Disc Brakes

I'll take standard drums over disc every day, mechanic wise, but I haven't driven with disc's.

I can do 4 sets of drum brakes as fast as 4 sets of disc, and installing new drums takes no extra time.

Drivers can also visually inspect drum brakes, but not so on disc, so failures causing damage to the rotors are likely. New rotor, brake caliper, pads, seal, and labor for one side corner could cost 12-1500$, while a drum, shoes, and labor for one corner around 250$.

 

How many pad slaps are you getting before a rotor change is needed. Are you talking city buses or school buses?

 

They're not awesome if you're the one paying for repairs, and like I mentioned above, drum brakes are not hard to change,, so mechanic wise I would still disagree. I'd like to hear from truck drivers running them and hear their opinions.

 

Disc brakes are much smoother and more consistent braking through the life of the lining. Disc brakes are also superior at stability control and stopping distance. But they are indeed much more expensive to maintain. Not only in parts, but labor as well.

Rotors get pretty rusty up here in the north and dont often make it to the 3rd reline. As long as you monitor the pad thickness and only need to put pads on them they are cheaper. Its when you get into the rotors and calipers that the cost hits the roof.

Apples to apples there are still more drum brakes on the road. Your left with more aftermarket waaaaay... cheaper parts options with drum brakes compared to disc.

 

Also parts can be tough to find, in our area anyway. Had to drive from Fort Smith to Tulsa in the last year because no caliper was available.

Ain't a parts store in town not carrying drums, shoes, and for the most parts s cams and bushings.

 

I ordered my tractor and trailer with disks in 2016. I did so for several reasons but shorter stopping distance was my main reason. At 430,000 miles currently the tractor brakes are slightly below 50%. I replaced the trailer brakes at 370,000 and they weren’t anywhere near illegal. I am currently in the process of ordering a new trailer and it most definitely will have disk brakes. Others may be different than me but my total cost of operation is less because of the disk brakes.