Disk brakes

[jmgratz]

On our 99 Ford F350 our first set of brakes lasted 103000 miles. I changed them not because they had to be changed but because we were about to go on a long trip. Rotors were fine. I did use the Banks exhaust brake alot to slow while towing. How long brakes last depends much on how aggressively you use the brake. Driving defensively and anticipating stops will help make brakes last. Our police vehicles would go through brakes in 5000 to 10000 miles.

 

[Delaine and Lindy]

Disk Brakes...

As Jim stated GM only uses the Drum brakes on he 1500 series Trucks, I have a 2008 Chevy Silverado 1500. The HD Trucks all use Disk, much cheaper and doesn't hold as much heat as do the Drums. Most all high performance Cars also use Disk brakes. Front Disk brakes do the most work so therefore they will need to be changed more often. I alway get above 50,000 miles or more on front disk. Had a GM 3500 and had a unusual noise in the front and had GM check them and was told there wea no problem and still had about 90% pad left at the time the Truck had 25,000 miles and 90% was towing was thru the Rockies and of course the desert. I'm a firm believer in Disk Brakes, and have never met anyone in person who has converted from Disk brakes back to Drum. If there was a problem with Disk brakes the major Car and Truck manufactors would never have went to Disk brakes, so I have to believe in the Professional Designers. GBY.....

 

[dieselengineer]

The whole thing of trusting a magnet to product enough drag on a steel plate to actuate the brake shoes and apply enough force to stop a 14K lbs rig is like the old game called mouse trap.

 

[lwmcguir]

All the heavier flat bed and cargo trailers have drum brakes as do semis. Of course the semis have air for the actuators instead of magnets. There is absolutely nothing wrong with good drum brakes or they wouldn't be standard equipment on all the Campers that sell for <100,000 or so. That said Disk Brakes are great as well unless you get gravel in them. That is why most of the heavy duty trucks change back to Drums as well. It really comes down to a maintenance aspect and proper sizing to begin with. They are lighter and requires less maintenance so cars will stay with them. And as you point out they work well unless they get overheated and warp the rotors. It it were a real big safety issue then all the Campers out there would come out with them as standard and not as an option. We really need anti lock systems so you wont lock them up and create a real problem for you and the other traffic.

 

[truknutt]

The whole thing of trusting a magnet to product enough drag on a steel plate to actuate the brake shoes and apply enough force to stop a 14K lbs rig is like the old game called mouse trap.

I wondered if you'd chime in. BTW, I loved that game!!

 

[dieselengineer]

Dave
I feel like the old boot that kicks the steel ball down the steps.

Oh back on the subject, one thing that was not stated is the grease seal on the back of the disk rotors is easy to see even with the wheel on. So blowing grease out the seal is a thing of the past. Also a quick check and you can see the wear or marks on each rotor and know that each wheel is actually working by just a walk around at a rest stop. Faster then turning the crank on the old mouse trap game

 

[porthole]

That said Disk Brakes are great as well unless you get gravel in them.

That's the second time that came up. Just how do you get gravel in disc brakes?

 

[lwmcguir]

That's the second time that came up. Just how do you get gravel in disc brakes?

If you travel a lot of backroads the gravel lodges in between the caliper. Makes a heck of a mess.

 

[caissiel]

It a constant repair item on our bush trucks here in this part of the country. Brakes hardly last one season of travel. It first was a problem on the front ones, but the rear is much worst.

 

[Delaine and Lindy]

Disk Brakes....

Keep in mind most RVer's don't do any off roading. When we are at home base I use the John Deere Gator for off roading and yes it has Disk Brakes. GBY....

 

[beardedone]

I took a Toyota FJ for a test drive and as soon as I turned onto a gravel road I got a stone in there. Tried backing up etc but nothing worked. Salesman said keep driving and it will fall out. Twenty km later and finally it did. I didn't buy the truck.

 

[scotty]

I'm still using a Progidy brake controler, its been in 3 different Trucks. However I may look into getting the P-3 reason being the 5th wheel is has Disk brakes and I have a 32' inclosed Car hauler and a Gooseneck equipment trailer which has electric brakes, wish they both had Disk brakes. The P-3 is capable of changing from hydraulic to electric just by moving a switch.

I do understand that more braking is good, but I never want the brakes to lock up, ever heard of flat spots? And again it depends on what kind of Truck your towing with. Our braking is just fine and we also have a braking system for the Chevy HHR which we tow behind the 5th wheel. GBY....

Had a Jordan loved it bt it finally went out so I just replaced it with a P-3 and sofar I'm very impressed.

 

[2010augusta]

That's the second time that came up. Just how do you get gravel in disc brakes?

I'm with Duane I been doing serious off-roading for 15 years and never seen or heard of anyone getting gravel "stuck" in there disc breaks. I HAVE had drums FAIL after crossing streams and driving through deep mud.

I put rear discs on my jeep just to have better stopping power. After several broken axle shafts and a few too many hits the a sledge hammer, I trashed the front "dust shields" for the rotors.

When adjusted correctly the disc pads "drag" ever so slightly on the disc, so there is no clearance for gravel to get in there. Unlike drums, discs have no return springs so there is nothing to pull the pads off the discs.

If you want a real issue with with mis-placed "gravel", I did get a rock about the size of a bowling ball stuck between the frame rail and the wheel and tire. that will get you attention real fast.

 

[porthole]

I'm guessing the gravel issue is when a stone gets in between the caliper itself and the ventilated rotor.

Still - I would never go back to drums.

I have pulled my Cyclone with disc brakes on gravel roads (5 miles in - 5 miles out at one camp location) with no problem.

And as far as big trucks go, most do have a disc drum combo, but all of our fire trucks purchased since 1997 have had front and rear disc brakes and in the last 6 years or so have included anti-lock.

Even on our 65,000 and 74,000 pound aerial trucks