their drawbacks are fade, and enclosure, as well as exposure to grease leak, enclosed with the brake hydraulic cylinder can also contaminate the linings, they use alot of hardware and small parts.
now if you load it and need to stop it they are a good thing when in good repair.
self energization is their most effective aspect.
the ones with a fixed anchor system are for very light duty, and use half at a time.
you should say what you are working on if you want better answers.
Following reasons why Drum brakes are effective:
1. Drum brakes allow simple incorporation of a parking brake.
2. Hybrid vehicles has an advantage from drum brakes in the form of regenerative braking – which converts the kinetic energy from the spinning wheel into electricity for the hybrid to use.
3. Drum brake return springs give more positive action and, adjusted correctly, often have less drag when released.
4. more economical to maintain.
5. Drums were lighter, wheel cylinders much lighter than calipers.
6. safer since no surprises from wet brakes.
They work fine when cool. When they get hot they fade, and it sounds like a small thing... but they can fade to nothing. I remember a long shallow downhill in a 1967 Chevy with 4 wheel drum brakes. After a few minutes I had both feet braced hard on the pedal and the car was still rolling along at 50 mph. The transmission was already in low gear (two speed PowerGlide) and that was slowing me down way more than the worthless drum brakes.
I don't know what planet you guys are living on. Drum brakes started to be replaced by disc brakes back in 1972 in Australia. And for good reason. As the cars got faster... drum brakes were not sufficient to stop them.
Keven Bartlett brought a Camaro in Australia in 1979 to race around Bathurst. He got pole position. But in the race... after 3 laps he had no brakes. The Camaro had drum brakes while the Australian cars had disc brakes.
Drum brakes started getting a bad rep in the 50s/60s when American cars started getting heavier - but the brakes didn't get bigger to cope with the weight. . . . then 14 inch wheels/tires came into use on many cars in the late 50s, further limiting the size of brakes and restricting airflow. (Buicks had good brakes when they started using finned aluminum hubs, Studebakers were finned iron).
Drums are/were more succeptable to fade when overheated, or ineffective when water soaked - - - but it's not necessary to convert to discs on an older collectors car - - the drums are just fine if in good shape.
Extremely effective when maintained. They work their best when they are heated up a little, so ride the brakes a bit when going down hill to a red light or stop sign for maximum braking power.
i don,t see anything wrong with drum brakes ! at least with drum brakes the shoes are protected some ! if the drums are good, the shoes are good and adjusted right then they will stop you just like brake pads !
nothing wrong with drum brakes, they are actually better than rear disc brakes, because if you hit water, then with all disc, you aren't going to stop quick, with drums at least if you hit water, you loose the front but you still have the back
drums do not have the same efficiency that disk brakes do. it is a fact of life. i do not have a percentage in front of me or i would post that.
Effective enough that they have been used on motor vehicles for over 100 years.
They're very effective. There is a reason why they're still being used today on many vehicles.
imo disc brakes are better
