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Why drum brakes on most of the Tacomas

Discussion in 'Technical Chat' started by dlopan, Oct 7, 2016.

  1. Oct 7, 2016 at 4:07 PM
    #21
    Aussiek2000

    Aussiek2000 Well-Known Member

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    You mean 4 pistons
     
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  2. Oct 7, 2016 at 4:14 PM
    #22
    worthywads

    worthywads Well-Known Member

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    Probably closer to 70% with so little weight on the rear. Old technology that works just fine
     
  3. Oct 7, 2016 at 9:27 PM
    #23
    Claudiomartinof

    Claudiomartinof Well-Known Member

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    Yeah, 2 piston each side... for me it sound confusing when I read or see for example.. 6pistom on the front.. I imagine it better when I see one side only hahaha

    Different point of view I think...
     
  4. Oct 7, 2016 at 9:37 PM
    #24
    tacomatrd22

    tacomatrd22 TRD SuperCharged Tacoma

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    Hope you know there was a test made with the 3rd gen Tacoma and the lastest version of the Colorado with braking. Guess which vehicle won, and it wasn't the Colorado. There's really not a big difference when it comes to stopping.
     
  5. Oct 8, 2016 at 2:33 AM
    #25
    dlopan

    dlopan [OP] Well-Known Member

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    6 piston front brakes are on cars that cost a lot, Ferrari, lamborghini, those sort.
     
  6. Oct 8, 2016 at 3:23 AM
    #26
    Large

    Large Red

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  7. Oct 8, 2016 at 5:44 AM
    #27
    Wyoming09

    Wyoming09 Well-Known Member

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    If you Don`t like Drum Brakes why did you buy a Tacoma ??

    Then maybe you never looked and figured they just had to have 4 wheel disc Brakes

    Myself I like Drum brakes Wheel cylinders and a Hardware kit and drums are much cheaper then Calipers and Rotors

    I enjoyed the days with Drum Brakes on the front axle
     
  8. Oct 8, 2016 at 7:27 AM
    #28
    dlopan

    dlopan [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Yes you are right. I didn't look but most if not all cars and trucks, semis, you name it except for tacos have disc brakes. I'm surprised the insurance companies and feds haven't screamed before now.
    Drums are cheaper, usually last longer. But if you want brakes that don't fade or freeze or not work at all in water. Discs are better.
     
  9. Oct 10, 2016 at 3:33 PM
    #29
    Lawfarin

    Lawfarin Who me?

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  10. Oct 11, 2016 at 6:50 AM
    #30
    1Gunner

    1Gunner New Member

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    in a van down by the river...
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    Can't believe Tacomas still use drum brakes. Fred Flintstone would be proud...
     
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  11. Oct 11, 2016 at 7:55 AM
    #31
    AFMurse2014

    AFMurse2014 Death Can Wait

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  12. Oct 11, 2016 at 9:50 AM
    #32
    Lawfarin

    Lawfarin Who me?

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    Short lived temp ban. Gotta watch out for that ban hammer. Never know when or where it's going to strike lol
     
  13. Oct 11, 2016 at 10:02 AM
    #33
    cosmicfires

    cosmicfires Well-Known Member

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    All disk brakes have a drum brake inside for the parking brake so you do not escape the problem of dirt in the drum brake.
     
  14. Oct 11, 2016 at 11:24 AM
    #34
    worthywads

    worthywads Well-Known Member

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    Sometimes it is very predictable.
     
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  15. Oct 11, 2016 at 11:59 AM
    #35
    knayrb

    knayrb Well-Known Member

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    I can't say I know the main reason the drum brakes are on our trucks but I don't care. They work just fine and I'll get about 120K miles out them. I have a friend who's brother owns and operates a major semi truck brake shop. I've been the the shop many times and have seen the piles of used brake drums that are waiting for recycling. Drum brakes are used in semi's both in the tractor's rear axles and the trailer and they haul mega-tons of weight around. There has to be a reason that they do this and yet meet all the safety requirements of the trucking industry. From my simple physics point of view there is much more braking surface area in a drum brake than a disk. Disk brakes heat up much hotter but cools quicker since they are externally vented. Disk brakes have a much higher chance of warping the rotor than drum brakes on the drum. Semis can smoke the brakes down mountain passes but they'll run perfect after cooling. Consumer disk pads can separate if done often enough. Drum brakes are almost always dry, weight much less, has less of a chance on boiling the brake fluid, can be operated mechanically without hydraulics. Disk brakes are more responsive in perfect conditions.

    Like I said, I'm not that knowledgeable on brake types but I've always looked at it as an advantage. In a sports car I'd have disk on all corners. In a truck I think there isn't as much value for rear disk. I have 2 different braking systems to leverage the pros and cons of both systems.
    :crapstorm:
     
    Last edited: Oct 11, 2016
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  16. Oct 12, 2016 at 6:25 AM
    #36
    tgear.shead

    tgear.shead Well-Known Member

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    Uh, well actually, drum brakes weight CONSIDERABLY MORE than disk brakes. Aside from that, all good.
     
  17. Oct 12, 2016 at 7:52 AM
    #37
    knayrb

    knayrb Well-Known Member

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    I don't know about that. I haven't weighed both on our trucks but I have taken both the disk and the drum off. I would say they are close in weight. Now I do know that the caliper and pads of the disk weight more than the slave piston, pads, springs, star gear, etc. From my elementary reading on the internet drums are usually assumed to weigh less. The disk brake also has a constant drag since they are not pulled away from the disk when not in use. The drum does pull away but that means it isn't as responsive as the disk. I'm not saying that the drum is better. I think a disk is better but in the Tacoma's application the drum brake gets the job done and it doesn't bother me at all that we have them.
     
  18. Oct 12, 2016 at 8:01 AM
    #38
    tgear.shead

    tgear.shead Well-Known Member

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    You can't say that one is "better" than the other, rather that each is best suited to the proper application.
    You are also failing to consider that most of the braking force is applied by the front brake, which means that the rear brake isn't as big as it would be if it were to be mounted on the front. So pick a drum brake that can supply the braking force of the front brakes, and compare THAT brake's weight to the front disk brakes!
     
  19. Oct 12, 2016 at 9:18 AM
    #39
    knayrb

    knayrb Well-Known Member

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    I actually think we agree. The drum brakes in our truck are suited for the application. The OP's first statement on this thread was calling drum brakes stupid. I disagree that they are stupid. They work just fine for the application they are needed since 70-90% of the stopping force is on the disk brakes in front.
     
  20. Oct 12, 2016 at 9:42 AM
    #40
    nuphysalis

    nuphysalis New Member

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    Drum brakes are inexpensive, and when companies are trying to reduce cost to maximize margins, they look to reduce costs where ever they can. With most of the braking force coming from the front of the vehicle, rear braking force is not as high or crucial.
     

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