drum vs disc
- Thread starter lockman
- Start date
donsrods
Member
Yeah, I'm still lost in the '50's. 
I just never took to the newer stuff like disc brakes. My Son Don has Wilwoods on the front of his T and they are the dirtiest things.........if he drives two miles the front wheels are coated with dust inside. Speedway just sent him a whole new setup that is supposed to cure that, but we haven't gotten it installed yet.
But on a light rod early drums can be made to stop the car fine. The best of both worlds can be accomplished if you use something like Wilson Weldings 39 Lincoln self energizing front brakes. They combine old time looks and modern components. My Son Dan is using them on his 30 RPU.
Don
I just never took to the newer stuff like disc brakes. My Son Don has Wilwoods on the front of his T and they are the dirtiest things.........if he drives two miles the front wheels are coated with dust inside. Speedway just sent him a whole new setup that is supposed to cure that, but we haven't gotten it installed yet.But on a light rod early drums can be made to stop the car fine. The best of both worlds can be accomplished if you use something like Wilson Weldings 39 Lincoln self energizing front brakes. They combine old time looks and modern components. My Son Dan is using them on his 30 RPU.
Don
Ted Brown
Member
I love drum brakes for sure fire stopping, as you already know but I do have disk brakes up front, twas the thing to do at the time, as a good friend owns the Company that makes my brakes, so, I tested a few different types for him, have had these on for a long while now,,,no problems... I look at it this way, what ever floats your boat as far as looks go, and what ever locks up your wheels is all you really need. No more, no less..
but I do have disk brakes up front, twas the thing to do at the time, as a good friend owns the Company that makes my brakes, so, I tested a few different types for him, have had these on for a long while now,,,no problems... I look at it this way, what ever floats your boat as far as looks go, and what ever locks up your wheels is all you really need. No more, no less.. 
EX JUNK
Moderator
Don, if dusting is a real problem on your son's car, it would seem as though they are dragging too much and not completely releasing. Perhaps ceramic pads would help. My GMC Denali cam with ceramic from the factory and when I replaced the rears, the guy a NAPA gave me regular pads. What a mess they made on my wheels. I went back and complained and got the proper pads, which only cost $10 more, and the problem was cured.
Jim
Jim
Keeper
Active Member
I like the look of the drums, but I hate the unpredictability of them.
I had 4 wheel drums on my 68 Camaro, it was great for everyday stopping but when it came to panic stops or wet roads, you never knew which way the brakes were going to pull.
I tried everything to get them to stop straight in a panic stop nothing worked, until I converted to discs!
I had 4 wheel drums on my 68 Camaro, it was great for everyday stopping but when it came to panic stops or wet roads, you never knew which way the brakes were going to pull.
I tried everything to get them to stop straight in a panic stop nothing worked, until I converted to discs!
donsrods
Member
Speedway was kind enough to offer to send Don new rotors, pads, and a proportioning valve free of charge, and he didn't even ask. :welxome: We suspect you are right about the dragging brakes as the rotors are scoring after very few miles. We'll see how the new setup works. I know the old one stopped on the proverbial dime and gave you 9 cents change.
Don
Don
Ted Brown
Member
Somewhere I have a message from Bob of Power brake, He said the the 2 lb check valves, end up to be much more pressure at the pads, and that will keep way too much drag in the ft disk brake pads, that is bad in too many ways to let it go on, so there must be a cure for this??? I think we use them because the master is lower than the wheel cyls, I wonder if using a raised brake fluid fill container would cure that problem, like a VW has?
donsrods
Member
I sort of think the residual valve thing has become overdone, not needed in every case. We never had them years ago and were able to make the brakes not bleed back. My 27 has no residual valves with the master cylinder under the floor, and I didn't need to bleed the brakes or do anything to them in the 7 years I drove it almost daily.
Just a thought.
Don
Just a thought.
Don
Ted when i first got my car going the front brakes sqeeled like a stuck pig and got really hot i talked to Brian at Total and he said no need for the check valve in the front he said for 26 years they have been building them with out and no problems so i took the set screw out and removed the ball valve inside then reinstalled it have not had a problem since i also did it to Thomas's T and hes fine also.Just something to think about.I have the Dayton wires with the Wilwood '175'pucks in front on 3/8 in stainless rotors.And no probs.Also the brakes lock up big time with alittle peddle movement i have to push alittle harder than power but they get the job done.Ted Brown said:
Ted Brown
Member
Thanks Rick, I do have a smaller set of calipers that sounded like a Pig also, bet that was the problem all along with them, tried everything else to stop it, the one's I have on now are double cyl, and so the pressure is way less..but I am taking them off (valves) now to see how they work without the valves as I can't remember how it acted without them waaaay back when.. hehe CRS.. gettin older sucks in the memory dept..
So you dont have to redo your lines just take the ball valve out of them then reinstall.Ted Brown said:Thanks Rick, I do have a smaller set of calipers that sounded like a Pig also, bet that was the problem all along with them, tried everything else to stop it, the one's I have on now are double cyl, and so the pressure is way less..but I am taking them off (valves) now to see how they work without the valves as I can't remember how it acted without them waaaay back when.. hehe CRS.. gettin sucks in the memory dept..
LumenAl
Member
I used a residual check valve only for the rear drum brakes... Front disk like yours Rick I didn't use any either.
Disc brakes operate with out any springs pulling back the contact surfaces (pads) and therefore disc brakes react more quickly to pedal pressure. Rear wheel cylinders will leak if they are not fed a constant low level of brake pressure. The seals in the wheel cylinders need this pressure to seal against the bore of the wheel cylinder.
Note: You may not need to add residual check valves if the master cylinder you are using is for a drum/drum vehicle as the check valves may be in the master cylinder.
Note: You may not need to add residual check valves if the master cylinder you are using is for a drum/drum vehicle as the check valves may be in the master cylinder.
engine24355
Member
I have four wheel disks on my ride off of a 86 vette. They work great, but I can see how drums would work fine too since these are very light cars.
Hotrod46
Member
I'm using the 39 Lincoln brakes that Don talked about. IMO They're overkill on a light car like a bucket. If your 48 brakes are rebuildable, they will work plenty good.
Most all of the rebuild parts are available. Some may even be available at NAPA. If not, places like Obsolete Ford should have anything you need.
Discs have advantages as far as heat dissipation and ease of service, but like Ted said, if you can lock up the wheels, you're doing all you can.
Mike
Most all of the rebuild parts are available. Some may even be available at NAPA. If not, places like Obsolete Ford should have anything you need.
Discs have advantages as far as heat dissipation and ease of service, but like Ted said, if you can lock up the wheels, you're doing all you can.
Mike
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