10 replies to this topic

[Bob_R]

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Please give your topic a title that quickly describes your problem. Just putting 'Help my Mini doesn't work' is useless to anyone trying to help.
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Any non-standard parts that might be involved with the problem?
Clubman Estate 1098cc 1980.

Hi all,
Just pondering the pros and cons of sticking with the original drum set up. I want to keep as much as possible original. It's a long while since I drove anything with front drums, and that was a morris traveller and had no stopping power at all. Does anyone still run front drums? I'm not going to be increasing power or attempting speed records. But it would be nice to think it'll stop when I ask it to.

Cheers
Bob

[jameswhiles]

I run drums and despite what everybody says about them they really aren't that bad! BUT once they have got hot then you will wish you have discs! For every day driving they are absolutely fine. As you said you aren't going to be trying to break records with it

[ibrooks]

Size for size a drum will be better at stopping the car than a disc. It's all about surface area at a distance from the rotational centre. Look a the amount of friction material on a shoe and compare it to a pad - and all that area is at pretty much the outside edge of the brake.

Where drums fall down are two areas. They aren't self adjusting like a disc setup - numerous manufacturers have tried clever ratchet mechanisms but they seldom work well. Drums don't get rid of as much heat as discs and too much heat will stop both setups from working.

Keep them adjusted for the first problem and drive accordingly for the second one (use engine braking and anticipation to do most of your slowing down without using the brakes so that when the unexpected happens and you need them they are ready and working).

Iain

[Rabtmac]

Running drums on mine too and no problems stopping.
I've got an uncle who drove trucks all his life for a living (he's 93 now)
Told me once that all the things he's driven no matter what weight had drums on them and he never had a problem stopping. So a Mini should stop easily.
Just keep them in good order and drive safely.

[Bungle]

depends what you want from your mini

drums are fine if you drive your car normally and will only suffer fade if driven hard

the only other disadvantage over disks is they need more regular adjustment

[minidaves]

drums require more maintance than discs, but if in good order and you drive within the limits they are fine

dave

[minim@t]

Stick with drums,

atleast you wont have to clean your wheels as often......

[Bob_R]

Many thanks for all your comments. Really helpful. I will refurbish my drums and refit them.
I intend driving this mini with great care, especialy as it's panning out to be an 18 month project.

Cheers again
Bob

[bmcecosse]

Nothing wrong with Morris Traveller drum brakes ! Mine work very well indeed - but they are 9" diameter...
Mini front drums are fine too - better if they are the wider twin leading shoe variety. They should lock the front wheels on a dry road at 30 mph if working correctly. Just don't expect them to do that over and over again without a chance to cool. Some fit the alloy 'Minifins' to help with heat dissipation. And of course there certainly used to be 'harder' linings available - Ferodo VG95 was the favourite, although I dare say there are others now.

[ado15]

Your phrase 'stopping power' needs expanding really. With properly maintained drum brakes, even on your old Morris Traveller, you can lock the front brakes when you stamp on the pedal. This is the most braking 'power' you can achieve. And the point just before they lock gives the greatest vehicle retardation. If you increase the friction with the road surface by fitting wider or stickier tyres, the ability to lock the wheels is reduced. In this case, different brakes might improve the braking 'power'.

If, however, you considered the Traveller to require a lot of pedal effort to slow the car, then a servo is what you need. This will reduce the pedal effort required to achieve the same force at the wheels. i.e. giving the car a more modern feel.

Edited by ado15, 11 March 2011 - 04:32 PM.

[D 'n A]

I can second that,

I added a remote servo to my single line brakedrum setup just this week. And it does brake a lot better, not harder, but more feelig in what you are doing, at 1/10th of the effort.

Might I suggest to add braided hoses, instead of the stock rubber ones. Nice to have an original car, but safety first...

For normal use the drumbrakes are just fine, like said above.