Why do some owners of other cars brightly paint the rear brake drums of their cars? Surely this is not a mechanical component that they should be proud of and highlight? Frankly every car built after 1980 should have 4 wheel disk brakes. It amazes me that bean-counters like Ford (Focus) and Toyota (Yaris) have persevered with this cheapo rubbish pre-war technology for so long in their run-of-the-mill cars, especially when it must surely compromise safety.

 

By painting them, they turn into Power Drums. The chick's love it, innit bruv.

 

But, most of the braking on your 'everyday' car is done at the front. So discs are not needed at the back. So, if your producing 1 million cars a year and you can save millions of pounds by using old technology, what to you think they are going to do?

Agree with the painting though, absolutely pointless.

 

It does help protect them and makes the car look a bit cleaner, 1 less part to go rusty,
Not saying they should all be a bright silly colour.

 

Why do Subaru owners paint their callipers?

Hey look everyone, I have brakes that are not really up to the job

 

So you have to spend £1500+ on brakes to say 'look at me, if I went on a track, i'd have better brakes than you'?

Always found the standard 4 pots to be pretty good. Feel was crap but overall stopping power was no cause for concern.

 

Always make me chuckle when you see some council estate monstrosity with huge wheels, de-baged, etc. Brightly painted drums clearly visible under the big wheels giving away the fact that it only has a 1.1l engine

 

When I was younger and had a car with drums, I painted them black (and the front calipers). They were rusty and looked awful with alloys, and looked nice painted. I never gave it any further thought TBH. I don't see the problem really?!

I must say, I love the gold Brembo calipers on Scoobs, they look niiiice with dark wheels and don't need painting!

 

Drums are painted for the same reason we like our BREMBO brakes in nice gold - to show off.

The drum painters of today are the dump valve owners of tomorrow.

 

cmon u and me both know it makes the car go faster innit bruv lol


another why bother

 

personally I think its totally shameful that cars are supplied without the bits you see painted! It takes so little effort, especially if its done at the factory. Drums, hubs, calipers should all be painted.

I can understand why there may be a debate on what colour, I always go for silver....but if you must be flash then I guess other colours could be OK.

 

Don't knock drums until you've tried them....My Land Rover will do 100% efficiency on the Tapley metre for the MOT...drums all round.

Mind, they are uprated LWB brakes with a big servo. Still, two 100-0 stops and they are well and truely cooked

(ps..never painted them...Malvern clay gives them a nice beige colour which matches the body )

 

Painting them black after removing rust is one thing, as are standard brakes that come in a gold colour.

But, painting your 1.1 fiesta rear drums bright blue is a laughable matter.

 

Just got a freelander as a runaround it's got rear drums,a bit scabby so going to paint them this weekend prob black or dark green to match the car
nothing wrong with drums still do the biss
afterall impreza's still have rear drum's as the hand brake
is that penny pinching ?
build an high performance car and not use the rear disks as a hand brake
add weight by fitting drums/discs, having to buy 2 sets of rear pads/shoes
did subaru not have the knowhow to do just one ?

 

Well the four pots are OK unless you track or animal the car, but I know what you mean - first time I drove a car with proper brakes was a revelation.

As for drums I would wager that a Yaris even with drums can stop a damn sight better than some of these large on road off roaders so no issue with them having drums, but painting them silly colours does seem a bit weird. Mind you I always thought the gold Brembos on my STI were a bit OTT too.

 

Painting drums is nothing compared to the "lookalike" rear disks, you can bolt on in between the drum and the wheel.


now they are truly ridiculous

 

I want some now