Disc brakes

I just got my first company truck with all disc on the tractor. It feels like first time driving a car with power brakes. They really grab good. Drum brakes feel like sponges now. I have not gotten them hot yet. Biggest hill I go down now is Fancy Gap I-77 VA/NC state line and West Virginia hills. So far I'm impressed. Plus I really like no slack adjustment to worry about for DOT inspection

 

In Cali they have started seminars for LEO's.
"Life after disk brakes"

 

I hate newer trucks for all there EPA crap but, disks are awesome. Got a company truck with 300k on it and still lots of pad left. Truck stops right now....if you need it to.

 

I have to install some on mine. The thought of trying to stop a single screw bobtail with only drive axle brakes scares the #### out of me lol.

 

Speak for yourself lol.

 

That's exactly what they are already doing with hybrid and electric vehicles. It happens at a motor before the drive line or axles, but it works the same. It's called regenerative braking. A properly designed system could allow a truck to descend very steep grades at full speed without touching the service brakes and never losing control. No need to gear down to keep things under control.
The resulting power generated helps to power it right back up the next hill.

 

Kind of like dynamic braking on a locomotive I guess?

 

My first few trucks had a switch on the dash to turn the front brakes off. Heck even my 85 ford L9000 had that switch, tho it doesn't turn them completely off, it limited the breaking force to 50% of normal. The original abs system!

 

What I learned here.

Don't ever ever ever descend a mountain without a Jake brake. It's virtually impossible.


On that note, I don't know what I'm doing descending a mountain daily, when the Jake cuts out at 25.

Ohh the agony!

 

the language of sarcasm is a wonderful thing