Why do mid size utes have drum brakes and leaf springs

[user 10312]

With the mid size ute manufacturers trying to make there dual cab utes in particular an alternative to the family sedan, it amazes me they stick with rear leaf springs and drum brakes.

Why is that, any thoughts?

 

[joshman]

Cheap and effective?

 

[Leprechaun]

Cheap and effective?

Yep and suckers like us keep buying the P.O.S.

 

[Blacknav]

As Josh has already said, it probably has a lot to do with cost, manufacturing setups already in place and people are still happily buying rear leaf sprung utes(yes i know there's not many alternatives available).

 

[gunning1987]

Drum brakes are more efficient when loaded as well with leaf springs carry weight better then coils. At the end of the day there a work car not a family car.

 

[Old.Tony]

+1 on the work vehicle idea, but I still wish I had rear disc brakes.

When reversing with a heavy load down a steep incline I have to keep my speed to an absolute minimum. Anything over about 5km/h and the rear drums shit themselves and won't bring the vehicle to a stop.

Since 70% of the braking force comes from the forward pair of wheels (front wheels when going forward, rear wheels when in reverse) I think it's not a very good idea to put such weak brakes into a vehicle that we're highly likely to take into extreme situations.

If I could change my drums over to the discs off an R51 I would.

 

[Krankin]

Drum brakes are more efficient when loaded as well with leaf springs carry weight better then coils. At the end of the day there a work car not a family car.

thats it

 

[Dave]

The rear brakes do shit all anyways. Thats why they use drums and there cheap.

Leaf springs are better for heavy loads and handle the weight better when loaded up.

 

[joshman]

The rear brakes do shit all anyways. Thats why they use drums and there cheap.

Apart from being your handbrake...

I consider that pretty important!

 

[Dave]

True that, but drums are better then disk brake handbrake setups anyways.

 

[robmacca]

Has anyone looked at doing a rear disc brake conversion?

I know with the little zooks, there is a disc brake conversion that people do.... which mainly helps when it comes to cleaning up after going through mud, etc..... With the Drums, u have to pull off the drum to clean after going through mud/muddy water, where as discs are a lot easier to clean.

 

[Dion]

That has been discussed in another thread. There is no known way to do it, as no model in Aus has a C200 rear axle with discs. It could potentially be done using bits from a Terrano, but that would require that the axle flange patterns just happen to be the same.

 

[tweak'e]

+1 on the work vehicle idea, but I still wish I had rear disc brakes.

When reversing with a heavy load down a steep incline I have to keep my speed to an absolute minimum. Anything over about 5km/h and the rear drums shit themselves and won't bring the vehicle to a stop.

Since 70% of the braking force comes from the forward pair of wheels (front wheels when going forward, rear wheels when in reverse) I think it's not a very good idea to put such weak brakes into a vehicle that we're highly likely to take into extreme situations.

If I could change my drums over to the discs off an R51 I would.

i can't say i've had any problems with heavy loads. the problem is not the rear brakes but rather lack of traction on the front wheels.
the trick is to put it into 4x4 so front brakes slow the whole drive train.

 

[Old.Tony]

i can't say i've had any problems with heavy loads. the problem is not the rear brakes but rather lack of traction on the front wheels.
the trick is to put it into 4x4 so front brakes slow the whole drive train.

Now I KNOW you know how I feel about 4WD on solid surfaces. In particular, the particular place I had this difficulty was a driveway that rose up about a 30 degree incline and turned sharp right at the top. There was no room at the top to turn the Navara around, so I had to reverse down. Not the best place for 4WD mode although I could have stopped once on the straight section and engaged it.

I'll remember that in future, thanks for the tip!

 

[Bluenavara]

I've driven a US spec V6 Frontier with discs all round back to back with my own D40, and the difference in braking performance is absolutely zero. And the diesel D40 is even a few pounds heavier.

No sense in going for a 1000+USD rear disc conversion, IMO.