Drilled Brake Drum

Unknown
Unknown
edited November -1 in HUDSON
Has anyone tried the Drilled Brake Drums instead of going to Disc Brakes? Claims to eliminate brake fade and more.



The artical makes the point that Drums are lighter ( unsprung weight) then Disc/caliber.



opinions? coments?



http://www.chtopping.com/CustomRod4/index.html



MORE SITES ABOUT DRILLED DRUMS if you are interested;



http://www.tffn.net/drilldrum.html with Pics



http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=59099



http://www.earlycj5.com/tech/brakes/11InchSwap/11_swap_TommyB.php

Comments

  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User]
    Dave N



    Welcome to the forum!



    Really neat post and definately a bit of information this fella had never heard of before. I will be stopping by my buddies brake shop to discuss this process. I printed the articles and will be showing them to my buddy.



    Again, great post... super info for all of us.
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    Superficially, this would seem to make sense. Perhaps someone more knowledgeable and experienced in brake design can comment on the difference in forces between shoes thrusting against drums and pads squeezing against rotors. I'm inclined to think that, if drilled incorrectly, drums might shatter.
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    Before we go too far down this road, I wonder what happens when all of the Hudson drums have been used up?



    i.e., too thin to use any longer! ...& no more to be located in the junk yards, etc. Is anyone making new or replacement drums?



    I have 4 that need a new home, at the present time.



    Food for thought.
  • Ol racer
    Ol racer Senior Contributor
    FYI

    In (my) opinion the Hudson Hornet Drum brakes (2 1/4" x 11") are plenty large enough to provide ample braking for street usage however, Hudson's with smaller Drum brakes are marginal considering the cars's weight.. I suggest upgading to Hornet Brakes...



    I have tried drilling the sides of drums (venting/cooling) and tried a spring around the drum but nothing stopped repeatedly like Discs...

    I would think drilling into the Drum Surface would tear up the linings

    ..

    DISC brakes are the only way to go for higher speeds and/or high performance driving..
  • SuperDave
    SuperDave Senior Contributor
    This is an amazing thread.. In light of the fact that my buddy with a 56 Dodge and NO computer just asked me to look into a better front brake system for his Dodge. Now I have something to report AND all I had to do was read it. No searching.! My lucky day. Oh by the way, Ol Racer. I don't think drilling would turn the drums into cheese graters for the linings. They most likely chamfer the holes as they do with drilled rotors. Also the only thing that the springs around the drums ever did for me was eliminate a squeal..only sometimes.. grinn..

    Thanks for the post.

    Dave W (FL)
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User]
    making my backing plates into "skeletons" was certainly on this list of things to do when i make the upgrade to hornet drums, looks like i will put drilling drums on the list too. discs have been cross drilled for years without too much trouble (they do tend to crack out from the holes but that seems to be more common on dual purpose road/track cars where the brakes are subjected to extreme temps and high mileage)

    better brakes for those on a tight budget, hooray!
  • Ol racer
    Ol racer Senior Contributor
    FYI

    I have been around many different racing venues long before discs became the norm and never seen drums drilled into their surface.



    I recall backing plates drilled full of holes with air ducts to aid cooling the drums to prevent fade.



    I think drilling drum surfaces will reduce heat transfer and quicken fading and may potentially induce cracking. As we know slotted (& drilled) Rotors have internal center cooling fins where drums do not. Disc brakes have a far more positive clamping action than drums requiring much less lining material (small pads); Drum brakes require far more contact area (long linings) and rely on the thin cast drum to disipate severe heat from the rotating friction. (Usually after a few severe stops drums get hot then fade while disc do not)

    Not advocating drilling drum surfaces wont work, just never seen it, but never to old to learn something new....
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    More holes+more water=totally lost braking in wet conditions. Mayhape there be a reason nobody dunn it aforin....
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    an a nuther thing to cogitate... with manual brakes increasing applied hydraulic pressure 50 fold, power 200 fold, and hot brake drums how much heated expansion pressure are you expecting a cast cast iron drum to withstand before shattering outward...:D
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User]
    granted there does still have to be a lot of metal there for the sake of structural integrity and absorbing the heat- more metal means more energy can be absorbed before the temp rises. it does not mean making swiss cheese of your drums, i hope i never meet someone that would make swiss outta drum faces.
  • junkcarfann
    junkcarfann Expert Adviser
    Discs are squeezed by the calipers...drums are pushed outwards by the shoes. It would seem that drilling would weaken drums, and thus open the possibility of them breaking, and being literally pushed apart by the shoes.



    I have never heard of anyone drilling brake drums...used to race back in the day before discs.



    The main issue is heat...brakes convert motion to heat. Many racers drilled the backing plates, NOT the drums. Some also put vents on the backing plates, often with heater blower motors ducted to blow air into the backing plates.



    Cooling: Yes. Drilling Drums, No way.
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