Disc Brake Conversion??

I’ve had them on my 2014 389 since it was new. I love them. The only complaint I have is that I suspect the valves send more air to the trailer. I’ve been burning trailer brakes up faster the last 6years. The tractor brakes are original and over 50%. They are easy to service as I’ve had to do a few wheel seals.

 

Crack pressure designed into valves apply brakes rear forward. You could have a situation applying to much.

If I bought a new ride, I would get them. But it's not cost effective to convert. Unless you wanna blow the cash.

 

I agree. My next trailer will have discs.

 

I’ve heard that if your truck is disc you want your trailer to be disc and if your truck is drum you want your trailer to be drum I don’t know if this is true or not but I’m sure somebody can tell us! I have two contracters running for me that have disc and they sure are beating up my trailers

 

Discs suck off road. Mud just eats the rotors up.

There was a good thread on class 8 air disc brakes on another forum I frequent. Not much good was spoken of them. More costly, more labour involved when having to change a rotor vs a drum etc.

 

If you want to buy a new truck or trailer, get disc brakes if you want them. I don’t know why you’d want to covert a old truck though.

I’m not sold on disc. The only real advantage I see is dot inspections (not having to worry about slack adjusters).

The only experience I have with disc brakes is on fire trucks. We rent part of our warehouse to an outfit that does service on fire trucks. They have all kinds of trouble with disc, and usually have to replace the caliper and rotor when doing a brake service. Now granted, most of the ones they work on are older systems, and these trucks sit a lot more than commercial trucks, but they cuss them. I think maybe the lack of regular use contributes to the calipers having problems.

 

I have driven a gas tanker hauling gas and jet and diesel fuel with disk breaks for 4 years and it stops better and faster than drum breaks. Wish i had disk breaks on my 2003 peterbilt.

 

my tractor has drums and my trailer has discs. I don’t have a problem. Had the trailer 4 years now. Only had to replace the pads once in that time.

 

And how much was it? All four corners?

 

I'm betting about $200 per axle. Seems like that's what it was for my tractor when I did them recently.