Thread: Chops' 88" Wide Light

Originally Posted by JDNSW

Disc brakes are not necessarily superior to drum brakes, except that they are very resistant to the effects of water after wading - with discs the water is thrown off the friction surface, where on drums it is held there.

On the other hand, brake fade with use is more likely with drums, because the drums expand with heat, increasing pedal movement. On the other hand, because of this, it is very difficult to actually boil the brake fluid (total loss of braking) with drums.

Disc brakes are heavily dependent on power assist in almost all applications, so loss of vacuum or engine power means almost total loss of braking. The self servo action of most drum brakes means that braking is less dependent on power assist.

But the major advantages of discs are that they are easy to service, and that many mechanics today have little clue about drum brakes!

Try explaining leading/trailing shoes to a young mech.

Yes, unassisted disks cause issues. My first real (?) car was a very early MGB, with unassisted brakes, and it was a bugger to stop.

One advantage of disks that you didn't mention was the complete lack of any need for adjustment. Another is the superior heat dissipation, so they recover from 'fade' faster.

However, you are correct, A well maintained and adjusted drum brake system can be pretty effective, and drums can very easily be dried out after wading by the simple expedient of driving with light pedal pressure for a short distance.

Yes, I meant to include the lack of adjustment on discs, but forgot to, although strictly speaking, there have been self adjusting drum brakes fitted to various cars from quite an early date - including the first Landrovers, although it was soon found they did not stand up to mud.

I don't think the actual heat dissipation is necessarily superior with discs, although as I explained, drums fade with lower temperatures - and a large part of the "superior" heat dissipation of discs is simply that you can get away with them getting a lot hotter.

You are correct about the ease of drying drum brakes of course - part of elementary driving instruction given to all learners in the past, presumably now forgotten!

Originally Posted by JDNSW

You are correct about the ease of drying drum brakes of course - part of elementary driving instruction given to all learners in the past, presumably now forgotten!

A dab or two on the pedal doesn't go astray on disks either. Another thing; and it will be obvious to most here, but I once saw a Mazda written off because the apprentice entrusted to do a pad change hadn't been told, or perhaps wasn't listening when he WAS told, to pump up the pedal BEFORE backing it off the hoist. There was quite a drop down to the road behind him.... Still, I'll bet he never forgot again.

Originally Posted by Chops

You can also see a little bit of rust on the dumb iron there. I'm going to leave this at the moment and hope the inspector doesn't see it Its only very slight and should be right, but time will tell when I pull the bumper off. I don't want to have to start welding if I can get away with it,, I just want to have it looking as it is. I don't even want to wash her, except for underneath around the usual motor, gearbox leaks etc.

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A quick hit with a wire brush, then paint it with some of this:

IMG_1342.jpg

Originally Posted by johntins

A quick hit with a wire brush, then paint it with some of this:

IMG_1342.jpg

I'll probably do that "after" passing inspection. Until then JT, I'll leave it so as not to draw attention to it. If they spot as is, then so be it, but at the moment, I'm looking for a speedy pass.

Originally Posted by johntins

A dab or two on the pedal doesn't go astray on disks either. Another thing; and it will be obvious to most here, but I once saw a Mazda written off because the apprentice entrusted to do a pad change hadn't been told, or perhaps wasn't listening when he WAS told, to pump up the pedal BEFORE backing it off the hoist. There was quite a drop down to the road behind him.... Still, I'll bet he never forgot again.

Reminds me of one I saw while waiting with my father for his car (Simca) to finish servicing when I was at high school.

Apprentice gets into new (500mile service) Valiant. Remember those one with a push button auto, with the buttons vertically on the side of the Instrument panel? Apprentice looks over his shoulder, revs the engine. No movement. Looks at dash (engine still doing about 2000rpm) and pushes the reverse button. He got it stopped as it mounted the footpath on the opposite side of the road. Fortunately, he hit a gap in the traffic.

Originally Posted by JDNSW

Reminds me of one I saw while waiting with my father for his car (Simca) to finish servicing when I was at high school.

Apprentice gets into new (500mile service) Valiant. Remember those one with a push button auto, with the buttons vertically on the side of the Instrument panel? Apprentice looks over his shoulder, revs the engine. No movement. Looks at dash (engine still doing about 2000rpm) and pushes the reverse button. He got it stopped as it mounted the footpath on the opposite side of the road. Fortunately, he hit a gap in the traffic.

Simca? An Aronde?

Remember those Valiants well. I had an AP5 briefley.

Originally Posted by johntins

Simca? An Aronde?

Remember those Valiants well. I had an AP5 briefley.

No, a Vedette, which turned out to be quite a good car, despite a few quirks, for example the RHD conversion of the gearchange. Very different from his previous car, which was an Austin 16.

My brother had an Aronde for a while a couple of years later - his first car, I think. Went very well, but did not stand up to Queensland's roads - knocked off bits underneath, and the body started cracking (I bought a Landrover about the same time!), so he traded it after about a year on a second hand Citroen Safari, which went well for years - I got it after he went overseas ten years later and drove it for another six years, then it went on to our sister and who drove it for another few years - was in the family for about twenty years.