change out brakes?

[Bill Palmer]

I was thinking about changing out the drum brakes on the front of my explorer 260 to disc brakes. Any one done this? Any ideas? comments? thanks

[Kirk C Hoffman]

Why? in these days of almost $4.00 gas would you want to add the rolling resistance of draggy disc brakes? The only time discs will stop better than drums if after you run through a water puddle that is hub deep. Drum brakes will outlast discs about 3 to 1 and are just as efficient. The only reason manufacturers push them so hard is that they are cheaper to put on a new vehicle. They don't neet to pay someone to install the springs in discs. Study your physics, there is a lot more friction area on a drum brake set up so they don't use the higher poressures of a disc brake there for lasting much longer. Justto show what I'm talking about, jack up your crum brake wheel and give it a spin. It it's set up right it will spin free for a minit or so. A disc will not spin unless you turn it . consider what that does to your fuel mileage!

 

 

[David Grant]

I don't know how much interchange-ability you'll find, but it could be the best thing you ever do.  First, decide why you may wish to do this?  Do your current brakes not stop well enough, do they fade (#problem associated with drum brakes)  I swapped a 68 Lemans (immediately bolt-on swap of steering knuckles followed by a front end alignment) with a late 70's era GrandPrix.  Modern vehicles ALL have disc brakes;there is a reason for this.  That said, if yours really work fine, just add all new hydraulics (Master and wheel cylinders all around), check your metal brake lines and add new hoses) and live with what you've got.  I can't tell ya how often I blessed my brakes and every penny I spent on them once we began our 6 month www.trampervoyage.com  I don't care if my cars won't start, but they Must stop well.

[Richard W. Cobbs]

I had two incidents where< I believe that Disc brakes in front would have made all the difference.  One, a head on accident with my VW dune buggy, It just wouldn't stop!  Two, coming down mountains in Guatemala in my 1977 RV; several mechanics told me that first gear was fine, it wasn't!  After smoking down the mountains and wearing out new shoes in, probably less than 500 miles, I finally convinced a mechanic to disconnect the cable at the transmission and lo and behold, there was another gear there!  I think that disc brakes would have dissipated the heat better and been safer.  Check out: http://www.edmunds.com/car-technology/brakes-drum-vs-disc.html

[Bill Palmer]

good points, all the way around... Have to give it some thought!  Thanks all !!