Please elaborate on what you use to prevent seized brake drum

[Paisano]

Well, I can see how that would sour someone on disc brakes.

Pad flipped over ?

 

[Shran]

Yeah, I didn't think that was even possible until I saw it happen. If the friction material is completely worn off the pad, the metal part is thin enough that it will fall out of the caliper and get jammed between the caliper and rotor.

My fault, really, it was squeaking for quite a while and I thought I could risk one more load of gravel before a brake job. I am glad it happened in my driveway after I got home.

 

[sgtsandman]

To each their own on the disc vs drum discussion.

In my experience, drum brakes usually last years before shoes and hardware needs replaced. The parking brake mechanism is much simpler and many times you can reuse the drums.

Are they a headache to work on? Yep. But a well maintained drum brake will last 15-20 years if properly maintained and not just let go until there is a problem.

The only rear disc brakes I’ve ever worked on are the ones used on Ford. The system used on the Explorers, Sport Tracs, and 2010-2011 Rangers are horrible. The ones used on the 2019+ Rangers seem much better so far.

Now, my situation is a bit different than most because I deploy for months at a time and the 2011 sits until I get home. My girlfriend is not physically capable of driving a stick, so she can’t drive it while I’m gone like she can with the 2019. So, the rear rotors rust up and require replacement so they will pass inspection. I’ve never had that problem with drums.

Drums are also semi sealed from the elements when the vehicle is being driven. So all the road spray from the front wheels isn’t coating the bare metal and braking material.

Other than the dust shields on disc brakes, nothing is protecting the bare metal and pads. So road spray gets on them. And if you live in the salt belt, you know what a nice salt bath does to vehicles.

So, on paper, discs are superior to drums. Better braking performance and shedding of heat. Maintenance, generally, is easier as well. In real world practicality, reliability, and cost to maintain, drums are superior.

The above is my experience and opinion. Others are sure to disagree with it.

 

[Roert42]

The only time I ever was angry at a pair of drum brakes was when the pads seized from sitting too long on the rear of my F-150. I could back up and they would turn, but If I tried to go forward they wouldn't budge. They were old enough they had that lip worn in the edge. PITA to get that apart and clean it up, plus the truck was parked in a puddle so that wasn't helping.

After I put it back together again I never had another problem with it though.

 

[Paisano]

I'm glad you guys put in your two cents. I often learn something from people that don't agree with me.

 

[sgtsandman]

Most on here want to inform and educate. What you do with that information is up to unless it’s something illegal. Illegal stuff gets squashed right away.

There are a number of people on here who love their rear discs. You may be one of them once you do the conversion.

No harm, no foul. And it’s your money and your truck. We’re just some schmucks on the internet.

 

[Paisano]

It will be a few years anyway if it works with my new rear end assembly

 

[19Walt93]

I much prefer rear drums for the above reasons plus a couple. (1) if you're braking hard enough for rear discs to be any benefit, all the weight is thrown onto the front wheels anyway.(2) They require a lot less maintenance if driven in road salt areas- I would remove the drums on my 2004 every spring to check the brakes, dump out the dust and put them back together. My 2011 had rear disc brakes and every spring I'd tear them all apart, grind the rust of the slide points, then buff with a wire brush, never seize everything and reassemble them. It took maybe 5 minutes on the drums and an hour or better to get the disc brakes freed up.

 

[don4331]

As many have noted, maintenance is a key - I swap summer tires for winters twice a year and check that everything is working on the brakes at each change. I also have the Snap-on large 3 jaw puller which when used with 1/2" impact (vibration helps loosen) has resulted in all that have come before it submitting.

@19Walt93: We can vigorously discuss whether the rear brakes are doing anything or not when I'm going down a grade while towing the 5th wheel to the point where disc are an advantage. Remember, I consider my Ranger a truck and use it as such.

 

[racsan]

I use anti-seize on the axle flange/inside of drum mating surface, for the issue of the drum getting hung up on the rust-ridge inside the drum ,I have a unique solution. I have a pic/video of this somewhere, if I find it I will edit my post here, hopefully you get the “picture” of what Im talking about.
Remove tires, one at a time, hopefully you have a open differential, pull off the brake drum and put it back on the studs backwards, with the normally inside facing outward. Take note of how much of that outside edge inside the drum has no brake shoe contact, it’s usually about 1/4-5/16 inch. Start truck & put it in 1st or reverse then while the drum is turning take a angle grinder and make a bevel on that rust-ridge area. Alternatively you could use a lathe somehow, I dont have a lathe so I went this route. It doesn’t affect braking in any way, and you wont have a rust-ridge giving you a fight.
Ive never had a wheel of my own stick to a drum or rotor but a few vehicles Ive worked on have, One was so stuck I finger tighten the lugs then drove over speed bumps at a angle to break them loose. Anti-seize would work there, I change tires for winter so mine arent on long enough to set up the galvantic corrosion you get with a alloy wheel & steel drum/rotor.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Its been awhile since I have dealt with drums but when did it was a DD or close to it, I remember the shoes getting hung up on the ridge but I don't remember the drum seizing to anything.

I went disks in 2011 and never looked back.

Never really had a problem with drums, never really had a problem with disks either aside from a parking brake cable randomly breaking last fall.

I have never been around later Rangers or whatever but my Explorer brakes have adjusters to adjust the parking brakes, no disassembly required

At this point every vehicle I have had has had rear discs, driven in snow/road treatment/whatever. They do fine by me. Generally rears will go about 100k before needing attention, fronts half that.

Nothing really at fault with drums, just never cross paths with them much. I nabbed my Explorer axle more for the limited slip than anything and because it was cheap.

I have marveled how well my Ranger stops with the camper in it... but I sure as heck am not throwing the 7.5 back in to do a comparison.

 

[ekrampitzjr]

I've worked on both disc and drum brakes many a time. Straight disc brakes without a drum parking brake are generally a bit simpler to work on.

Many vehicles kept rear drum brakes for cost and also because the front brakes do 80% of the braking anyway. On most cars it doesn't make much difference what type the rear brakes are. Trucks that haul heavy loads or pull trailers are exceptions.

My late stepfather's '72 F-100 pickup (last year for that body) still had front drum brakes. It did not have power assist for the brakes, either, so the master cylinder didn't have the big power booster. I replaced the shoes on all four wheels. The fronts were a pain. For '73 with the new body front discs were standard.

 

[19Walt93]

As many have noted, maintenance is a key - I swap summer tires for winters twice a year and check that everything is working on the brakes at each change. I also have the Snap-on large 3 jaw puller which when used with 1/2" impact (vibration helps loosen) has resulted in all that have come before it submitting.

@19Walt93: We can vigorously discuss whether the rear brakes are doing anything or not when I'm going down a grade while towing the 5th wheel to the point where disc are an advantage. Remember, I consider my Ranger a truck and use it as such.

Towing obviously stresses the brakes more and the disc brakes will dissipate heat better, if I towed anything heavy the extra maintenance for rear disc brakes would be worth the work. I drove a wrecker with 4 wheel drums for about a decade, hot drum brakes won't stop.

 

[ekrampitzjr]

I've worked on both disc and drum brakes many a time. Straight disc brakes without a drum parking brake are generally a bit simpler to work on.

Many vehicles kept rear drum brakes for cost and also because the front brakes do 80% of the braking anyway. On most cars it doesn't make much difference what type the rear brakes are. Trucks that haul heavy loads or pull trailers are exceptions.

My late stepfather's '72 F-100 pickup (last year for that body) still had front drum brakes. It did not have power assist for the brakes, either, so the master cylinder didn't have the big power booster. I replaced the shoes on all four wheels. The fronts were a pain. For '73 with the new body front discs were standard.

Forgot to mention about the '72: the reason the front drums were a pain to replace is that the wheel spindle/hub/grease cap is smack in the way in the middle. You had to work around it to change the shoes. Front discs are generally far easier.

 

[Paisano]

The drum brake star wheel adjuster by itself, is enough of a turn-off for me. There doesn't seem to be any consistency with the number of turns to retract or extend the shoes. And too many parts with potential availability issues.
I had to pound off that stuck drum, and in the process I bent one of the wheel cylinder push rods. The local auto parts stores don't carry it. So I straightened it out as best as I could and re-used it. Then I thought I might need parking brake levers, and I would have had trouble finding those also. But I was able to get the drum off and salvage the old one. You can have the drum brakes. For some of you that have had a good experience with drum brakes, I do hope you continue to have smooth sailing. You deserve it.