drum brakes

[James Arnold]

I am about to 'have a go' at the brakes on my seven (xflow live axle). I understand that green stuff gets votes as my best option for the front, but what should I do at the back.

The current drums are quite badly pitted on the inside. Should I bother to replace them and if so is there anything other than standard marina drums avaiable? Are standard shoes as good as anything.

Currently I am suspicious that the rear brake are not trying hard enough as the front lock up very easily, but I don't want to shell out on a disk conversion..

cheers

James

[ashaughnessy]

From reading various postings about front brake material, I think the jury is out on green stuff - several people have said it's great, several have said it's not so great. Anyway.

The advice I've been given by Caterham and by some others is to leave the brake lining material at the back as standard, as the rear brakes don't do enough work to justify a higher rated material. I've got standard on the back and Mintex 1144 at the front. Yes, when a wheel locks it's always at the front, but I don't find it difficult to avoid a lock up (at least on the track, with nice warm tyres). I usually think the brakes are quite nicely balanced front to rear.

I don't know if you can get alternative drums, but if you leave the shoes with standard linings this probably indicates there isn't much need to go with an alternative drum.

If the drums are pitted on their friction faces, I guess I would replace them, but I'd rather hear a more expert opinion. Drums are reasonably expensive, you'd have to buy them in pairs to make sure the brakes are balanced, and you'd also need to replace the shoes at the same time to match, so it adds up, but it depends how bad the pitting is.

Anthony

[groutledge]

Try Sejoc www.sejoc.co.uk ( I think ). I have their Wilwood big front brkae kit with Green stuff pads and the rears use Green s. shoes too. I had a proble with the rears breaking up under track conditions so they sold me a pair of drilled drums which did the trick. much nicer than rthe standard drums as they are completely machined.

 

Graham

[buroz]

Groutledge, not being funny, but what do you mean by 'having problems with the rears breaking up'?

I too have considered putting GreenStuff shoes in as well, but figured that thyere wasn't much point. Do you think that they have made a difference? Or is it all down to the drums them selves?