Re: Drum Vs Disc... (a rant)

[oconner_us@xxxxxxxxx]

The issues that you mention are not always the case. I prefer drums also but discs are not that bad. I have worked on a few discs and have not had much trouble with them. An example is my boss' 1990 ford f-150 4x4. Responses follow:

On August 10, 2005 Arfon Gryffydd wrote:

> 
> The OTHER selling point of the disc brakes is the "ease of maintenance".
> A: This is TOTAL bull!  I can have my drum pads replaced in the time it
> takes you to run to the store to buy a new torx-socket because you broke
> your old one trying to get the calipers off (been there done that)!

It took me about 5 minutes to pull each caliper. On this particular truck they were held on with a locking pin rather than bolted on. 

> 
> Why I hate disc brakes:
> 1) The bolts that hold on the calipers are always heat-welded tight and are
> never in a spot that you can get a tool on easy.

I have nevrer had that problem. even if they are bolted on the bolt comes out easy....even on an older vehicle.

> 2) The rotors are ALWAYS warp and make you rumble when you stop.
> 
> 3) Even on the first brake pad replacement, the rotors are ALWAYS:
> 	a) too warped to be resurfaced
> 	-or-
> 	b) too thin to be resurfaced
> 
> 		...and therefore cost $150+ per wheel.
> 
> 4) Cost (per pair): Pads-$20    Resurface-$0 (See #3)  New
> Rotors-$300   New tool to remove calipers-$25
> 	TOTAL-$345

rotors arent that expensive for all vehicles. For my Eagle I can get rotors for $25 each and pads for $15 per set. 

No new tools required. Rotors $50, pads $15. I do the work myself so $65 in parts. I can even throw in new calipers for $17 each so add another $34 to that and I am still not over $100. 

The only problem I had on the f-150 is, because of it being a 4 wheel drive, we did need a special tool to take the hub apart. We did have to replace one rotor cause my boss didn't check it out when it started having problems so by the time I finally insisted on checking it the rotor was ground down too bad to be resurfaced. Pads for that were $30 because he got the "heavy duty" ones, rotor was $20. Calipers would have been $20 each. So if we had replaced both rotors and the calipers it would have been $30 for pads, $40 for rotors and $40 for calipers for a grand total of $110.

When I did the brakes on my american (drums). I had to replace both front drums and one rear drum at a cost of $40 each, all 4 wheel cylinders at a cost of $25 each, springs (hold down kits) at a cost of $14 per side and self adjuster kits at $15 per axle and brake shoes at $12 per axle. so we have drums $120, wheel cylinders $100, springs $28, adjusters $30, brake shoes $24 for a total of $302. So if I had replaced that 4th drum I would have been at $342 making the total price $171 per axle. Almost 2 times the cost of disc brakes on my eagle or my boss' ford. On the other hand, those drum brakes should last a while. Not long after doing all of the brakes my master cylinder went out. I bought a new one for $14 and then paid another $10 for fittings to make it work so I am into my american for $325 on brakes. The only things that haven't been replaced is one drum and the lines. 
 I like the idea that discs are cheaper but I like the idea that my drums will last a while. I had thought about converting my classic to discs but I think I will stick with the drums and just rebuild the system on that like I did my american. But I think I will go ahead and add in that last drum and the brake lines. Won't add that much more expense or time if I already have everything apart. 

> Why I like drum brakes:
> 
> 1) Sure, there is a lot of springs but I've never not been able to figure
> out how it all goes back together.

Pretty easy to figure out even if you aren't sure. 
 
> 2) Drums don't (usually) warp and make you rumble when you stop.
> 
> 3) Larger pad surface area => longer life & better stopping (when not faded)
> 
> 4) Cost (per pair): Pads-$20     Resurface-$20     New drums-$0
> 	TOTAL-$40


My drums were beyond resurfacing and nobody locally had any new ones cheaper than $40 each. If I had just had to replace the shoes and get the drums resurfaced your cost is probably pretty accurate. But some of my springs were stretched and bent, the drums were ground WAY down and some of my self adjusters were damaged so they weren't self adjusting anymore and one wheel cylinder was leaking and one was froze up so I figured I might as well replace the other 2 also if 2 of them had gone bad. So, there is my rant. Drums cost a little more to maintain but I think I will still keep them. 

Jamie Smith
Spokane, WA  

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