I have read several articles concerning truck brakes and the pros and cons of drum vs air disc brakes. There are a lot of opinions about which method is best. I even read a post about using water to cool brakes in an emergency situation. I know that truck weight is premium, and any added weight is that much less cargo a truck can haul. I have been thinking about hybrid cars and how they use regenerative braking to generate power during braking. There is a massive amount of energy expended in a heavy truck while braking. is there a way to harness that energy during the braking process and decrease stopping distance?
Truck brakes
- Thread starter sailei99
- Start date
Truck Shop
Well-known member
Brakes. A truck descending a six percent grade that's five miles long will generate enough heat to boil a bath tub full of water in less than three seconds.
Engine brakes are so good these days and for example the fleet that I work on are Freightliner's with Detroit Diesel 15's, that descending Cabbage grade 5.5
miles of six percent grade at 100,000 GVW at 45 to 50 mph is no problem. Most of our drivers only use the brakes to slow for a few corners, other wise they
don't touch the brakes at all.
I can buy drums for $60.00 bucks, shoes and hardware $42.00 for good lining. So for roughly $102.00 a corner that's fairly cheap. And most drivers average
375,000 to 425,000 on a set of shoes and drum. It only takes me 10 minutes a corner to change a set of shoes and drum including removing the tires and
reinstalling them. Some people like air disc brakes---I don't, just more high dollar stuff to deal with. But with the better designed engine brakes there is not
allot of need to harness any of that brake energy. Just my two cents.
Truck Shop
Engine brakes are so good these days and for example the fleet that I work on are Freightliner's with Detroit Diesel 15's, that descending Cabbage grade 5.5
miles of six percent grade at 100,000 GVW at 45 to 50 mph is no problem. Most of our drivers only use the brakes to slow for a few corners, other wise they
don't touch the brakes at all.
I can buy drums for $60.00 bucks, shoes and hardware $42.00 for good lining. So for roughly $102.00 a corner that's fairly cheap. And most drivers average
375,000 to 425,000 on a set of shoes and drum. It only takes me 10 minutes a corner to change a set of shoes and drum including removing the tires and
reinstalling them. Some people like air disc brakes---I don't, just more high dollar stuff to deal with. But with the better designed engine brakes there is not
allot of need to harness any of that brake energy. Just my two cents.
Truck Shop
Ok, I'll flip out some coins here.
I will agree with Truck shop that it's hard to beat a drum brake when it comes to low cost because they have been out for so long and they are common, and engine brakes have definitely improved with the introductions of Variable Geometry Turbo's and Exhaust Back Pressure valves when combined are tough to beat. An experienced driver hardly needs to brake anymore or can at-least extend there service life greatly.
Where disc brakes shine is in- ABS and TCS situations a disc brake will put a drum brake to shame. Much more control of the wheel end in handing situations than a drum brake. As a drum brake wears it loses its ability to provide consistent and accurate pressures to the wheel end. The pad replacement is just as easy if not easier than shoes and the caliper doesn't even have to come off. Where the draw back is- when it needs rotors, they are expensive. Calipers to are fairly pricey. Just as in the automotive market, Disc brakes will rule in the truck market too. As soon as the parts volume increases the costs will go down and everyone will be doing it. Truck brake rotors will be China cheap- just like the 15 dollar cars rotors at AZ.
Attempting to harness energy from braking is alot like trying to row a boat into the wind. You might as well just let it coast to the other side of the lake.
I will agree with Truck shop that it's hard to beat a drum brake when it comes to low cost because they have been out for so long and they are common, and engine brakes have definitely improved with the introductions of Variable Geometry Turbo's and Exhaust Back Pressure valves when combined are tough to beat. An experienced driver hardly needs to brake anymore or can at-least extend there service life greatly.
Where disc brakes shine is in- ABS and TCS situations a disc brake will put a drum brake to shame. Much more control of the wheel end in handing situations than a drum brake. As a drum brake wears it loses its ability to provide consistent and accurate pressures to the wheel end. The pad replacement is just as easy if not easier than shoes and the caliper doesn't even have to come off. Where the draw back is- when it needs rotors, they are expensive. Calipers to are fairly pricey. Just as in the automotive market, Disc brakes will rule in the truck market too. As soon as the parts volume increases the costs will go down and everyone will be doing it. Truck brake rotors will be China cheap- just like the 15 dollar cars rotors at AZ.
Attempting to harness energy from braking is alot like trying to row a boat into the wind. You might as well just let it coast to the other side of the lake.
Ok, I'll flip out some coins here.
I will agree with Truck shop that it's hard to beat a drum brake when it comes to low cost because they have been out for so long and they are common, and engine brakes have definitely improved with the introductions of Variable Geometry Turbo's and Exhaust Back Pressure valves when combined are tough to beat. An experienced driver hardly needs to brake anymore or can at-least extend there service life greatly.
Where disc brakes shine is in- ABS and TCS situations a disc brake will put a drum brake to shame. Much more control of the wheel end in handing situations than a drum brake. As a drum brake wears it loses its ability to provide consistent and accurate pressures to the wheel end. The pad replacement is just as easy if not easier than shoes and the caliper doesn't even have to come off. Where the draw back is- when it needs rotors, they are expensive. Calipers to are fairly pricey. Just as in the automotive market, Disc brakes will rule in the truck market too. As soon as the parts volume increases the costs will go down and everyone will be doing it. Truck brake rotors will be China cheap- just like the 15 dollar cars rotors at AZ.
Attempting to harness energy from braking is alot like trying to row a boat into the wind. You might as well just let it coast to the other side of the lake.
I will agree with Truck shop that it's hard to beat a drum brake when it comes to low cost because they have been out for so long and they are common, and engine brakes have definitely improved with the introductions of Variable Geometry Turbo's and Exhaust Back Pressure valves when combined are tough to beat. An experienced driver hardly needs to brake anymore or can at-least extend there service life greatly.
Where disc brakes shine is in- ABS and TCS situations a disc brake will put a drum brake to shame. Much more control of the wheel end in handing situations than a drum brake. As a drum brake wears it loses its ability to provide consistent and accurate pressures to the wheel end. The pad replacement is just as easy if not easier than shoes and the caliper doesn't even have to come off. Where the draw back is- when it needs rotors, they are expensive. Calipers to are fairly pricey. Just as in the automotive market, Disc brakes will rule in the truck market too. As soon as the parts volume increases the costs will go down and everyone will be doing it. Truck brake rotors will be China cheap- just like the 15 dollar cars rotors at AZ.
Attempting to harness energy from braking is alot like trying to row a boat into the wind. You might as well just let it coast to the other side of the lake.