Has anyone converted from disc brakes to drum?

Discussion in 'Heavy Duty Diesel Truck Mechanics Forum' started by homesick, May 8, 2022.

  1. kranky1

    kranky1 Road Train Member

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    They were everywhere for a certain period. Just seemed like Mack was a few years longer giving up on them than everyone else. Last trucks I remember seeing that were built with them were mid ‘80’s R Models.
     
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  3. BoxCarKidd

    BoxCarKidd Road Train Member

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    Do any of you remember the disc brakes that came out in the late 70,s and 80,s? You can not buy pads for them today. That is why I changed one over. Aside from mud they did not work well on concrete trucks.
     
  4. AModelCat

    AModelCat Road Train Member

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    I remember my father telling me about a guy who bought a truck with those early disc brakes. I don't think they stayed on the truck too long if I remember it right.
     
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  5. BoxCarKidd

    BoxCarKidd Road Train Member

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    They would shuck the pad off the steel plate. That was some what corrected with little metal hairs off the plates that helped hold the pads on.
    You cannot just swap them out as mentioned. Wedge to S - cam, S cam the disc because the flange on the axle housing is different.
    I have swapped old disc and wedge brakes to s cam brakes.
    These newer disc brake trucks seem to be pretty good to me. Run what you have or buy a truck with drum brakes.
     
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  6. ultra truck

    ultra truck Bobtail Member

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    They were great as long as you didn't need to stop.
     
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  7. ultra truck

    ultra truck Bobtail Member

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    You just need to get the spiders that bolt to the spindle housing for your axle. Cheaper at a salvage yard or off a old axle. I am not a fan of disc brakes on a truck. I ran them on trailers and nothing was good with them.
     
  8. wichris

    wichris Road Train Member

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    I've had all discs, front & rear, on the tractors since 2007. Have them on a lot of the trailers also. I wouldn't change back to drums for any reason.
     
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  9. MacLean

    MacLean Road Train Member

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    Same. I’ve also run the. Off-road hauling frac sand with no issues. No way I’d choose drum over disc.
     
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  10. AModelCat

    AModelCat Road Train Member

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    I'm not sold on them. One place I worked at had a fleet of Topkicks. Disc brakes on those the pads lasted about 5,000 km and rotors around 8-10k km during spring and fall. Mud is what kills discs IMO.
     
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  11. bonder45

    bonder45 Road Train Member

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    They are if you have the proper disc covers. We are in mud lots of the time and they handle quite well.

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