Posted by Brian (IP: 206.190.168.137) on August 12, 1999 at 08:02:37:
In Reply to: conflicting reports on discs... posted by stuart on August 11, 1999 at 21:54:12:
Last Friday I was on southbound I-75 going down to my families business. I was going about 70 mph in the fast lane and was about 9-10 cars behind the one in front of me (who was tailgating a Ford Windstar). Well, the Windstar stood on his brake pedal pretty damned hard and the car in front of me was all over the road trying not too hit him. At the same time I was on my brake pedal, with drums on my '74, and had closed the distance too about 6 car lengths, with traffic in front of me slowing quickly to a stop. That would have been just fine if the three cars in the middle lane were paying attention and STAYED IN THEIR LANE. With the three idiots who had just made the remarkably stupid decision to change into a lane with traffic coming to a standstill, they were now standing on their brakes. My breathing room was all but gone. Needless to say I saw all of the time and effort I've put into my car flash before my eyes. Since there were cars getting really close up front and an F-350 next to me, my only option was too put my Maverick in the grass. Traffic had come to a complete stop. I stopped, in the grass, next to the second car in front of me. If I'd had my disc brake conversion done I feel I would have had a much better chance at stopping while still on the road instead of taking my car four wheelin'. Sorry to be so long winded, just trying to give an example of a close encounter of the not so fun kind. In short I guess I could have said anyone who thinks drums are as good as discs needs to get their ass out of the 1950's and realize that disc brakes have saved the lives of an untold number of people, whom, probably would have been killed if their car had drum brakes on it. Step into reality people, drum brakes suck.
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: After hanging around this board a while and having a little experience driving my comet, I decided to put in disc brakes. Everyone seemed to be behind that as an almost necessary step, and I definitely felt it when panic braking. So I did the swap, which was a pretty damn big deal for me, having no mechanical experiance at all. I took it to my mechanic after finishing, just because I really don't trust myself yet. He bitched me out for doing it, saying that discs aren't going to stop it any better, that I wasted my money, that doing it myself was like a medic doing brain surgery. I trust him, to an extent, because he's always done a good job, but on the other hand you guys really seem to know what you're talking about, and have more experience with mavs/comets. Not that I'm changing anything, I'd just like to put my mind to rest on the matter. opinions wanted. thanks