When will FMCSA force disc brakes upon the industry?

They have been an option on trucks for years. I know its disputed wether or not they are any better.

 

Yeah, I'm with you. They're pretty awesome...but they're more expensive, hence the reason they've been slow to catch on.

If I'm looking to buy a truck and apples to apples see a couple grand in difference between two identical trucks, one with discs and the other with drums, I might think twice.

Now multiply this by fleet factors.

Again, I'm personally on board for the switch, especially when I learned about how hard it is to smoke them.

 

Yeah, as much as it's vox populi to poop on government regulatory agencies (FMCSA in particular for us) this very thing is the reason such agencies exist. As much as free-marketeers hate it, an honest person has to admit that there comes a time when cheaper has to be usurped by safety, and that, left to themselves, business folks aren't necessarily going to make that move voluntarily.

Give it till 2015 or so, maybe 2020 at the latest. That's my [wild] guess.

 

The feds regulate stopping distance not brake technology (they've learned their lesson from mandating technologies instead of results). Those regulations are tightening up, so yes it is a mater of time, but until then drums will be available while they can still meet the stopping distance requirements.

 

Cost will naturally come down as they gain wider acceptance in the industry. They're not likely to force owner's of older trucks to upgrade. More than likely what will happen is the federal mandates on class 7 and 8 truck's stopping distance will be reduced and in a few years time you won't even be able to spec drums. Older trucks would be grandfathered.

 

It will be just like how DVDs took over from VHS. The price for Discs will go down ever year until they take over. I don't know if they last longer than drums but there is no slack adjustor, no huge brake pod, no s-cam and s-cam tube.
there is a reason most cars and light trucks run 4 wheel disc brakes.
I wouldn't be surprised to see by 2014 that disc brakes are manditory on all highway trucks. what do you think the cost difference for Kenworth to put discs in stead of drums when building the truck? I bet it is not much at all.

 

California will have it the law by 2012 that disc brake are manitory to enter.lol

 

They do seem to pull stunts like that, don't they? Like the stuff they're doing with mandatory fuel economy boosters on trailers right now...

Also, great point above about the regulation of the specs instead of the gear. It's quite true. They'll mandate shorter stopping distances before equipment changes. I should have thought of that to begin with.