Jump to content

Are converting to disk brakes worth it


slipknot98

Recommended Posts

  • Replies 66
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Top Posters In This Topic

Why hell yeah they are! Here's a few reasons.

 

1: way less maintenance

2: easier to work on, plus no pain in the *** adjusting like drums!

3: WAY MORE STOPPING POWER!!

1)Ahh,no.Actually the same maintenance-just different.

2)Adjusting can be a PITA.

3) In-correct-brake drums actually have more "stopping" power because they have more "swept area", but they lose it when they heat up.

 

Converting to disc in front is still worth it. The back? Don't bother unless you are tracking the vehicle.

Link to comment

By maintenance i ment constantly having to adjust the drums, with discs the only adjustments are pumping the pedal until the pads touch the rotors. Plus drums are just a PITA to change. Any numb nuts with a wrench and a C-clamp can change out discs in 15 minutes! The worste thing you will run into as far as changing discs would be bleeding the brakes, if by some possible chance you happened to get air in the lines.

Link to comment

I kinda agree with Z-train on this one. 

If you keep drum brakes adjusted, they work pretty good.  Truck brakes are expected to have to stop a heavy load.  I am not saying it is impossible to have the brakes get hot, and heat up, but it is not as common as you would think, if the brakes are adjusted.

 

If you clean and grease the adjusters when you replace the shoes, they are easy to adjust.   If you adjust the shoes often at first, after shoe replacement, the brakes will not need as much attention later.

 

It has been my experience a stock Datsun is the most reliable Datsun.

  • Like 1
Link to comment

By maintenance i ment constantly having to adjust the drums, with discs the only adjustments are pumping the pedal until the pads touch the rotors. Plus drums are just a PITA to change. Any numb nuts with a wrench and a C-clamp can change out discs in 15 minutes! The worste thing you will run into as far as changing discs would be bleeding the brakes, if by some possible chance you happened to get air in the lines.

Drums are no different to change than rotors-if you have a clue or two.Daniel is correct about the heat issue. As for the adjusters, clean them and use anti-seize. They'll be fine. And at some point Datsun changed to self -adjusting brakes(I forget when).The major drag about switching to disc is the king pin issue. But there are folks on here that make kits for just this problem.
Link to comment

There is one other thing that has not been mentioned, the master brake cylinder needs to be changed or your master has to be gutted, as it has a 10lb residual valve in it that will smoke the disc brakes if it is functioning properly, I have vehicles both ways, one gutted master, and a couple of them with dual reservoir masters made for disc front/drum back. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment

I agree with you both 100% its really just a personal preference. It really depends on how your planning on using the truck, for instance i do Alot of hard braking at high speeds so having disks alows for drilled and slotted rotors to help keep them cool. So if your planning on keeping the truck stock drums are fine, if you plan on racing the truck disks are the way to go!

Link to comment

I agree with you both 100% its really just a personal preference. It really depends on how your planning on using the truck, for instance i do Alot of hard braking at high speeds so having disks alows for drilled and slotted rotors to help keep them cool. So if your planning on keeping the truck stock drums are fine, if you plan on racing the truck disks are the way to go!

If you switch to a good solid rotors,your braking will improve.

 

Wayne-I wasn't going to get into that...until a choice was made.And you are talking about the proportioning valve-right?

Link to comment

I am talking about the residual valve in the master brake cylinder, on drum brake trucks it is a 10lb valve, that is way to much for disc brakes, either the front brakes will seize, or they will catch on fire with front disc brakes, either the master has to be gutted of it(residual valve), or another proper dual master needs to be installed with a 2lb(front) and a 10lb(back) residual valve setup.

If you switch to a good solid rotors,your braking will improve.

Wayne-I wasn't going to get into that...until a choice was made.And you are talking about the proportioning valve-right?

Link to comment

The only reason for a car maker to do anything is ...

 

1/ economics... bottom line it's cheaper. If you save $0.10 per car that's $10,000 for every 100,000 built

 

2/ forced to.... by government laws

 

3/ public demand.... usually a cosmetic fad, like spoilers, flairs

 

 

Disc brakes are probably easier to modulate with ABS. I doubt there are any drum brake ABS.

Link to comment

I enjoy the benefit of always stopping in a straight line. That would have to be the best reason to swap to disc. I'm pretty good at setting up drum brakes, but one always seemed to pull more than the other.

 

Second best for me is no adjustments every time I change the oil. :)

  • Like 1
Link to comment

I am with you on this statement, I like stopping in my lane also instead of doing a counter clockwise spin down the freeway when doing a death grip stop, I had one to many of them stops, I drive to fast all the time for front drum brakes.

I enjoy the benefit of always stopping in a straight line. That would have to be the best reason to swap to disc. I'm pretty good at setting up drum brakes, but one always seemed to pull more than the other.

 

Second best for me is no adjustments every time I change the oil. :)

Link to comment

Z-train how is anything i have said ignorant? Because i am not as old as most of you guys on here and you think i don't know shit about what Im saying? FYI my father has been a mechanic and a tow truck driver for over 25 years, and my grandfather has been the same for over 50 years. I can tell you countless stories about wrecks that were caused by faulty drums, either they failed to stop, they may have locked up, or even the most common "i hit my brakes an they jerked me into oncoming traffic". No Im not saying disks cannot fail because they can i have had it happen to me before, but its not as common. Im sorry for my ignorance of thinking that disks are more modern technology and are less likely to fail than drums! The man asked for an "OPINION" and i gave him mine sorry it wasn't what you were looking for, maybe i should have grown up in a time when drums were in there prime then maybe i would feel differently!

Link to comment

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.