That seems very reasonable, at that price I would ask how much more it would cost to replace the drums as well. The recommendation above to do a disc conversation is also something to consider.
How much did you guys get charged for drum brakes?
- Thread starter adventureboss
- Start date
Why bother doing a disc conversion if the drums need to be serviced every 200k miles?
Improved stopping power, easier to maintain and service for starters. I know lots of people who have done them to there vehicles that had drum brakes.
You sure they have more stopping power?
And who cares if they're easier to maintain if drums last 200k? They'll outlast the rest of the jeep with 1 service most likely
Yes, I'm sure they don't.
My reason is due to how rarely the brake adjusters work properly. Never have to adjust rear discs and calipers. They work the same always and unless you're a goober and drive around with the parking brake applied, it stays adjusted as well.
Yes it’s been well documented that disc brakes can reduce stopping distances by roughly 17-33% compared to a vehicle with drum brakes, this obviously will vary depending on the vehicle weight, speed etc and road surface conditions . Regarding servicing the brakes themselves disc brakes are easier to maintain/service, this matters to people that do there own Maintenance.
If you play in the mud and water much drums suck. They take a lot longer to dry out and don't really self clean.they get loaded up with all kinds of stuff.
Rear brakes might not add much on the road but you'll notice losing braking on two wheels when in 4wd after coming out of the soup. You can still stop but it takes twice the effort for quite a while.
if you have an old 4x4 with 4 wheel drums its in interesting experience combined with manual steering and brakes!
4 wheel discs you ride the brakes for a minute to clean them and you're good.
It's been well documented there's someone in this thread that knows quite a bit about TJ brakes, some would say he's a wizard when it comes to them.
It is more than well documented that rear discs on a TJ do not and can NOT increase brake effectiveness otherwise we wind up with rear brake lock up on a short wheelbase vehicle which is at a minimum, dangerous. The factory went to great effort to keep the rear discs to a level that is no more effective than the drum brakes. That is done via proportioning, brake component size using a small disc and a caliper that has roughly 50% of the front piston area.
Except in this case, we have to maintain the disc and caliper set up AND the drum in hat parking brake that has shoes and a spring kit with levers. It also has to be adjusted the same way as rear drum brakes.
And this is where I seem to still be learning. Always a pain the pull that rotor off and I just haven’t learned how to adjust that e-brake properly. When my LJ goes back together I will be increasing my practice for sure
KennethS
TJ Addict
I’ve had cars with rear drum brakes since the 70s. I have yet to buy the drum brake tools; I know they make the job easier but I’ve been able to use the tools I already have (pliers and screwdrivers) to remove and install the springs. It just takes a different technique and experience level.
A long time ago...
I was pulling up on a spring, probably with a screwdriver. It slipped off the spring and I put a hole through my lip.
Instead of buying the right tools, I got rid of the rear drum-brake vehicle.
Yeah in my cheap-ass guy experience you can often get away without the right tools but it is also often a royal pain in the ass
KennethS
TJ Addict
Yeah in my cheap-ass guy experience you can often get away without the right tools but it is also often a royal pain in the ass
I agree 100% but it has not been so much of a PITA that I spend the $20 for drum brake tools.
I have bought some of the right tools and thought why haven't I got these sooner. My old stand by for brake springs was always vise-grips . 4 out of 5 of our vehicles have rear drums .
A long time ago...
I was pulling up on a spring, probably with a screwdriver. It slipped off the spring and I put a hole through my lip.
Instead of buying the right tools, I got rid of the rear drum-brake vehicle.
Know a guy who was doing the same with some needle nose pliers. He missed his lip and got his eye instead.
KennethS
TJ Addict
. Mine is 12” Channel Locks that I found in the road while bike riding. Toting those back home was fun. They have worked so well for brake springs that I haven’t felt the need to buy the brake tools. Even with 2 rear drum vehicles I do drum brakes maybe once every 10 years or so.
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