[Healeys] Drum Brakes

[Steve Gerow]

IMHO the basic issue with advanced drum brakes is complexity (i.e. cost). 

 

Late '50s early '60s Alfas had aluminum alfin drums with diagonal fins with
cast-in steel liners and cast aluminum triple-leading shoes. That's 6
cylinders on the fronts alone.

 

The ATE discs Alfa and Porsche adopted provided equivalent or better
stopping power at less complexity and cost. I heard later Porsche's reason
for going with discs was cost.

 

As a side note, In the '70s, Phil Hill said the drums on Grand Prix cars
would go away part way through the race; in combination with burning up 60
gallons of fuel in a rear tank, this made for pretty interesting handling.

 

--

 

Steve Gerow

Altadena, CA, USA

BN6

Check out my galleries:

http://www.pbase.com/stevegerow/

 

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