Why do American trucks still use drum brakes?

So far in the USA disc brakes are more expensive and a little bit heavier, 2 big reasons that make them harder to justify.

But if everybody had discs, what would the DOT do instead of finding a big per centage of all truck's brakes out of adjustment? I find it hard to believe we could put a remote controlled truck on Mats, but can't come up with brakes that stay adjusted, the percentages of trucks inspected with brakes out haven't changed on 20 years.

 

in europe allready 20years we have self adjustment brakes , they are required by law

here disc are lighter 24kg vs 8" drum and 77kg vs 10" drum per axle

 

we do to called self adjusting slack adjusters.

 

It comes down to what the big fleets are buying.
Ordering 3000 trucks at a time disc brakes become uneconomical to the bean counters

 

I wanna remind you one thing with US drum brakes. All parts by Meritor/ROR are available all over CIS in any truck shop. And seems to me ROR parts are available evrywhere.

EU brake parts are no so well interchangable. Yep, I can use brake pads of different brands, but I cant use Mercedes calipers on Volvo.

Other EBS parts, like modulators, air relays are not interchangeble in systems of one brand, there are seven versions of Wabco EBS (including four EBS Actros versions), and four generations of Knorr Truck EBS. I do not say about drum brake EBS on actros ore bus ebs... so old good Meritor brakes are better here.

 

I always thought changing brakes on a truck was pretty simple. I haven't timed myself but I bet I could take off both tires, back off brakes, pull drum, yank old shoes/hardware and have it all back together in about 15 mins per wheel.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=syHEQVEmzqo

 

I'm about to reveal my ignorance I'm sure but don't at least some Mack CH613's have disc brakes?

 

one thing about disc brakes you dont get brake fade like you do with drum brakes.but cost efective drum brakes win here in us.

 

My company had a fleet of CHs years from 95 to 02 and none of them ever had discs on them...