Drums or disc? 8.8

[Blackdog]

I can get an Explorer 8.8 with drums for about $175, with disc about $225. Which one would you buy and why? Thanks

 

[michowski]

disc because if your offroading water wont collect in the drums. You get better braking and imo its more reliable.

 

[metalmacguyver]

you should also be able to find them cheaper than that.

 

[MAKG]

Drums, because disks really don't improve anything (you can quite easily lock up stock drums, even with big tires -- and it's really not hard at all to expel water from drum brakes), and it's far less work to retrofit.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

you should also be able to find them cheaper than that.

I just got one out of a '96 last weekend, 3.73's, limited slip and disc brakes along with the springs for $100, I had to pull it. It is supposed to have 96k on it, which is 50k less than the 7.5 I have in my truck right now.

The disc brakes were not a selling point, I would rather it have drums just for better compatibility, but hey, I pretty much got the axle for $50.

 

[metalmacguyver]

i got mine in trade for a pair of junk lawn tractors and a pair of junk snowblowers.

 

[Sasquatch_Ryda]

The other nice thing is if you bust a shaft on the trail the axle will not walk out of the housing because the disc will hold it in.

 

[Wicked_Sludge]

im with MAKG on this one. disks dont improve much. drums are easier to make work (esp. e-brake). and most junkyards will charge more for an axle with disk brakes than drum simply because disks are "better".

 

[Hjcraver]

I prefer the drums mainly because you dont have to change the Brake Master Cylinder. If you were doing Road Racing or such the disc have an advantage.

 

[projectnitemare]

You aren't going to get much more from the disc. I have a drum 8.8 and the rear tires (35s) lock easily with no problem. Drum or disc won't matter if you are locked up. I love the saying about mud in the drums, mud does the same thing to disc brakes too. The only place I can see rotors having the advantage would be if you are towing.

Matt

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

I love the saying about mud in the drums, mud does the same thing to disc brakes too. The only place I can see rotors having the advantage would be if you are towing.

Matt

The only thing I can come up with the mud deal is that discs would be easier to take apart and clean. I have never had a problem with the drums on my 7.5 getting muddy though.

 

[AllanD]

The discs on explorers still have an internal drum parking brake that can get full of mud.

In general the discs won't stop you any better, will create brake bias issues
when you are initially setting them up.

Don't have a low pressure "drag" mode like servo actuated drum brakes do
and tend to be more expensive to maintain.

that all being said the disc do have the advantage of being more "self cleaning"
than the drums are are virtually impossible to fade out on a ranger.
Look better through your aluminum wheels than a rusty drum
but there is one shining advantage...

Unless drum brakes are PERFECTLY adjusted (somewhere between rare
and impossible with the known inadequacies of "self-adjusters") the
parking brake tends to work "poorly" in reverse.

the NON-servo internal drum parking brake on the explorer disc setup
will work in either direction.

And there is some merit to the idea that the caliper will retain the disc
and thus the axle shaft if you "spit" a C-clip or break the "mushroom head"
off the inboard end of the axle shaft.

there are distinct advantages for both, but if any specific advantage
is important enough to be a deciding factor for any specific person is
entirely up to that person.

You must make your own choice.

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