Do disc brakes offer more stopping power than drums?

[fredster]

Alot of people on here and other forums asking about disc brake upgrade. I'm sure I've read in the past that disc brakes DO NOT give more stopping power than correctly adjusted drums. Anyone know if this is true or is it another urban myth?

For what its worth, my 70 bay has 4 x drums and the brakes are excellent, certainly as good as my 72 with disc's up front.

 

[fredster]

well - googled it and found this:

http://www.edmunds.com/ownership/techcenter/articles/43857/article.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

t'would seem that drums give same power initially but are more prone to brake fade than discs.

 

[cunning plan]

I think dude, it is the general knowledge that discs on their own will offer the same performance as well adjusted drums - but as you say drums have a hard time displacing heat so arent as effiecent over a longish drive.

Discs with a remote servo is not far off an older-modern car - or so ive read. That is what I am going to try, a CSP kit with a remote servo..

 

[Clarkson46]

The biggest issue is the maintenance. Drums need regular adjusting whereas discs are self adjusting. The issue of brake fade with drums only becomes an issue when you are going downhill in a mountain pass in the Alps, otherwise it really doesn't matter.

 

[ronmidg]

Jane's bay came with a disc plus servo conversion from Oz, and the brakes work with much less pedal effort than the split, which she refuses to drive 'cos basic drums and her stopping distance is so long.

I once converted drum Triumph front end to discs and the pedal effort to slow was increased over drums, but with old fashioned Girling master cylinders was easy to go down a size to restore then as mentioned you get the benefit of self adjust and no fade, and because they are self adjusting the smaller master cyl is ok.

 

[cunning plan]

The issue of brake fade with drums only becomes an issue when you are going downhill in a mountain pass in the Alps, otherwise it really doesn't matter.

Or when you have just pulled up from an emergency stop!!

 

[noddy]

Seem to me from most of the post on this over the years that it comes down to preference.

As for the maintance issue which seems to keep coming up badly maintained disks are just as bad as badly maintained drums, I have seen bays with jammed calipers, pads down to the backer, leaks etc.

The only major advantage with disks is you dont have to adjust the pads, but is that such a big issue, if the front beam needs greasing every 3K how much more work is it to adjust the brakes at the same time. I last adjusted my drums about 6K ago and should still be ok until summer next year, so that will be about 9K miles total.

Anyway isn't part of the fun of owning an old van looking after it?

 

[robins]

someone come and sort mine please, paid **** loads to have em done
still pulling like fook,jacked the front up grabbed the left wheel found that the
hub nut was loose,pushed bearings back in and redone the nutup ,ajusted the brakes
still no good :!:

rich

 

[noddy]

If your willing to drive to Shropshire I will happily sort out you brakes.

When you brake does I cause the steering wheel to try and turn in your hands? If yes its the front brakes, is your tracking ok?

Are the flexy hoses new? Old hoses can swell up internally and cause the brakes not to work. Also any air in the circuits will cause uneven braking.

 

[robins]

cheers noddy tracking was meent to have been done, i will look at the hoses,
shropshire sounds good,after my first trip to bristol in the van was brillll :wink: 8)

rich

ps. how dose xmas day sound :lol: :lol:

 

[woodslat]

someone come and sort mine please, paid **** loads to have em done
still pulling like fook,jacked the front up grabbed the left wheel found that the
hub nut was loose,pushed bearings back in and redone the nutup ,ajusted the brakes
still no good :!:

rich

With drum brakes, sometimes the brake shoes need to be resurfaced to match the curve of the drum. If youy pull the drum off, see how much of the pad is actually in contact with the drum, makes it worse when the drums have been skimmed a few times. Loose hubnut? I'd be irate!!

 

[robins]

someone come and sort mine please, paid **** loads to have em done
still pulling like fook,jacked the front up grabbed the left wheel found that the
hub nut was loose,pushed bearings back in and redone the nutup ,ajusted the brakes
still no good :!:

rich

With drum brakes, sometimes the brake shoes need to be resurfaced to match the curve of the drum. If youy pull the drum off, see how much of the pad is actually in contact with the drum, makes it worse when the drums have been skimmed a few times. Loose hubnut? I'd be irate!!

was going to ring them today but if you havant got a skirt on he wont talk.

 

[ProfessorWheeto]

Driven a split with a front disc conversion and it was terrible, much worse than my drums. A servo makes all the difference!

 

[woodslat]

Driven a split with a front disc conversion and it was terrible, much worse than my drums. A servo makes all the difference!

Didn't realize we were talking about a conversion without a servo! Servos are a must for the conversion, or else it's not worth it! THey used to sell an adapter here in the states to put a golf master and servo on a split.

 

[noddy]

Has anyone fitted a servo to a drum set up? What was the result?