IML: Disc Vs. Drum
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IML: Disc Vs. Drum



I'll add two more pennies to the discussion.

First, with regard to brake fade. Brake fade in drum brakes is due to the heating and subsequent expansion of the brake drum which moves it beyond the reach of the shoes. In disc brakes, the expansion of the rotor moves the friction surfaces CLOSER to the pads rather than further away thus minimizing the impact of long or repeated stops. It was stated in one previous post that disc brakes are better at dissipating heat. While that may be true, it is the direction of expansion rather than the direct ability to handle heat that is of interest here.

Second, the effects of water. While most of the cars we are discussing here seldom if ever see any wet weather anymore, water, particularly standing water, and drum brakes don't mix very well. I can still remember as a tot riding in my folks 71 Coronet with all drums and being snapped around when the brakes grabbed when my dad had to slow down right after we went through a puddle. He used to point out to me that it was a good idea to ride the brakes very lightly for a second or two after going through standing water in order to boil off the water that got into the drum and might make for unpredictable stopping. Disc brakes don't have this problem. Any water that gets onto the rotors when the car is moving is flung off immediately by the rotation of the wheel whereas in a drum system, this water gets trapped until it boils off with the heat.

All that being said, the factory brakes on our cars were all very good or excellent for their day and, so long as one still drives with the respect and moderation that the original owners most likely used, are more than sufficient. On the other hand, if your goal is to turn your 30 to 50 year old Imperial into a daily driver that can safely navigate today's suburban and major metropolitan areas during rush hour on a regular basis, disc brakes may offer some advantages.

Jeff
'56 Sedan (with recently redone 4-wheel, center plane drum brakes)
Trenton, NJ


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