drives their Crate in high speed high traffic freeway situations and add mountains will want the best brakes possible.
Me in my slower speed lower population area is not a good comparison to driving in Houston or the LA area. Include Toronto too.

 

20 years ago I drove a 64 Valiant with 9” drum brakes and a single pot master as my only vehicle, summer, winter everywhere, I lived in Calgary and drove on Deerfoot trail(freeway) daily. Maybe I was just lucky? It didn’t occur to me to worry about it? Still doesn’t


Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.

 

I'm in the process of doing the exact same thing, new big bearing housing ends and Currier big 11 inch drums

 

I was fortunate to score NOS Buick drums from the old neighborhood parts store, so I went to salvage yard and got everything else from backing plates out on a Buick. A friend of mine had the adapters for ford spindles to Buick so I had a machinist friend make me copies for my model A. So I'm essentially running Buick up front should be more than enough brakes for an AV8

Sent from my SM-J7008 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

Yeah, same. I live in the country and commute to the city for work. The car rarely drives in the city, though I drive it to work now and then. Mostly low mph cruises to the local joint for driver lubrication, within legal limits of course.

 

It would have been a lot cheaper to have run discs.

 

I've never owned a car with 4-wheel discs; they've all had front discs and rear drums, except for the Morris Minor with drums all round. The Minor's brakes are notoriously inadequate, 8" front and 7" rear, leading one motoring writer to write of them, "emergency stops should be planned well in advance."

Before I used the Minor as a DD I did not understand what brake fade was. I'd heard of it; I'd never experienced it. I was living in a hilly part of town at the time, and the sensation of having to go down a steep incline in first gear with effectively zero brakes isn't something I'd like to relive.

So my question is, how much drum brake (or how elaborate or exotic) would I need to match the fade resistance of a very mediocre front-disc setup? I've had three VW Golf Mk1s, and their brakes aren't great, but none of them has ever exhibited a scrap of fade in my use.

What would it take to get triple-leading-shoe Alfa Romeo drum brakes to fade? or big finned Buick drums? or 8-lug Pontiac drums? or '50s Ferrari or Maserati ventilated drums? Or the ventilated drums on this Riley special:

 

On a light car drum brakes are just fine. My '32 Pickup with 12" Ford F250/350 (Lincoln) Bendix brakes adapted to F1 hubs and Buick aluminum drums have the right amount of stopping power and feel that I like. Best of all they have the right "look" and work great. I have about six sets so they'll go on every project car I have. I have also done a four wheel disc brake set-up on my old "Blue Devil" Deuce Roadster using C4 Corvette single piston aluminum finned calipers and rotors with a 5" power brake booster. I put 55,000 miles on the roadster and its still on the road with about 75,000 miles today with its new owner. They worked fine but I still like my drum brakes better because I like the instant response I get when I touch the brake pedal.

 

I got nuthin against disc brakes. If I was building an auto cross type of car and was on and off the brakes constantly and the option for discs was there I would run them. I would jot be running what is common for cars here on the HAMB. I am not a fan of floater type of calipers in a performance situation. They are fine for daily driving if you keep them in shape but well I am opinionated I guess.

For just a car to drive city and highway whatever works is fine for me. Where I am at is that if I had to choose between pin stripes or overhauling my brakes it would be brakes. I like my brakes to be in good shape.

We find ourselves in a situation where drums are necessary from time to time. Like my driving conditions in the rain forest for example. These days it is probably more for recognition by our peers I am afraid. We all like to be accepted by our peers whether we want to admit it or not.

If we are building it is easy. You choose and source the your parts as you go. It is more difficult I suppose when you buy a car complete or partially complete.

 

No I certainly have no bones to pick on disc brakes, or any other brakes for that matter.
My DD is 4 wheel disc...lol
My old beater 55 Truck is drum/drum, underfloor 1 chamber MC.
Modern type bendix rears and somewhat PITA Lockheed up front.
Going to disc up front 800 to 850 in Canuck Buck$.
Not in cards just yet.
My brakes are decent, not fantastic but not bad at all.
Im damn lucky as my driving area is pretty light and slower speeds than a lot of you HAMBER Palz.

 

I’ve had the brake fade in my 57 Chevy PU, being young and dumb on a poker run, up to 60-70mph and getting on the brakes to take the next right or left turn, pretty soon I was not able to make the turn and was passing up the road I needed to take. Yes, it was abuse, normally the truck stops fine. Never had that issue beating on my disc/drum cars. Now if grabbing the extra bit it a straight line race car, or if you’re not a dumbass like I was, then sure. Revert back.

 

Poorly maintained brakes, either disc or drum are problematic. If your drum brakes on a 60+ year old car aren't in good condition it won't stop very well with drums that have been turned too many times and shoes that are worn and glazed. Add that hopped up V-8 that replaced the original 6 and you are asking for trouble. I won't run original Ford Lockheed drum brakes on anything other than a stocker, they just aren't good enough these days. They aren't any better than Henry's mechanical brakes were.

 

I agree no braking system thats in poor condition is dangerous snd unpredictable.
I always maintain that I drive the same 60 to 65 mph with the 6 it had or the 318 now.
On Lockheed brakes you need to be able to set them up properly initially for best performance.
I used to have a 47 Chrysler with 11 stock brakes, dual wheel cyls up front. Brake performance was great and it was a 60 mph highway car.

 

If I was gonna run a drum brake car hard I would make some simple mods to keep them cool. Score the shoes (I like a diamond pattern) so that the gas can get out. Drill the backing plates and maybe scoop them.

Most of the time if you are not auto-crossing (or poker running I guess) you will be fine.

I had an OT mini disc drum that we were hitting the off ramps @90+ and back up the other side (its a KC thing or was) that was suffering brake fade. yes disc drums. I made cooling scoops for the front and made the mods I suggested for the drums. Cured it. But like a mud truck or a hot rod it was a purpose built vehicle.

I used to say that go fast cars need stop fast brakes. You have to consider the usage when you are setting one up.

 

Your Morris brakes must be total inadequate engineering.
I have no argument on disc brakes. Hell Im driving a DD with em daily.
But make no mistake drove plenty of heaps daily in my youth with all drums, some pickups some big cars. There was no braking issues with any unless brakes were totally $hit, because they needed repairs and parts replaced.
I drove city and highway not hiding on some back road doing 25 mph...