Drum brakes on the playa?

[teardropper]

Does anyone have any experience with drum brakes? I'm talking about brakes for bikes or trikes. I seem to remember hearing somebody talking about how they work in the dust.

[motskyroonmatick]

My Golf Cart drum brakes worked fine. No noticeable difference.
My guess is that they will not be affected unless they are already way out of adjustment or worn to the point of nearly not working. A small can of pressurized air would be good in the tool kit if you are concerned and would like to blow them out a couple times during the event.

[teardropper]

OK, good. Got a trike, and it has no rear brake. Never did. Yeah, I know... Anyway, I am putting a hub electric motor on the front wheel, so it will have to have a rear brake. I found one in a go cart site, my size shaft and keyed, that I think I can make work, just wanted to make sure it would. Thanks...

[motskyroonmatick]

Cool. Good luck with the project.

[ygmir]

I can't see any problem with drum brakes, especially at the speeds used there. friction, is friction. I'd probably not use a backing plate,though, so what dust does accumulate, can easily get out the bottom, or blown out.

[TT120]

I don't think the Playa dust will be an issue. There's already brake dust in there.

[teardropper]

friction, is friction..

Yeah, I'd normally just use some lube...

Oh wait -- we're talkin' brakes...

[gyre]

Why not disc brakes?

There are some available that work with hubmotors too.

[oneeyeddick]

Because he is asking about drum brakes, look at the title of this thread.

[gyre]

Is this a drum circle thing?


I see hundreds of retrofit kits for brakes these days, almost always for disc brakes now.
There is the exception of some emergency brake kits.
I even recall an emergency brake kit for drive shafts using a disc brake, very adaptable for other things.

My cheapo playa bike even has discs.

Drums will certainly work if you can fit them, and some are sealed against dust or water, which is the only plus I know of, other than the low pressure needed to use some of them.

They used to be preferred for some off road applications on bikes.
Elliot or some of the other bike geniuses will know if they still exist for bikes.

[teardropper]

OK, a drum because I have a keyed 5/8" live axle and this drum fits. All the discs I've seen, so far, are for larger axles. Mounting it, or anything, will be the next problem. Also, I thought that the drum might be easier to pull than a disc with a hand lever. I have thought that drum brakes are a bit self energizing, that the motion of the drum on the shoes multiplies. This model trike, a Worksman, was made for a warehouse, and has a front brake only, never had a back brake. I wrote them to ask and they were a little offended when I suggested it was not a good idea to make a trike without a rear brake. They still sell them this way. They offered to sell me a coaster brake, which they thought might be difficult to install -- various alignment issues -- but that was about $125. The drum is about $40 and I'll still have the some modifications to make it work, ie: some kind of bracket brazed or welded on. While the speeds are low on the playa, I thought I might use this in my other life...

[Elorrum]

my trike axle kit came with what it calls a roller brake. I don't know if that's like a drum brake. It squeaks like heck, but works. It won't lay down rubber or anything, but no accidents so far! Unjon told me to never ever ever put lube in it, just blow it out when I get home. um, so after two years and not cleaning it out... it still works o.k.

[teardropper]

my trike axle kit came with what it calls a roller brake.

What is this 'roller brake' you speak of...?

[Elorrum]

I'll ask Sheldon Brown:
Rollerbrake ®
A Shimano trademark for a variant form of hand-operated drum brake. It uses a ring of rollers pushed outward by a cam to engage the brake shoe with the drum. The cam is operated by a cable from a hand lever.

I guess it is a drum brake. huh.