Re: brakes

[Steve Stegmann <stegmann@domain.elided>]

Grant,

You're right in that drum brakes are just as powerfull as discs.  That's
not the reason that discs have become popular.  There are two reasons

1-  fade resistance.  disc wins hands down.

2-  controlability.  Disc react in a linear manner to hydraulic pressure.
That means you don't get the self energizing action which is designed into
drum brakes.  The self energizing is why they tend to lock when applied
hard, or cold & wet.  The drum doesn't react predictably.  You can design
the self energizing action out of the drum, but then you need two (2)
wheel cylinders and more plumbing.  Plus you still have brakes which fade.

If you will check out the new Ford Super duty line, you will see that they
all have 4-wheel disc brakes, across the board.

Steve

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Steven A. Stegmann
     _/_/_/    _/      _/_/_/ "No free man shall ever be debarred the use
   _/    _/   _/_/   _/    _/  of arms.  The strongest reason for the 
   _/        _/ _/   _/        people to retain the right to keep and bear
    _/_/    _/  _/    _/_/     arms is, as a last resort, to protect 
       _/  _/_/_//       _/    themselves against tyranny in government"
 _/    _/ _/    _/ _/    _/    
 _/_/_/  _/     _/ _/_/_/         Thomas Jefferson, June 1776
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