Rear Disc Brake Remorse

[mayhem]

I'm currently pulling the Wilwood rear disc brakes in favor of the Dr Diff drum kit for 15" factory steel wheel clearance the Wilwood calipers don't allow.

 

[heminut]

I'm with xcudame on this, the drum brakes work just fine on the rear and the time, expense and labor to change to discs just isn't worth it. I too have spent a lot of time servicing brakes, I worked for 5 year in a dealership doing nothing but front end alignments and brake work.

 

[Brads70]

I've been running DrDiff 10.7 rear discs for at least 10 years now with no issues?

 

[rklein71]

I have a new master cylinder coming in, mine went teats up.

 

[MILOJ]

Not much weight in the backside of a car so you dont need discs

 

[pschlosser]

Not much weight in the backside of a car so you dont need discs

it's also the physics of it. as passenger cars brake, the weight shifts forward, where the rear wheels ability to brake is minimized. even on our Chrysler Pacific mini van, with 4-wheel disc, i have replaced the pads in the front 3-4 times compared to not needed in the rear for going on 13 years, now.

 

[rklein71]

Thanks for the input that I don't need discs, they are already on the car.

 

[pschlosser]

Thanks for the input that I don't need discs, they are already on the car.

roger that. I was responding to MiloJ

 

[Cuda416]

Isn't one of the benefits the tendency to NOT lock up as easily as drums? Obviously you need more foot power or a booster but I think I was told at one point, avoiding locking the rears was a reason.

If not, disregard

 

[pschlosser]

when all factors are weighed in, disc brakes are (overall) considered better and more reliable at braking than drums. disc seems to be superior in terms of cooling (brake fade from heat) and shedding water (water fade) and considered safer, to have four disc, all-around, compared to drums.

the rears will lock up, when the proportioning valve allows too much hydraulic pressure to go to the rears. this applies to both disc and drum.

it isn't wrong to modify these legacy drum systems by adding disc brakes to the rear. but it isn't as simple as bolting things on. correct proportioning valve function is essential to making them operate safely.

 

[MILOJ]

With drum in the rear and discs up front the proportioning valve works to make the stops smooth

 

[540HemiCuda]

Thanks for the input that I don't need discs, they are already on the car.

Since you are looking for alternatives, have you thought about just going back to your original drums and cutting your loses?

I am with what appears to be the majority here; while having discs on the front is a very viable and worthwhile effort. Discs on the rear are simply not worth the effort unless the car is in some kind of regular competition that necessitated them.

Front discs were available as an option even on the first Es and are an easy and cheap conversion from some later model Mopars. Rear discs were never available on Es even when they were available on other models. But there were larger diameter rear drums available and they can still be found. And you can juggle rear brake cylinder diameter to adjust the amount of rear braking. But in the end, the rear brakes can only supply about 30% to 40% of the stopping power on our cars and discs do nothing to change that.

Personally, racing the 1/8 mile and going through the traps at over 100MPH with a short shut down and a heavy car; I have never had any issue with comfortably slowing the car down. Even when I had to hot lap.

At any rate; good luck with whatever you decide. And I am also a big fan of Dr. Diff's products.

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