Kyle’s Corner (FYI) Drum vs disc brakes

January 13, 9:01 AMAutomotive ExaminerKyle Busch

Previous Next

Comment Print Email RSS Subscribe

Subscribe

Get alerts when there is a new article from the Automotive Examiner. Read Examiner.com's terms of use.

Email Address   Include other special offers from Examiner.com Terms of Use

What brake system do you have on your current vehicle,
and what binder system do you want on your next vehicle?

For many years, mainstream vehicles were equipped with
disc brakes at the front and drum brakes at the rear. The
upper echelon vehicles were equipped with disc brakes
at all four corners.

As the auto industry has become increasingly more
competitive in recent years, some mainstream manufactures
have provided disc brakes at all four wheels as standard
equipment. For example, Honda has offered disc brakes
on the Accord and Subaru offers them on all of its vehicle
offerings!

What is the difference between drum and disc brakes?
Drum brakes involve a wheel cylinder expanding brake
shoes against a drum and the shoes are retracted by a
number of springs. Such braking systems provide
stopping power that meet what can be called
“minimum” braking requirements.

A disc brake system involves a disk (usually 11” to 14”
in diameter), a caliper that fits like a U around the disc
(rotor is another name for disc), and brake pads. A piston
or pistons (the more pistons the better the braking power)
press the brake pads like a vice to clamp and stop the disc.
The larger the discs, the better they can handle the heat
from brake pad friction and the better braking power and
fad resistance.

The disc brake system is superior over a rear wheel drum
system. Additionally, disc brakes are easier to replace.
Therefore, if you have the opportunity to choose between the
two systems, definitely go for the all disc brake system!

Both the drum and the disc systems produce heat from the
friction of braking. The hybrids of today and the electric cars
of tomorrow, use regenerative braking that converts braking
energy (that is normally lost as heat from braking friction in
today’s vehicles) into generating electricity for the vehicle’s
batteries.

Up until now, vehicles have used energy to accelerate and
energy to stop and then do it all over again and again. Future
vehicles will use less energy to accelerate and recapture energy
when braking.

Great vehicles like great athletes do it at both ends (accelerate
and brake). The bottom line is that driving should continue to
do more for you!

Kyle Busch is the author of “Drive the Best for the Price…” He
welcomes your comments or car questions at his auto web site:
www.DriveTheBestBook.com.