You know what they say about opinions Joe, here's mine.
The bottom line, was one of the factors for the switch to disc
brakes. They are 'now' cheaper to manufacture, service and
they do eliminates brake fade. Brake fade being a concern
today with the newer vehicles reaching higher speeds on our
super highway system. If I were driving my stovebolt at
70-80 mph speeds on the Dan Ryan expressway every morning
and night, I would for sure want disc brakes. In normal city
driving, where you rarely get over 40 mph and cruise at 55,
I wouldn't have any problems. One panic stop from 55 mph
doesn't generate enough heat to cause drum brakes to fade
if they are maintained properly. As soon as the rain stops
I'll take Old Blue out on the black top and make one then
jump out and shot the drum with my trusty HF laser Thermo-Meter.
Since you can lock up the wheels with Huck brakes and disc
brakes, then the only variable to stopping distance would
be the weight of the vehicle, choice of tire and road surface.
Bendix brakes are designed so that the shoe is drawn into the
drum (a little) when you apply them, this requires less pedal
pressure over the older Huck brake. Not clear if that is what
is meant by the word "set". They wouldn't take a "set" or they
wouldn't release as you eased up on the pressure.
It's well known, since the introduction of disc brakes that
un-assisted disc brakes take more pressure than a drum simply
because there is less friction surface. You can still lock up
the wheels. The advantage that puts the disc out in front is
that there is more contact surface exposed to the air,
therefore much better heat dissipation than a drum, which
traps the heat in a nearly enclosed area.
The only thing that will prevent either system from locking up
is a very good feel for the braking system or an anti-lock
braking system.
Denny Graham
Sandwich, IL
