I was thinking of converting my front drum brakes to disc on my 57 olds but I think I will leave it alone. It stops fine for normal driving and alot cheaper than these disc conversion kits cost. I also like my stock wheels which I have been told you have to change out.

 

Maybe later on I will.

 

Indeed.

- Eric

 

Ott's Friction Supply has premium Abex lining material that will help drum brake performance.

 

Thanks for the info, I think I'll keep the drums on the car. Good enough for normal driving

 

For what its worth, I still run drums all around and have no intentions of changing over.

 

They work fine I'm sure, as do mine. Just normal driving, they do work fine

 

Until you drive through a deep water puddle, like I did almost weekly when I lived on the S.E. Texas / S.W Louisiana Gulf Coast. I think Fred Flintstone could stop faster than my car did with wet drum brakes.

 

I drag race with drums all around still

 

I also drive with drums on the 55. They aren't as good as disks but if you stay on top of things they are perfectly adequate. We drove for 60 years with them and MOST survived.

Keep in mind if you do go with a disk brake kit at some time remember a tredal vac will not support a disk brake system so figure a new master and booster in on the price of your conversion.... Tedd

PS. or did Oldsmobile go to a master and booster In 57? Been a while sense I owned a 57.... Tedd

 

I love in southern California, so I am not worried about rain puddles. We don't get much rain here and don't drive it in the rain

 

I know I would have to purchase master as well, like you said the drums are adequate and a whole lot cheaper. The kit conversion is about 1400.00 dollars

 

That's because you have to dry them.

It used to be a standard point during Drivers' Ed class: Immediately after driving through a deep puddle, you have to apply the brakes gently for a moment, until they begin to catch, and then you're fine.

- Eric

 

I agree, standing water is an issue sometimes. Knowing how to drive with drums and maintaining proper distances in inclement weather is mandatory. If we're going to worry about all the safety issues we might as well drive a late model car.

 

We have been driving on drums for decades and they have been fine. Look at all these knuckle heads in their new fast cars and crash out of control and kill themselves and other people. All with modern brake systems,doesn't matter

 

Thats a manufacturing defect thats called the elusive "loose nut behind the wheel". Very hard to troubleshoot and correct and usually does not end well.

 

I remember an article in a circle track or stock car magazine some time ago which had a drum vs. disc brake article. Smokey Yunick took the side for drums. Drums stop my 66 from 119 mph pretty well and lots of strips don't have real long shut down areas.

 

Yeah, ONCE...

Drums expand away from the shoes when hot, causing brake fade. Rotors expand TOWARDS the pads when hot. Street driving (and braking) requirements are completely different than those of a drag strip car. Drum brakes make a lot of sense on a track-only car, as they are both lighter than disks and can be adjusted "loose" to minimize drag. We all know about the rare manual drum brake option on the 1970 W-30 cars for exactly this reason. Street cars don't want this.

 

My '68 has drums and my '69 has the factory option disc brakes up front. Oh, what a difference! My wife won't even drive the '68 because the disc brakes on the '69 are so much smoother. But for as little driving (and very easy driving, I might add), that either of these cars get, I'll leave them the way they came from the factory.

Randy C.

EDIT: And, as you can see, the tires I got stick quite well to the road!

 

Not often I disagree with you Joe, but i do in this case.
I was taught that it is heat, particularly a drum brake systems problems dissipating heat, that causes fade. Normal braking systems work by turning kinetic energy into heat energy. Regenerative braking and "Jake Brake" systems are another matter not relevant here.
Drums will expand when they are heated, but so will brake shoes, that may lead to longer pedal travel, but not any significant reduction in braking effect. Badly faded brakes sometimes "grabbed" onto the drum and caused binding in somme cars.
But, for normal driving properly adjusted drum brakes work very well until they are subject to hard use such as frequent heavy braking when driven hard, or descending a mountain pass for example.
Disc brakes aren't immune to fade, but generally stand up to hard use better than drums. Modern cars have brakes that are a vast improvement on the cars of the Fins'n'chrome and Muscle Car eras.

Roger.

 

I agree. The issue I had wasn't really "a" puddle but when the entire street for blocks on end was flooded above the curb level. Not really any chance of drying the brakes, just had to drive slowly. It's a totally different experience with drum vs disc brakes.

 

Disc brakes won't work well in that scenario either Kenneth.

 

They work a whole lot better than drums. I had years of experience comparing the difference between my 70 hardtop and 71 convertible.

 

Thanks for all the opinions out there. I think I will keep my 57 olds with drums upfront. It stops well for normal driving and cruising. Years ago I restored a 58 olds which was a daily driver for 4 years and never had any trouble with the drums.

 

Just keep them in good shape/correctly adjusted and they're fine.
I run drums all around at the street and strip. No problems at all and they're manual too.

Of course discs are better but I feel most problems with drums (and the bad rep) comes from people using worn-out parts or badly adjusted/installed parts.

For example: when I refurbished my brake system I found out both front primary shoes were on the right side and both secondary shoes on the left! No wonder the car pulled to the left during braking

Another favourite: Someone replaces 40 year old drums for brand new discs and goes on about how much better discs are. Sure, but you don't think the fact that the drum brakes were totally shot 15 years ago has anything to do with it?

 

I agree, mine have all new parts and I have never had a problem, and a whole lot cheaper

 

Drum brakes are adequate for a cruiser. Frequently driven muscle cars that spend time in traffic can benefit from disc brakes.


I put the disc brakes on my drag car when I started going over 118 mph. Like the piece of mind now that I am tickling 123 mph. Manual discs though.