Backwards Technology (brakes)

[Smartfor2guy]

With the Smart having ABS and ESC , Traction control, and side air bags, Why did they put old fashioned drum brakes on the Smart when almost ALL new cars today have 4 wheel Discs......Dumb not smart

[GoMXracing]

Originally Posted by Smartfor2guy

With the Smart having ABS and ESC , Traction control, and side air bags, Why did they put old fashioned drum brakes on the Smart when almost ALL new cars today have 4 wheel Discs......Dumb not smart

well......IMHO ..it does not need them........stops good.......light car..and less stuff to engineer (separate parking brake if they were calipers and rotors) and general size of whole package.

but... .just an opinion

[Karl Roth]

Originally Posted by Smartfor2guy

With the Smart having ABS and ESC , Traction control, and side air bags, Why did they put old fashioned drum brakes on the Smart when almost ALL new cars today have 4 wheel Discs......Dumb not smart

Are you having problems with the stock system fading?
karl

[Smartfor2guy]

No probs, it just seems kinda backwards thinking. The day I picked it up, it was one of the first things I noticed. In this day of advance technologies, it just seems like they could have updated in the 10 or so years the car has progressed

[Karl Roth]

Drive it for a while see if you think they need them in a month
karl

[msjohnson1974]

Originally Posted by Smartfor2guy

With the Smart having ABS and ESC , Traction control, and side air bags, Why did they put old fashioned drum brakes on the Smart when almost ALL new cars today have 4 wheel Discs......Dumb not smart

Drum brakes are cheaper to manufacture and incorporate into the parking brake system. Besides, most of the braking is done with the front wheels and this isn't exactly a performance car where heat in the brakes should be a problem for the normal drivers. I'm sure someone will sell you an aftermarket upgrade to disc brakes if you really want them.

The Toyota Prius has rear drum brakes.

[2micro4u]

I believe in UK and Canada you can purchase kit to make the rear wheels disc.

[pcvinsel]

While I too would like rear disk brakes (probably more for the *Bling*) I can understand why they went for drums. A quick check of other small cars shows that Honda Civic & Fit as well as Toyota Corolla, Prius & Yaris all come standard with rear drums.

Peter

[4-2NV]

Originally Posted by Smartfor2guy

With the Smart having ABS and ESC , Traction control, and side air bags, Why did they put old fashioned drum brakes on the Smart when almost ALL new cars today have 4 wheel Discs......Dumb not smart

Not needed in rear except hi performance cars. Most new cars have them for show. Front brakes stop the car, rear brakes stabilize. You rear drum brakes will be cheaper to replace when worn than the front disks and calipers.

[4-2NV]

But here's a different question. ABS is usually only set up to work with disc brakes, so most front disc-only cars have ABS active only in the front. I am assuming this is same with smart. Does someone know otherwise? Also, does that mean ESC is operating using front only or is this all around? I've never seen a car with drum rear brakes and ESC combo.