Bill,
I must disagree with your take on drum brakes. I've been in rigs with drum brakes and the stopping power is quite good with and without vacuum boost from the engine. As the shoes wear the contact surface shouldn't lessen any as the shoes would be conforming with the drum. Now on a fullsize vehicle with adjustable wheel cylinders, if not periodically adjusted then a shoe will wear unEvenly, but in my experience I've Never seen brake shoes that were making only partial contact. I think disc brakes require more boost for the very reason of smaller surface area.

Would I choose disc over drum? On a fullsize rig yes no doubt. As many miles as one gets driven it's way more convenient not to have to do periodic adjustments. On my KQ maybe not. I like the stopping power I have with what's on it, and haven't had any problems.

Incidentally, in an earlier post I mentioned how my manual showed a non-sealed rear brake as opposed to my sealed unit. Well I found the sealed rear brake under the section for the 1991 models so apparently that's when they upgraded.

John

 

John,
I cant speak for the big rigs because I have no experience on them,however,throughout my MANY yrs of servicing drum style brakes on cars trucks and a few ATVs,this uneven shoe wear is extremely appearant.The working concept of having only one wheel cyclinder at the top or the bottom of the shoes plays a huge factor in this uneven shoe wear.The shoes either push out against the drums on the top or bottom when the brakes are applied,or wherever the wheel cyclinder is located.Nor have I EVER seen a drum style brake with an adjustable wheel cylinder like you explained.Most wheel cyclinders have an adjuster to adjust the shoes closer to the drums,but NOT on the wheel cyclinder itself.

I beleive that Disk brakes require more pressure to stop because the piston size is generally 3 times larger than a wheel cyclinder.I think that the disk size has little to do with brake pressure,I could be wrong?

Bill

 

Bill,
When I said rigs I didn't mean big rigs, just vehicles in general. Land Cruiser, IH Scout, Jeep are some of the 'rigs" I've had around with drum brakes.

By adjustable wheel cylinders I was recalling recent experience with Land Cruisers. Their wheel cylinders have a threaded portion that adjusts the shoes in and out.

About single cyl. drums, the shoe does "float" inside the drum which helps wear. On my KQ the majority of the shoe's wear ( by a small amount ) wasn't at either end but in the middle. That's natural since the radius of the shoe's core is smaller than that of the drum.

The Suzuki service manual says check shoes every 600 miles. If I were an extreme mud rider, it wouldn't surprise me if I had to service brakes more often.

John

ps. my comment about disc requiring more pressure was only based on my experience of having used discs without the benefit of vacuum boost or power compared to using manual drum brakes. The manual drums required less effort. Both vehicles were FJ40 Land Cruisers.

 

Excuse me guys, I have to go up north now. When I get back I will have a new out look on brakes because Bill, will talk me to death if I don't.
Thanks,
Chuck

 

John,
I certainly cant disagree with you because I have never worked on ANY of the vehicles you mentioned above.I sure would like to see an adjustable wheel cyclinder on one of those mentioned vehicles,it sounds like a great concept to me.

Have a great wk end.Chuck[Ecorman] and I are headed on a Poker run out of town,chat to you late Sunday,

Bill

 

OK, we're back from the Poker Run, which occurred up north!
Is this thread done?
Well, Bill, didn't change my mind about the drum brakes. We did'nt discuss the subject once. We were too busy having fun riding. There was only one King Quad there and my brakes worked fine the whole time. We mannaged to put on 220 plus miles in three days, depending on whom you talk to. Seems, everybody's odometer's read differently. Enough...
I'm sticking to my story, I'd like to see drum rear and disc front but I don't think anybody at Suzuki's listening. They obviously make too much money... Or I suppose I could be wrong-- Nope!
Chuck

 

Chuck,
Take a look at robh's post.

 

In case you didnt already now it, they aer putting disc breaks on them for 2002. They also are making them to start in gear too. I put a link up in antother post under Suzuki forms. Rob

 

Chuck mentioned about doing 220 plus miles on the drum style brakes up north over the week end,and he did'nt encounter any braking problems.I dont think anyone expects the KQ to have drum braking problems when the quad spent the entire wk end out of the mud.

NOW,
come on up here this coming Sunday at the Mounds and play in the MUD with me all afternoon,than tell me how much you like your drum style brakes?

Im glad to hear that Suzuki is FINALLY going to upgrade the newer model Kings with disk.

Bill

 

Thanks guys! I guess I wasn't the only one complaining about those front drums. I wonder if there's a kit to modify earlier model KQ, for the disc fronts.
The "Start in any gear" feature, I have a problem with. I don't want the grand kids to start the bike when I'm not around. Right now, I can leave it in gear, they can get on and play with the key but it won't start. Once they get old enough to understand how to start the unit, I will consider the "start in gear" feature. If the 2002 model is coming out with this, then there must be a safety mode, where, if you're in gear and turn the key to start, the quad won't take off on you. Anybody know how this works?
I'll try to come out this weekend Bill but I can't tell right now. Sure, I'd like to mud this weekend if I can get the "honey does" done.
Chuck