disc vs drum: weight difference??

The dealer should be able to tell you that as they have all the spec. info...
If they can't tell them to contact the supplier

 

in europe trailers are mostly 24kg difference between 180x420 and 430mm discs ,

while trucks for drums 8 inch shoe vs. dics is 35kg more , 10inch shoe is 88kg more per axle

 

Mine are about 320# lighter. (3 axles)

 

get aluminum axles... that can save you more weight

 

aluminium truck axles? I saw trailer aluminium axles only and aluminium frames!

Ok, I have trailer with Knorr Disk brakes (bendix AD series). It is good for mountane roads, but if u abuse disk brakes - no refuse, but disk may crack. And u have to inspect disks every long trip and change in time, becouse cracked disk may damage a lot and u can loose control. Calipers go bad too, but cheap chenese parts are available so we use to fix easily, last time I had stuck piston and broken chain. Spent about $200 to fix + brake pads.

Meritor calipers are of different design. they use no chain, they use gears in insolated box inside custing, but not so easy to fix (European Volvo owners can say more).

 

disc brakes are rare in trucking and I drove one before. Its great since the truck was lightly loaded and everything on the truck, it was 9 mpg at 70.

 

the weight difference varies alot. if you had heavy cast drums, 16.5x8 shoes, cast hubs then going to a disc brake will save alot of weight. if youre running a aluminum hub and a lighter drum, 16.5x7 shoes with a stamped spider then youre only within 20lbs or so of a disc brake with a splined rotor and alumium hub. however the life we've seen out of the disc brakes in the mountians and normal dirivng all positives over drums.

 

Disk brakes are very popular in EU, usually with EBS (I can see KW push EBS with ESP too).

It is more expencive system, like electrical over air brake, if Electrical modulator fails it works like conventional valve, but if EBS is OK - brakes are better thn in average car, so when LAA Trans company got first Actros Trucks with EBS we used to change DOT bumpers, till four wheeler drivers got used that truck brakes may be so efficient

 

Maybe a couple years ago but not today.And same with automatics and 6x2 setup. Old timers don't want move on with times.