Question about diesel brakes

[pweekly]

Hi all. While researching new diesel coaches, I notice most just specify ABS braking systems. I assumed all had air brakes but saw the following as a feature.

Full Air Front Discs & Rear Drum Anti-Lock Brakes

Is this a good thing or bad thing to have drum brakes on the tear or is it how it is? Thanks for any insight.
Trish

[slemnah]

According to this article the disc brake setup adds about 100lbs per axle over drum brakes.

http://www.truckinginfo.com/article/story/2014/07/brake-trends-drums-vs-discs.aspx?utm_campaign=Headline-News-20140718&utm_source=Email&utm_medium=Enewsletter&btm_ea=c2xlbW5haEBzYmNnbG9iYWwubmV0

[mpierce]

slemnah wrote:
Many new tractor trailer trucks still use drum brakes all the way around. I was just reading that many trucking companies order them that way because of the additional weight and cost of the air disc brake system. Drums work great, just make sure the adjusters are properly adjusted and that the grease seals aren't leaking.

Disc brakes are lighter, not heavier than drums. They do cost more.

[slemnah]

Many new tractor trailer trucks still use drum brakes all the way around. I was just reading that many trucking companies order them that way because of the additional weight and cost of the air disc brake system. Drums work great, just make sure the adjusters are properly adjusted and that the grease seals aren't leaking.

[Sully2]

dons2346 wrote:

Peralko wrote:

dons2346 wrote:

Peralko wrote:
..........Country Coach went to front disc brakes in the late 90's, and in 2008 switched to all disc brakes.......

Not correct

Well, excuuuuse me! I should have specified Country Coaches--Allures on up.

Even then you are still wrong. My '02 Intrigue still has drum brakes on the front and rear as do other coaches of the era. I don't know when the change over started but definitely not when you stated.

So, you are excused :B

My Allure is a 2000 model year....drums all around...

[Peralko]

OK, if you want to get the real skinny, Affinitys and Magnas went front disc in 2000, so I was off by a year, so sue me! Intrigues went front disc in 2007 starting with coach #12119. Allures, Intrigues, Magans and Affinitys went all disc in 2008. As far as I know Inspires never got disc brakes, and I would imagine the same for Tributes.

[dons2346]

Peralko wrote:

dons2346 wrote:

Peralko wrote:
..........Country Coach went to front disc brakes in the late 90's, and in 2008 switched to all disc brakes.......

Not correct

Well, excuuuuse me! I should have specified Country Coaches--Allures on up.

Even then you are still wrong. My '02 Intrigue still has drum brakes on the front and rear as do other coaches of the era. I don't know when the change over started but definitely not when you stated.

So, you are excused :B

[Peralko]

dons2346 wrote:

Peralko wrote:
..........Country Coach went to front disc brakes in the late 90's, and in 2008 switched to all disc brakes.......

Not correct

Well, excuuuuse me! I should have specified Country Coaches--Allures on up.

[mpierce]

A lot of semis have gone to disc front, drum rear. All are air brakes.

[Tinstar]

Not all diesel's have air brakes. My Allegro Bus has hydraulic disk all the way around and they work fine.

[dons2346]

Peralko wrote:
..........Country Coach went to front disc brakes in the late 90's, and in 2008 switched to all disc brakes.......

Not correct

[pweekly]

Ok Perfect. I love the way my Mandalay stops, so this wouldn't be a bad thing to have the disc/drum combo. Thanks so much everybody.

[Mandalay_Parr]

My Mandalay has front disk and rear drum, all air if course.
It is built on a heavy duty Freightliner truck chassis.

[Canadian_Rainbi]

pweekly wrote:
Thank you for the information. I appreciate learning from you all. I wonder what my Mandalay has? (2005 Freightliner/Cummins 400hp). It stops on a dime and has an exhaust brake as well. We just didn't know if that was standard to have half air/disk and half drum, all drum or all air and what is preferable. Does anyone know what Tiffin Allegro Bus has Thanks again.

You will have air brakes all the way round. The drum brakes are air brakes.

[wolfe10]

Not aware of any "sub-par" braking systems on DP's.

There are:
air drum/drum
air disk/drum
air disk/disk
hydraulic over hydraulic disk/disk
air over hydraulic disk/disk

All are well-proven systems. Yes, "care and feeding" varies depending on what you have.

And, your Cummins L may have an exhaust brake, or it could have an engine compression brake-- both were available on the L engine.