Disc or drum?

[GoKart800]

Hey guys,
As some of you may know at this point, i am rebuilding a '60 Go Kart 800 with a Mac MC-49 2 stroke on it. the brakes on it are currently the original drums, which work great and deliver great performance, but upon looking on Azusa's site, they not only sell an identical drum assembly, but they also sell the assembly to the original disc brakes, which my kart should have had/ did have (previously to the drums). This lead me to wonder, should i buy new shoes for the current drums it has on it, or should i drop an extra ~$50 and buy the disc assembly for it? i'll post links to both the new drums and the discs below if you want to check them out.

-GK800

Disc
Drum (shoes)
Drum (assembly)

(i'll update this post with pictures of the current setups on the kart when i get home)

 

[GoKart800]

The current setup + the bracket welded in for the disc setup

 

[panchothedog]

If the disc caliper is accuated by a rod or a cable and NOT a hydrolic system,
I would keep the drums. The only kart I own that has mechanical disc brakes leaves a lot to be desired as far as stopping power goes.

 

[GoKart800]

Good to know, thanks.

If the disc caliper is accuated by a rod or a cable and NOT a hydrolic system,
I would keep the drums. The only kart I own that has mechanical disc brakes leaves a lot to be desired as far as stopping power goes.

 

[FlyFrog]

Ive always had better luck with drum breaks even coming down to 2 wheeled machines, also disks are more maintenance

 

[madprofessor]

Drum brakes are less susceptible to partial failure when things get wet, that's why I once chose a drum instead of a disc, but I had nothing but trouble with that drum I put on a high hp minibike. Nothing I could do would prevent a small amount of dragging when released. The max throw wasn't long enough to get that air gap between shoes and drum and still have capability to lock it up at full stopping effort.

 

[FlyFrog]

Drum brakes are less susceptible to partial failure when things get wet, that's why I once chose a drum instead of a disc, but I had nothing but trouble with that drum I put on a high hp minibike. Nothing I could do would prevent a small amount of dragging when released. The max throw wasn't long enough to get that air gap between shoes and drum and still have capability to lock it up at full stopping effort.

ive had drum breaks on a mini bike that goes about 25-35 and it will lock the wheel up no problem, my dirt bike has drums front and back and it will lock the front or rear wheel up, gets scary when you are going 50 and lock the front and rear up because of a deer... ive also had good luck with band breaks too

 

[Cartinfun]

I have to get a new live axle kit from GPS and was leaning toward a disc brake. My kart came with a drum, so you all think I should stick with drum?

OP did you get yours done?

 

[panchothedog]

If you are going to go disc, make it hydrolic. Could be difficult considering that your kart didn't come equipped that way. You will have to fabricate a mount for the master cylinder as well as a way to actuate it from the brake pedal. Might be easier to stay with drum.

 

[Cartinfun]

If you are going to go disc, make it hydrolic. Could be difficult considering that your kart didn't come equipped that way. You will have to fabricate a mount for the master cylinder as well as a way to actuate it from the brake pedal. Might be easier to stay with drum.

Yeah, there are the mechanical disc, thats what I was thinking about, but are those not very good?

 

[panchothedog]

I have 2 karts with hydrolic disc, one with mechanical disc, and a Yerf-Dog with
a band brake ( mechanical actuation ) . The Y D is very close to the hydrolic brakes on stopping power and better than the mechanical disc by quite a bit.
While not a drum brake, I would think the band and drum would be close in performance. My 2 cents anyway.

 

[Cartinfun]

I have 2 karts with hydrolic disc, one with mechanical disc, and a Yerf-Dog with
a band brake ( mechanical actuation ) . The Y D is very close to the hydrolic brakes on stopping power and better than the mechanical disc by quite a bit.
While not a drum brake, I would think the band and drum would be close in performance. My 2 cents anyway.

Very cool. Thanks that answers that for me. I dont want to mess with hydrolic, so mechanical band/drum it is.