Why do American trucks still use drum brakes?

Disk brakes do not work well with conventional brake system and tha's why EBS system is required. EBS is very complex system and very fast, but require trailer with EBS and disk brakes, else trailer will push trucktor and it is very dangerouse so switching from conventional brake system to EBS is not so easy deal.

it is not all, 200-400K ans brake disks crack.

Brake calipers are expencive.

Diagnosing, maintaning and repare of EBS require well skilled mechanics and electrical technicians.

That's why when I will choose truck for me I'd like to prefere truck with conventional brake system with ABS-D ore ABS-E

 

I know after being in the kenworth plant that there were more trucks than I expected being built with all disc brakes. They are available, just depends on the people ordering them.

 

yeah, they used Wabco Trucktor EBS, similar with EBS Euro, disk calipers made by Knorr/Bendix

 

With you on that one Pablo. I always thought drum brakes worked fine. Nothing is going to work if not in good condition. In the '70's car came out with disc brakes. As you said, many problems not found with drum brakes(warped rotors, stuck calipers, etc). I would think truck brakes will be the same thing?...

 

I've pulled disc brake trailers with drum brake tractors and vice versa, never had any problems. They also worked very well without EBS in Renault and Iveco trucks.

This is again question about fear of something new.

 

A new woman brings that fear...

 

On Renault and Iveco w/o EBS front brakes are disk brakes obly.

Try to drive small Atego truck (WDB970-976 XXX) and you feel the difference with ore w/o EBS with disk brakes. Disk brakes w/o EBS have very limited advantage comparing with drum brakes.

 

many older man´s have disc on front and drum on rear , brake calipers are too expensive and often problems with them

i often drive atego 1828 with disc on front and drum rear brake just fine

mercedes did not offer truck with drum brake on front ( drum only on awd )

combination of disc+drum can be problem on winter

disc is stronger

also i have seen few timber trucks imported from scandinavia with switch for de-activating front brakes on slippery roads

another advantage for discs , there is less parts for lubrication

 

The other advantage of disk barkes - to change pads is easy, remove wheel, remove small pad holder, unscrew ajasting bolt, change small light pads and reajaut brakes.

15 minutes per wheel.

 

I always thougt it was because drum brakes have more surface area than disks. Although I've never seen disk brakes on a tractor trailer before, drum brake shoes are like ten inches wide by like 13-14 inches long. As I said, I've never seen disk brakes on a tractor trailer before but I highly doubt they have the same or even close to the same amount of friction area as drums do.