Disc brakes vs Drum brakes

[Qr25vet]

u're wrong in this aspect....drums bite better cos they have the self-energizing action...wheras discs dosent...thats explains why cars with discs have a brake servo...or in layman terms...vaccum assisted brakes

[Pufferfish1]

drum brakes collect moisture during raining as the water cant slide off in disc brakes. That why you dont see evo, wrx porsche or ferrari having drum brakes. When you life is on the line that extra 10 to 20 percent in braking counts when you are about to hit a tree

[Watwheels]

drum brakes collect moisture during raining as the water cant slide off in disc brakes. That why you dont see evo, wrx porsche or ferrari having drum brakes. When you life is on the line that extra 10 to 20 percent in braking counts when you are about to hit a tree

 

But if you drive frequently, heat from the friction will evaporate the moisture. Drum brakes also have got different sizes to accommodate the power of the car too. It's just that disc are more commonly used for the front. If you look at the rear of Vitara you will notice the size of the drum brakes.

 

Anyway both disc and drum system are mainly hydraulic action it's just that disc is more shiny and pretty to look at.

[Pufferfish1]

bro that the problem during rain, no matter how much heat, the moisture wont go away. Like a soup bowl if you hang it vertical water will not sip away. Anyway you wont see performance car having drum brakes. Vitara is a off roader not meant for high speed right

[Lab4games]

how do we gauge or know that the it's time to change the drum brake?

 

for disc brake pads at least we can still see,

for drum brake it is all enclosed, how to know when to change?

 

this is esp difficult if u buy a 2nd hand car and dunno the mileage of when the brakes have been changed be4.

[Jl1500k]

If bought 2nd hand car better send for Full or major servcing lor.

[Tigershark1976]

Frankly, I prefer drums over disc, it is more practical and easier to maintain, contrary to many said otherwise. Drums have been superseded by Disc is because of the manufacturer cost and ease of making it. In term of strength, at least for a NORMAL sedan, they give similar braking power but cheaper maintenance cost and easier maintenance. There are better way to spend your money.

 

 

so far, u are 1 of a very few person that i came across knowing the diff of disk and drum brake. most of the new bird tot that dick brake are more superior... they are confuse by the ads and marketing people

[Qr25vet]

its true that discs are more effective than drums...to a certain extent...

pros of discs:

better heat disspation

better bite under heavy loads

lesser noise as brake dust is not trapped within the contact area

lesser tendency to jam as the brake dust is not kept within

self adjusting ulike drums

easier maintainence

reduced unsprung weight

 

cons

expensive to manufacture

poor initial bite as no self energizing action (tts y need 2 have brake booster)

not effective when going thru floods or off road terrains or when discs are wet cos contact area is exposed

not effective as parking brake (which is why theres a drum in disc parking brake @ the rear if yr car is discs all round)

brake pads dosent last as long as the brake shoes

 

and also we mechanics never like drums cos they're more difficult to maintain compared to discs esp when the drums are siezed to the hub and u have 2 knock them like mad just to get them off...not to mention the amount of brake dust which is trapped inside....

Edited April 5, 2009 by Qr25vet

[Bigg]

If bought 2nd hand car better send for Full or major servcing lor.

ya send for sta approval.

[Azarael]

execellent comparison of discs versus drums.

 

would drums be less likely to have warping of the disc rotors ?

 

i heard that if the car is washed and people splash cold water at the hot disc rotors, there is a high chance of the disc rotor becoming warped and then will have to change them. is it true ?

[Fortress]

Thanks....appreciate your compliment. You are absolutely right, the marketing aspect did well for many...

[Donut]

yes, those who knows the real diff between drum and disc brakes, will know that disc are NOT superior to drum

 

alot of ppl think that modern cars with disc brakes, means that disc brakes are better.

 

they are no way better than drums

 

the ony REAL difference is that drum brakes needs abit more maintainance coz of the rubber lining that needs to be checked and changed if it gets thinner. and its not not easy changing that rubber lining.

 

for disc brakes, its almost maintainance free except for checking the small brake pads.

 

as for performance areas, they are both the same.

 

i have driven both old and new cars with drum and all-disc brakes. Hell, no bloody difference.

 

In fact i need a E brake with an old car with rear drum brakes (no ABS, no fancy marketing gimmick for whatever a new car promises you).

 

it saves my life and $$...... it stopped in a very very short distance (2 cars' length when i was travelling at 90km/h). I wont dare to say it if it's a modern car with all-disc brakes.

 

 

[Zippaboy]

What disc brakes provide is:

 

1) better heat dissipation than drum brakes, so they maintain their performance longer under sustained use. (Less brake fake)

 

2) Better performance in wet weather. Drum brakes can trap water inside the drum, while disc brakes quickly shed it off of the rotor.

 

3) More consistent brake 'feel' and modulation. Drum brakes have a 'self-energizing' effect (essentially, the shoes wedge against the drums) that can be difficult to control.

 

 

Ever wondered why some cars have rear drums?

It's mainly to save costs.

 

The front wheels are still using disc. Why? Because most of the braking force is done one the front.

 

By fitting disc brakes to the front wheels and drum brakes to the rear wheels, manufacturers can provide most of the benefits of disc brakes while lowering costs. (Drum brakes are less expensive to make than disc brakes, largely because they can also double as a parking brake, whereas disc brakes require a separate parking brake mechanism.)

[A_c_e]

A good and detail writeup on drum vs disc brakes.

 

I'm using drum brakes and it still serve its purpose of braking effectively even in near crash situation.

 

[Qr25vet]

What disc brakes provide is:

 

1) better heat dissipation than drum brakes, so they maintain their performance longer under sustained use. (Less brake fake)

 

2) Better performance in wet weather. Drum brakes can trap water inside the drum, while disc brakes quickly shed it off of the rotor.

 

3) More consistent brake 'feel' and modulation. Drum brakes have a 'self-energizing' effect (essentially, the shoes wedge against the drums) that can be difficult to control.

 

 

Ever wondered why some cars have rear drums?

It's mainly to save costs.

 

The front wheels are still using disc. Why? Because most of the braking force is done one the front.

 

By fitting disc brakes to the front wheels and drum brakes to the rear wheels, manufacturers can provide most of the benefits of disc brakes while lowering costs. (Drum brakes are less expensive to make than disc brakes, largely because they can also double as a parking brake, whereas disc brakes require a separate parking brake mechanism.)

 

Not really true on no.2... if u take a look @ those hardcore Offroaders they use Drums as Mud wont get trapped inside...also for wet weather the drums cover up the discs (unless u drive thru a flood) so the chances of water going in is alot less and even if they did get into the drum...they're holes where the water can be drained out almost instantenously....

[Kurty]

Wish to ask something about the brakes as well.

 

Is there any required maintenance for brakes?

Like spraying WD40 on the disc to prevent rust and act as a lubri?

 

what is the indicative lifespan of brake pad?

eg. like required to change every 20k.

 

disc using brake pad but what about drum, same as well?

 

sorry, new to the car stuff

[Elfenstar]

Wish to ask something about the brakes as well.

 

Is there any required maintenance for brakes?

Like spraying WD40 on the disc to prevent rust and act as a lubri?

 

what is the indicative lifespan of brake pad?

eg. like required to change every 20k.

 

disc using brake pad but what about drum, same as well?

 

sorry, new to the car stuff

 

Woah.... Rule number one for brakes DO NOT spray anything on the disc or pad surfaces.

 

Read this on how brakes work http://www.google.com.sg/url?sa=t&sour...XYxx1YTSxjT4rmA

 

The rust is just surface rust. It will go away with some braking. There is no hard and fast rule for pad changes. However during servicing, the mech should check to make sure both the pad and disc have sufficient thickness to last till the next servicing.

 

Maintainence wise, it is just checking the thickness as well as checking the hoses, brake fluid level, and changing of brake fluid every 2 years.

Edited May 28, 2009 by Elfenstar

[Mzrmazda3]

When you do your servicing each time, tell the mechanic to service your brakes

 

They will take out the pad & apply some greasing whatsoever

 

Brake pad only need to change when it wears out

 

Depends on individual. I'm still running on my 1st set of brake pad for the front & rear original from factory even though my mileage is 100K ++ liao

 

But do remember to change your brake fluid yearly if possible or every 40K servicing

Edited May 28, 2009 by Mzrmazda3