Mini trucks use two types of brakes: the disc and the drum. The working principles of the two differ, but when combined for a mini truck, they deliver the best performance. This guide focuses on the two braking systems your mini truck uses.

Disc Brakes vs Drum Brakes – Which is Better on a Mini Truck?

Disc Brake

Modern vehicles use this kind of brakes. The disc brakes are either mounted on a car’s front or rear axle and have a caliper with brake pads that grabs the disc if engaged. Some vehicles, especially the high-performance ones, have disc brakes on the four wheels, while most cars only have disc brakes on the front wheels. 

Why this? The weight of most vehicles is in the front because of the engine, and when they are empty, a more significant percentage of the weight goes to the front part. Whenever brakes are applied, the weight of the vehicle shifts to the front, and more braking power is required in front, making the disc brakes preferred. 

Advantages of Disc Brakes

1. They have a high braking power regardless of the disc’s size, which makes them effectively stop the mini truck at high speed.
2. They are open and can emit heat to the surrounding.
3. Their openness makes them resistant to retaining unwanted materials such as rust.
4. They never lock up when applied at high speed because they use ABS. 

Disadvantages of Disc Brake

1. They are expensive to produce and install. 
2. They can make the mini truck skid and even lock tires if the ABS is faulty.
3. It requires regular checks and replacement.
4. They can fail if air gets into the master cylinder.

Drum Brakes

Drum brakes have been an ancient braking system in the motoring industry for decades. Heavy and light-duty trucks, vans, and regular small cars use a drum braking system, especially on the rear wheels. The drum brakes do not use brake pads; instead, it has a wheel cylinder having pistons that push the brake shoes against the moving brake drum. The contact between the brake shoes and the drum slows down the wheels. 

Advantages of Drum Brakes

1. They are cheap to produce and install.
2. They require little force to stop the vehicle.
3. They can comfortably lodge the parking brakes.
4. It is easy to service the wheel cylinders.

Disadvantages of Drum Brakes

1. It overheats, and the metallic parts are prone to expansion.
2. It is prone to rust because it is closed and collects unwanted materials.
3. They wear out fast because of the high amounts of heat they produce while in action.
4. It has many complex parts which might quickly fail. 

Conclusion: Disc Brakes vs Drum Brakes?

The mini truck uses disc brakes in front and drums brakes on the rear axle. Disc brakes remain superior, but we can’t downplay the drum brakes. The drum brakes are cheap to install and maintain, so they can be a better choice in the long run. Disc brakes, on the other hand, have the best performance.