4 wheel Discs and other Options-2013 SE

[Pretherius]

This topic has been beaten to death so many times.

You will not appreciately improve stopping distance with rear discs. If you want quicker stops, you need tires that stop better, not disc brakes.

Fade also is a non-issue unless you're racing.

Working on the brakes is the single biggest benefit of rear discs. To me, for $1600, you can have the rear drum brakes completely and professionally replaced at 4 or 5 times with brand new drums for that kind of money, which is probably more than you will need throughout the entire life of the car.

And keep in mind that even if you do change out your own disc brakes, parts aren't free (you're not going to do a swap for under $100 with rotors unless you use garbage parts).

Bottom line: It's not worth it for the performance. Spend the money on rubber. If you just need it for the looks or the status or whatever, that's your call.

[RonMaiden]

If you drive hard then get the discs since the drums have bene reported by car rags to heat up quick and creates a dangerous situation with leaving almost all the braking duty to the front wheels. From a performance standpoint it is a big difference and for me I wasn't willing to compromise.

[Tiger-Heli]

I agree with Pretherious.

The front brakes do 80% of the stopping after weight transfer in any case.

I don't think you will notice any difference in real world between disc and drum brakes.

That said - discs are easier to work on - plus you can see the amount of lining remaining without having to pull the drums (and maybe the rear wheel bearings) - so if you have the option of either one for about the same money (a 2012 SE Sport appearance vs. a 2013 Base SE), the discs would be preferred.

[thenorm]

the average driver will notice no difference in performance.

therfore its a matter of looks, or ease of maintenance.

[Philxx]

Hey RonMaiden: Interesting point can you point me to the reference you mention? Thanks.

Hey Pretherius: I agree with your analysis if it was just the discs for $1600 but I'm still pondering if the discs plus sat radio, touring suspension, 17" alloy wheels, fog lights etc is worth that much. I'm leaning towards yes but still haven't decided for sure. Appreciate your comments.

Phil

[I Bleed Ford Blue]

I live in the midwest also, and I will not ever own another vehicle with rear drum brakes. Disc brakes by design, are self cleaning. You can even get them wet and they still work, drums on the other hand will lose about 75% of their braking capacity when wet until you dry them out.

All 3 of my current fords have 4 wheel discs, both trucks had them, the 08 fusion, the 05 explorer had them too. The last vehicle I drove that had rear drums was an 01 cavalier, and those brakes sucked in the winter. They were always getting wet in the winter, not to mention they got road salt in there too. I had to replace the rear drums and shoes every spring the whole time I owned it.

[thenorm]

Originally Posted by I Bleed Ford Blue

I live in the midwest also, and I will not ever own another vehicle with rear drum brakes. Disc brakes by design, are self cleaning. You can even get them wet and they still work, drums on the other hand will lose about 75% of their braking capacity when wet until you dry them out.

they dry out in moments.
converting vehicle motion into heat will boil the water pretty fast. and your brakes get hot!, That why you brake fluid needs to withstand almost 500°F (260°C)

[sirhawkeye]

yes, i agree that they do get this "rusty" film on them when moisture is present (the disc brakes do), but I'd be more concerned about excessive the dust trapped in drum brakes causing issues with the ability of the pads to do their job. I do like the idea with the discs that they do sort of clean themselves (at least as far as excess brake dust goes). The thin layer of moisture/rust, I can deal with because it usually goes away after a few stops anyway.

I think the beneifts of discs outweight the drums in my opinion. I will only take a car with drum brakes if it's given to me or if the car is a huge steal compared to one with disc brakes. but aside from that, I probably won't buy another car again with rear drum brakes, ABS or not.

[RonMaiden]

Alot of it does come down to keeping cost down using drums but there's no arguing which is better but if you drive with a little spirit the discs are much more rewarding and last longer.

Article exerpt-----------
Which ones are Better?
Disc brakes operate better than drum brakes because of the difference in dissipation of heat in both systems. While drum brakes get overheated due to the heat trapped inside the drum, the rotor cools faster and offers better braking ability. Today most cars have a combination of both brakes in their functioning. Front wheels are fitted with disc brakes and rear wheels are fitted with drum brakes. There are high-end cars that come with disc brakes fitted in all wheels. Drum brakes are cheaper than disc brakes. A combination of the two braking system helps in keeping the price of a car to be reasonable, while offering adequate braking ability. If you opt for disk brakes, there is a lesser risk of frequent problems.

The choice in fact is quite simple and opting for disc brakes is always the better decision as they offer better service in a wide range of driving conditions and also last longer.

[RonMaiden]

IMO the look alone is worth the price;drums are one thing on a car that screams cheapness and is why drums are still being offered.