Yes, discs are better. But not so much better as to be a deal breaker, or cause you to take a car missing a bunch of features you do want but it is the only one with drums in the back.
Rear disc brakes or drums?
- Thread starter wolf_06
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I have drums on the rear of my DD 2016 Versa. I have no complaints at all. Most of the time, one can do two or sometimes three front disc pad changes to one drum pad change. Like others have said, it's not a race car...
I have watched plenty of vehicles with rear drum brakes sliding through the snow with the front tires locked, and the rear tires still turning, not contributing anything at all to the task of slowing the car down.
I have never seen a car with rear disc brakes that were not contributing their share under the same circumstances.
Disc brake always and forever for me.
I am perfectly fine with doing a pad swap and a rotor cleanup every 50k to 100k miles.
Also, I can usually order higher material rating for rear disc brakes, while that is almost never true of drum brake shoes.
BC.
I have never seen a car with rear disc brakes that were not contributing their share under the same circumstances.
Disc brake always and forever for me.
I am perfectly fine with doing a pad swap and a rotor cleanup every 50k to 100k miles.
Also, I can usually order higher material rating for rear disc brakes, while that is almost never true of drum brake shoes.
BC.
My first thought on reading your opening post was "$25K for a last model year Elantra? What??" but I then saw that you were in Canada, so not that bad in Canadian dollars.
I didn't think anything came with drums anymore, but I went and negotiated a new Fit with my mother and it actually has drums on the rear.
Rear drums are generally okay and the shoes may last the life of the car.
If they don't, drum brake service is not all that hard although harder than with discs.
The rear brakes shouldn't be a deal breaker either way.
I didn't think anything came with drums anymore, but I went and negotiated a new Fit with my mother and it actually has drums on the rear.
Rear drums are generally okay and the shoes may last the life of the car.
If they don't, drum brake service is not all that hard although harder than with discs.
The rear brakes shouldn't be a deal breaker either way.
Maybe I do not know what I am missing? I have had drum brakes on the rear of all of my cars. My 2017 Elantra SE stops great. Better than any car I have had. My experience is shoes on drums need replacement around 150 to 200k. That is a plus for me. No rotors to warp or have run out is a double plus for me.
Since 1980 virtually every car I have owned has been fitted with front and rear disc brakes. The only exceptions have been my 1975 2002, my Wrangler, and a 1984 Thunderbird Turbo Coupe that I used as my work beater in the mid 1990s. The brakes on the Thunderbird were beyond miserable; one hard stop from 80 mpg and they were toast. I don't think it was the fault of the rear drums so much as it was that the car was designed during the dark ages of the moronic 55 NMSL.
That said, there is absolutely no way in 2018 that I would even briefly consider buying a new vehicle with rear drums.
Would anyone care to bet that at least one BITOGer will post in this thread lamenting the unavailability of new cars with mechanically operated front and rear drum brakes?
That said, there is absolutely no way in 2018 that I would even briefly consider buying a new vehicle with rear drums.
Would anyone care to bet that at least one BITOGer will post in this thread lamenting the unavailability of new cars with mechanically operated front and rear drum brakes?
Originally Posted by Bladecutter
I have watched plenty of vehicles with rear drum brakes sliding through the snow with the front tires locked, and the rear tires still turning, not contributing anything at all to the task of slowing the car down.
I have never seen a car with rear disc brakes that were not contributing their share under the same circumstances.
Disc brake always and forever for me.
I am perfectly fine with doing a pad swap and a rotor cleanup every 50k to 100k miles.
Also, I can usually order higher material rating for rear disc brakes, while that is almost never true of drum brake shoes.
BC.
I agree 100 percent. Disk brakes for me too!
My Impala has disk brakes on all 4 wheels. I have stopped that car from freeway speeds in what I considered incredibly short distances and in a straight line. I'm sure some of it could be from the Yokohama tires I got at Discount Tire, but not all of it.
I have watched plenty of vehicles with rear drum brakes sliding through the snow with the front tires locked, and the rear tires still turning, not contributing anything at all to the task of slowing the car down.
I have never seen a car with rear disc brakes that were not contributing their share under the same circumstances.
Disc brake always and forever for me.
I am perfectly fine with doing a pad swap and a rotor cleanup every 50k to 100k miles.
Also, I can usually order higher material rating for rear disc brakes, while that is almost never true of drum brake shoes.
BC.
I agree 100 percent. Disk brakes for me too!
My Impala has disk brakes on all 4 wheels. I have stopped that car from freeway speeds in what I considered incredibly short distances and in a straight line. I'm sure some of it could be from the Yokohama tires I got at Discount Tire, but not all of it.
Originally Posted by MONKEYMAN
Maybe I do not know what I am missing? I have had drum brakes on the rear of all of my cars. My 2017 Elantra SE stops great. Better than any car I have had. My experience is shoes on drums need replacement around 150 to 200k. That is a plus for me. No rotors to warp or have run out is a double plus for me.
Yeah, but wait until you do have to replace those drums and shoes. It will be impossible and more time-consuming than every rear disc brake job you'd have to do combined! Look at all those springs
Plus, there will be no good shoes available. The aftermarket shoe selection is not as large as the selection for disc brake pads. Maybe if you're lucky, there will be coated drums available.
Maybe I do not know what I am missing? I have had drum brakes on the rear of all of my cars. My 2017 Elantra SE stops great. Better than any car I have had. My experience is shoes on drums need replacement around 150 to 200k. That is a plus for me. No rotors to warp or have run out is a double plus for me.
Yeah, but wait until you do have to replace those drums and shoes. It will be impossible and more time-consuming than every rear disc brake job you'd have to do combined! Look at all those springs
Plus, there will be no good shoes available. The aftermarket shoe selection is not as large as the selection for disc brake pads. Maybe if you're lucky, there will be coated drums available.
Originally Posted by Bladecutter
I have watched plenty of vehicles with rear drum brakes sliding through the snow with the front tires locked, and the rear tires still turning, not contributing anything at all to the task of slowing the car down.
I have never seen a car with rear disc brakes that were not contributing their share under the same circumstances.
Disc brake always and forever for me.
I am perfectly fine with doing a pad swap and a rotor cleanup every 50k to 100k miles.
Also, I can usually order higher material rating for rear disc brakes, while that is almost never true of drum brake shoes.
BC.
It's not changing the pads and cleaning the rotor that's the pain, it's having the caliper pistons seize up every 18 months. I put new calipers on the back of my F-30 last year and one of the pistons has already seized up.
Originally Posted by slacktide_bitog
Originally Posted by MONKEYMAN
Maybe I do not know what I am missing? I have had drum brakes on the rear of all of my cars. My 2017 Elantra SE stops great. Better than any car I have had. My experience is shoes on drums need replacement around 150 to 200k. That is a plus for me. No rotors to warp or have run out is a double plus for me.
Yeah, but wait until you do have to replace those drums and shoes. It will be impossible and more time-consuming than every rear disc brake job you'd have to do combined! Look at all those springs
Plus, there will be no good shoes available. The aftermarket shoe selection is not as large as the selection for disc brake pads. Maybe if you're lucky, there will be coated drums available.
I can change the shoes and all hardware in about 10 minutes on each side of my Cherokee.
I have watched plenty of vehicles with rear drum brakes sliding through the snow with the front tires locked, and the rear tires still turning, not contributing anything at all to the task of slowing the car down.
I have never seen a car with rear disc brakes that were not contributing their share under the same circumstances.
Disc brake always and forever for me.
I am perfectly fine with doing a pad swap and a rotor cleanup every 50k to 100k miles.
Also, I can usually order higher material rating for rear disc brakes, while that is almost never true of drum brake shoes.
BC.
It's not changing the pads and cleaning the rotor that's the pain, it's having the caliper pistons seize up every 18 months. I put new calipers on the back of my F-30 last year and one of the pistons has already seized up.
Originally Posted by slacktide_bitog
Originally Posted by MONKEYMAN
Maybe I do not know what I am missing? I have had drum brakes on the rear of all of my cars. My 2017 Elantra SE stops great. Better than any car I have had. My experience is shoes on drums need replacement around 150 to 200k. That is a plus for me. No rotors to warp or have run out is a double plus for me.
Yeah, but wait until you do have to replace those drums and shoes. It will be impossible and more time-consuming than every rear disc brake job you'd have to do combined! Look at all those springs
Plus, there will be no good shoes available. The aftermarket shoe selection is not as large as the selection for disc brake pads. Maybe if you're lucky, there will be coated drums available.
I can change the shoes and all hardware in about 10 minutes on each side of my Cherokee.
At 9k a year I would need shoes in 16 years if done at 150k miles meaning it will be the next owner's problem. Brakes are excellent. So OP it may not make much difference between rotors and drums. You can test drive both and see if you can tell a difference to see it is worth the extra money.
I bought my 2010 Elantra certified car with 48K on it.
It now has 85K and I have no idea what pads it came with.
I have never changed them.
It has rear discs.
If you really have to stop and slam on the brakes it is very impressive.
It does have anti lock.
It now has 85K and I have no idea what pads it came with.
I have never changed them.
It has rear discs.
If you really have to stop and slam on the brakes it is very impressive.
It does have anti lock.
My 2015 Focus has rear drums. It was the only way to get the 1.0/6M/Hatch I wanted. Before I even got the car I started buying parts to swap in the factory rear discs.
Now 60,000 miles later, I haven't seen the point in removing the drums. They work perfectly fine for a commuter car.
Now 60,000 miles later, I haven't seen the point in removing the drums. They work perfectly fine for a commuter car.
4 wheel discs on many cars and trucks use the rear brakes in a much more even 4 wheel brake load balance (bias) under light braking. Put another way, on some vehicles, the rears do equal work under light loads and normal driving. This gives a great feel and improves control in some situations. It also helps reduce front pad wear. The front brake bias is very important under heavy braking, as weight transfer increases front traction and reduces rear traction. But engineers have found that same front bias is not helpful under light braking.
In the past, a pressure regulator (proportioning valve) was often used to prevent rear wheel lockup. With todays stability control systems, it's important to have a powerful and responsive brake at each corner. Disks are the right choice.
It's interesting to note that many used to spell it "disk brake" in the 1930's (patents) and now it's "disc" like a phonograph disc. I use both.... and so at least I'm partially correct.... some of the time.
Enjoy your disk breaks.......
In the past, a pressure regulator (proportioning valve) was often used to prevent rear wheel lockup. With todays stability control systems, it's important to have a powerful and responsive brake at each corner. Disks are the right choice.
It's interesting to note that many used to spell it "disk brake" in the 1930's (patents) and now it's "disc" like a phonograph disc. I use both.... and so at least I'm partially correct.... some of the time.
Enjoy your disk breaks.......
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