Drum vs. Disc Rear Brakes

Tom Broome · 12-11-2017, 11:59 PM

Please get me up to speed. Back when I last messed around with a car without a trans brake we still used rear drum brakes.
I'm helping someone with a footbrake car that can not run a two step. He wants to add Strange disc brakes to the rear (to match the front), it has drum brakes on the rear currently. I remember that rear drums used to run the stronger than stock return springs to allow the shoes to retract more consistently. When I first saw the car a few weeks ago he ad added a couple of really strong springs to the brake pedal to improve his reaction time consistency.
My question is, how well do the current aftermarket disc perform in this respect? Any advice, or preferences?

ss3011 · 12-12-2017, 11:30 AM

I took off the 11" Dana 60 drum brakes , and installed a set of 4 piston HD Strange discs , They definitely hold the car to a higher rpm . I think they release more cleanly , since they are not self energizing , like a drum brake .

Tom Broome · 12-12-2017, 11:42 AM

That's pretty much the same exact swap we are going to do.
Clean release was probably my biggest worry.
Thanks for the advice.

nickh · 12-12-2017, 11:50 AM

Plus your shedding 20+ pounds of reciprocating weight.

340Cuda · 12-12-2017, 03:44 PM

I have Strange Disk Brakes front and rear. They have always stopped the car very well, but did not hold the car on the line near as well as the drum brakes.

I went to dual calibers on the rear.and now they hold the car on the line very well.

Bill

12-11-2017, 11:59 PM	#1
Tom Broome Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 137 Likes: 78 Liked 78 Times in 40 Posts	Drum vs. Disc Rear Brakes Please get me up to speed. Back when I last messed around with a car without a trans brake we still used rear drum brakes. I'm helping someone with a footbrake car that can not run a two step. He wants to add Strange disc brakes to the rear (to match the front), it has drum brakes on the rear currently. I remember that rear drums used to run the stronger than stock return springs to allow the shoes to retract more consistently. When I first saw the car a few weeks ago he ad added a couple of really strong springs to the brake pedal to improve his reaction time consistency. My question is, how well do the current aftermarket disc perform in this respect? Any advice, or preferences?

12-12-2017, 11:30 AM	#2
ss3011 Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Southeast Michigan Posts: 907 Likes: 70 Liked 237 Times in 112 Posts	Re: Drum vs. Disc Rear Brakes I took off the 11" Dana 60 drum brakes , and installed a set of 4 piston HD Strange discs , They definitely hold the car to a higher rpm . I think they release more cleanly , since they are not self energizing , like a drum brake .

12-12-2017, 11:42 AM	#3
Tom Broome Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 137 Likes: 78 Liked 78 Times in 40 Posts	Re: Drum vs. Disc Rear Brakes That's pretty much the same exact swap we are going to do. Clean release was probably my biggest worry. Thanks for the advice.

12-12-2017, 11:50 AM	#4
nickh Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Houston,Texas Posts: 799 Likes: 3,193 Liked 575 Times in 176 Posts	Re: Drum vs. Disc Rear Brakes Plus your shedding 20+ pounds of reciprocating weight.

12-12-2017, 03:44 PM	#5
340Cuda VIP Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Tulsa, Oklahoma Posts: 1,649 Likes: 3,758 Liked 752 Times in 325 Posts	Re: Drum vs. Disc Rear Brakes I have Strange Disk Brakes front and rear. They have always stopped the car very well, but did not hold the car on the line near as well as the drum brakes. I went to dual calibers on the rear.and now they hold the car on the line very well. Bill