How Does Brake Drums Work?
A wheel end brake drum is a cylindrical drum that is attached top the inside of a car’s wheel, and so rotates at the same speed as the wheel. The wheel end brake drum surrounds a set of brake shoes that are coated in materials that generate friction.
When the brake pedal is pressed, these shoes are pushed outwards against the inner surface of the wheel end brake drum, generating friction and so slowing the car down. An iron casting brake drum is usually made of iron, rendering it resistant to wear. Iron casting brake drum have been around since 1900, when they were used on a Maybach vehicle, although the idea wasn’t patented until 1902 by Louis Renault. However, drum brakes can be susceptible to heat generation, which can have an adverse effect on braking performance.
Their main advantage is that they require less hydraulic pressure to stop your vehicle because the brake shoes tend to screw themselves into the iron casting brake drums after the pistons in the wheel cylinders push them there.
Automotive brake drum castings are hollow steel cylinders located in back of each wheel. Because the lug bolts that go through them are the same as the ones that go through the wheels of your vehicle, the wheel end brake drum turn when the wheels turn. If you keep your brakes in good condition and replace your brake linings before they become too worn, your automotive brake drum castings should last for the life of your vehicle. If drums become worn, they can be "reground" or "turned" to a smooth surface — unless they're worn more than their manufacturer's recommendation (usually more than .060 of an inch), in which case the drums must be replaced.
We are a company specializing in the production of auto parts and have cooperated with many domestic and foreign buyers. If you need to replace your automotive brake drum casting, please contact us. We have a professional R&D team that can produce and design wheel end brake drums of different sizes and models for you. At the same time, we also have a professional after-sales team that can provide you with technical support.