Towing Axle: Disc vs. Drum Brakes

[IZwack]

Which brake system would be better for towing heavy loads (about 8 thousand pounds: trailer+rig)?

Disc or drum brakes? And why? What about "brake fade" ?

Currently my van has drums in the back but I spotted a full-floater 8-lug Sterling axle with disc brakes and this got me thinking since its time to do pads anyway, I might just switch over to disc. I'd rather deal with a disc brake setup than drums.

 

[MountaineerGreen]

My first thought is disks, but all semi trucks have drums all the way around- more surface area. I wonder if new F350's have disks or drums in the back.

Would you need a new master cylinder for the conversion?

 

[IZwack]

Yeah thats exactly why I ask -- most of my digging says that discs dissipates heat a lot better than drums. But then I see a lot of semi's with drums.

As for the master cyl, yeah I'd have to change them cauz calipers displace more than drums.

 

[MountaineerGreen]

In reality, no more than you are towing, you probably wouldn't notice a difference either way.8k ain't no thing for a full size van. Disks are cooler though.

 

[IZwack]

My other motivation for going discs is that it is so much easier to change pads than shoes.

 

[90ranajo]

...I wonder if new F350's have disks or drums in the back.

They are 4 wheel disc.

 

[IZwack]

I think the older F350s had drums in the back. But at some point they went to discs all around.

The donor van I was looking at BTW was a 2001 E-350.

 

[MountaineerGreen]

Same gear ratio?

 

[IZwack]

Well I have no idea what gear ratio is under my van but I'm hoping the donor axle is a little "deeper" (numerically higher, maybe like 4.10s) cauz right now my van likes to cruise at like 70-75 mph and thats a little too fast for my liking (with the Explorer in tow). I'd rather cruise at 60-ish mph.

 

[FROADER]

I'll let you know how the van does next weekend. I've got 4 wheel discs.

 

[IZwack]

I'll let you know how the van does next weekend. I've got 4 wheel discs.

Yeah but you'll have to disconnect the brake controller to fully test brakes vs. drums

 

[FROADER]

$60 and 10-15 minutes is all it took.

 

[IZwack]

Well then sounds like discs it is.
I'll pull the axle when I get back from my business trip this week .. and then hopefully convert it to DRW in a few weeks (assuming the inner tire clears the frame rail) .

 

[blichy]

With a haevish trailer, I would be more interested in the brakes on the trailer than the rear brakes on the truck, no? The boat trailer we pull (about 6-7 tons with boat) has drums on all three axles, and I think that the truck has rear drums ('03 SD).

 

[dieselscout80]

I think that the emergency brake in a rear disc setup is NOT as good as the drum brake emergency brake.

The disc brakes maybe better at stoping and changing pads will be easier.