Sometimes car owners want to modify the braking system to improve performance and safety.
Brake systems can be modified in a number of ways. The most common is to improve the serviceability of the brakes by changing the pads and other components. However, some drivers replace their drum brake system with a disc brake system in the hope that this change will improve braking performance.
But is this really necessary and will it have the desired effect? Let’s look at the answers to these questions.
Why replace your drum brake with a disc brake?
When buying a new car, there is a tendency to think that if the car has drum brakes, it is outdated, or that drum brakes have been fitted to the rear axle to avoid higher costs: “If not, why do high-end cars and racing cars use disc brakes?”. This idea encourages many drivers to replace their drum brakes with disc brakes after purchasing their car, with the aim of improving the car’s appearance and braking performance.
The differences between drum and disc brakes
If we want to know whether or not it is really necessary to replace drum brakes with disc brakes, we first need to know the characteristics of both.
1.Operation
Drum brakes: the brake cylinder pushes the shoe inside the drum, causing the shoe to rub against the inner surface of the drum, thereby braking the vehicle.
Disc brakes: the piston of the brake cylinder moves outwards, pushing the pad against the disc, causing friction between the pad and the surface of the disc and reducing wheel speed.
2.Performance
Drum brake: powerful braking and high cost-effectiveness are the main reasons why many passenger cars and commercial vehicles are still fitted with drum brakes on the rear axle.
However, the heat dissipation of the drum brake is lower than that of the disc brake and thermal degradation is significant when the brake is used continuously.
Disc brake: braking is more linear and smooth, and response speed and passenger comfort are better. The disc is relatively exposed and heat dissipation is faster. However, the manufacturing costs are higher.
So both drum and disc brakes have their own characteristics. It is not easy to compare the performance of the two brakes or to conclude that the drum brake is inferior to the disc brake.
Problems encountered when changing from drum to disc brake
Replacing a drum brake with a disc brake means modifying the entire braking system: brake pads, discs, callipers, calliper anchors, brake hoses, etc., and finding the correct mounting position for each of these components. If, for example, the brake hose is not positioned correctly, it can rub against the chassis, causing brake fluid to leak and possible brake failure.
Therefore, REMSA’s experts conclude that, given the limitations mentioned above, it is difficult to achieve a quality of installation of the components of a modified braking system that is comparable to that of the original installation and that this installation meets all the technical requirements necessary for its homologation, thus creating a potential risk to driving safety. Therefore, to ensure safe driving, any modification to the braking system should be carried out with great care and by a workshop professional.
The braking performance of a vehicle depends on many factors, such as the matching of the braking system to the wheel and the weight distribution in the vehicle. This is a systematic adjustment process. Some modification techniques are not capable of ensuring optimum braking performance and may even compromise driving safety. In short, if you want to modify the braking system, take into account what we tell you in this REMSA blog article.
REMSA PRODUCTS
Get to know our range of products for cars and commercial vehicles: brake pads, brake disc, brake shoes.
Comentarios
No Comments