My Elio Alternate Project Is Underway.

[Mark BEX]

Hey Mark….. just askin’….
Why do you want to put a drum on the back instead of disc?

Hand brake is about 10 times more effective on a drum than a disc. It's also stock from the donor, and cheap.

Many small FWD cars still use drums on the rear, thing is USA doesn't have that many small cars, your smallest car, the Chevy Spark for example, has drum rear.

Oh and many rear discs actually have a mini drum brake inside them, because it is far more effective. here is a Toyota Corolla rear disc with inner drum brake for the parking brake.

I'm no expert, but I believe about 70% of your stopping power comes from the front brakes. Seems to me the rear brake should be whatever is the lowest cost. After all, both disc and drum work well. Is this reasonable?

Be more than 70% in this case, likely 66%/33% front to rear weight distribution, and then when you brake, it transfers a lot more % of weight forward.

Rear brake's job mostly is braking stability and parking brake.

 

[JEBar]

Oh and many rear discs actually have a mini drum brake inside them, because it is far more effective. here is a Toyota Corolla rear disc with inner drum brake for the parking brake.

View attachment 24991

interesting .... first time I've seen a brake designed like that

 

[84mpg]

interesting .... first time I've seen a brake designed like that

Same here.... Had no idea some rear disc brakes use inner drums for the parking brake. Learned something new.

 

[Coss]

GM started using that kind of setup in the Mid to late 70's in small cars (think Vega and Chevette) it was a cheap way to do it.
And thinking Vega that was a rolling accident looking for a place to happen geezzz those cars were a POS and they used cheap stuff where ever they could.

 

[JEBar]

GM started using that kind of setup in the Mid to late 70's in small cars (think Vega and Chevette) it was a cheap way to do it.

we had 2 Chevettes .... as best I can remember a '75 and a '79 .... we drove the heck out of both of them and they performed well .... I wasn't aware that they had this type of emergency brake .... all I can say for sure is they both worked well

 

[Mark BEX]

interesting .... first time I've seen a brake designed like that

we had 2 Chevettes .... as best I can remember a '75 and a '79 .... we drove the heck out of both of them and they performed well .... I wasn't aware that they had this type of emergency brake .... all I can say for sure is they both worked well

Very common.

Chevettes were rear drum, most 1970s cars were, large or small.

 

[Mark BEX]

The laser place didn't work the weekend, so didn't get my rear strut mounting plates until today.

But here it is done, just like the CAD cartoons :-)

I'm close to sitting it on wheels for the first time ....

 

[Made in USA]

The laser place didn't work the weekend, so didn't get my rear strut mounting plates until today.

But here it is done, just like the CAD cartoons :-)


View attachment 24997



I'm close to sitting it on wheels for the first time ....

When are you hoping to test drive it? Another month or so?

 

[Mark BEX]

When are you hoping to test drive it? Another month or so?

Sorry, I have learnt the hard way in the past not to commit to dates.

 

[JEBar]

I'm close to sitting it on wheels for the first time ....

that is a milestone we are all looking forward to ..