Brake job proficiency is a sort of status symbol among do-it-yourself truckers, indicating a grade of mechanical expertise that commands awe among greenhorns and respect from seasoned professionals.

Drum brakes, shown in Figure 14-5, are the oldest type of brakes still on the road. Their main advantage is that they require less hydraulic pressure to stop your vehicle because the brake shoes tend ...

Drum brakes aren't the pinnacle of technology, but ya gotta admit they sure do look good on a traditional-style hot rod. I've run front drums on the majority of the cars and trucks I've built over the ...

With drum brakes, a hydraulic cylinder/piston complement between two brake shoes then pushes each shoe outward and into contact with the inner surface of the rotating drum. The brake shoe lining ...

The following was published in CCJ's Air Brake Book, 11th edition, sponsored by SilverbackHD. CCJ's Air Brake Book is a complementary industry resource, courtesy of our partnership with SilverbackHD, ...

There are lots of things to love about old trucks, they certainly have vintage charm and look cool, but underneath the sheetmetal is a chassis that's just as vintage and not nearly as cool. Throw an ...

We talked about the wide world of disc brakes in our previous look at brake systems. Now let’s jump into the dark arts of drum brakes. Because there are generally more moving parts with a drum brake ...

You might not give your car’s brakes much thought until they cause a problem, but there’s a whole world of things happening every time you press the brake pedal. Though most cars today come equipped ...

Just as your gas mileage will vary depending on where and how you drive, so it goes with the life of brake pads (or brake shoes), the friction material that gets pressed against a metal disc (rotor) ...

I used to fear working on the brake systems of my vehicles because of how vital they are in avoiding becoming one with other cars on the road. If you don’t have knowledge on your side along with some ...