pinion brakes

usa6x6.com has a pinion brake set up with e-brake. Seems to me swapping to a simple disk set up would take all of the fear out of the brake system that everyone has. It seems affordable...but do yall think it will work??<img src="emoticons/icon_smile_shrug.gif" alt="Shrug">

These make great emergency brakes but consistent use causes pinion bearing faliure. Worth having for sure!

Using a brake on the pinion gives you 26:1 more stopping power, the reason they used to be used on the monster trucks before they started using the ZF axles. Never heard about them causing pinion bearing failure, but, our axles got tore down so often they never had a chance to get hurt. I could imagine on a daily driver that doesn't get torn down often it would though.

maybe what i will consider is mounting a pair of e-brakes. One on the steering axle and one on the front rear, that way if the ol' hyrdo's fail, I may actually have a chance to stop.Seems to me like a good back up system. I like redundancy as much as Uncle Sam. I dont know if any of you have done this, but I have tried to make a stop using only the parking brake. It took waayyy toooo long.

Would someone PLZ tell me how these work
I like the idea of it but in the real world?

Originally posted by red devils dude

Would someone PLZ tell me how these work
I like the idea of it but in the real world?

Click to expand...

<img src="http://www.usa6x6.com/PINION%20BRAKE.jpg" border="0">

it's simply a brake disc that mounts between the driveshaft and the pinion in the differential, or in the rockwell's case on the front output

instead of halting the tires from spinning, it halts the gears from spinning

drawbacks are that they're succeptible to damage offroad, if one tire is off the ground or on a slick surface with an open diff it will not do anything to slow you down or stop the vehicle from rolling, and in most places they're not legal for road use but as long as it's just an e-brake.....

My friend just put them on his chevy pickup with rockwells, the truck doesn't run yet, but his setup uses isuzu rotors. It just seems wrong to stop a giant truck with nothin more than two isuzu rotors. Also from what I understand if you use them at speed, the brakes fade really rapidly due to how fast they turn. And here in Wyoming they're legal (no inspection or emission testing) The only reason any of my vehicles are on the road.

MM;
Wow! Please tell me those are not Isuzu rotors! Did everything bolt up directly or was a little creative engineering required? That looks like a more effective parking brake than what's standard on these things or perhaps I should say easier maintainence. Let me know.

DR!
go here www.usa6x6.com

click on the deuce link...you will see the light

JT;
Thanks, most interesting!

I believe that my friends setup is some sort of isuzu rotors and some sort of toyota calipers. He then had to drill the four holes in the rotor to bolt to the driveshaft flange. The bracket that he bought for the caliper is just a bolt on. His isn't the usa 6x6 setup though.

I just drove my first deuce and it had NO BRAKES
no Ebrake or anything<img src="emoticons/icon_smile_jawdrop.gif" alt="Jawdrop">
and this looks like a good backup Im thinking
front drive axle.

I contacted the tech dude from USA6X6 and he told me that for slow speed, unloaded driving(20-30 m.p.h) having 3 pinion brakes would probably be fine. At higher speeds they would get too hot and fade. So IMHO they are only practicle for e-brake duty.

they also have a kit to put disks and rotors inplace of the drums, and it is rated to 2.5 tons but its 800-900 per axle. OUCH<img src="emoticons/icon_smile_jawdrop.gif" alt="Jawdrop">]

Originally posted by jeepthrills

they also have a kit to put disks and rotors inplace of the drums, and it is rated to 2.5 tons but its 800-900 per axle. OUCH<img src="emoticons/icon_smile_jawdrop.gif" alt="Jawdrop">]

Click to expand...

I would suggest that you would have a better experience with Steve Gerstner from Differential Engineering

Differentialeng.com

Bob

HERE is an Isuzu rotor. Arvin Meritor part number. I found this about a year ago. Very expensive rotor. 'U' shape Rotor is supposed to clear the hub on the center but mine had a little extra casting that needed machined out. The caliper was the reason I didn't go ahead with the other side. Got it mounted, but didn't really like it. Still have all parts in one box. Need a heavier caliper that is able to take a wider rotor and put more friction area to the pad. I'll get back to this sometime. This size is what USA offers as their 2 ton or 2.5 ton brakes. I have another couple of rotors and designs to try next.
<img src="http://img159.exs.cx/img159/5184/disc1rockwell7tq.jpg" border="0">
<img src="http://img159.exs.cx/img159/1108/disc2rockwell4ls.jpg" border="0">
<img src="http://img159.exs.cx/img159/9572/disc3rockwell6td.jpg" border="0">
<img src="http://img159.exs.cx/img159/9192/disc4rockwell0rk.jpg" border="0">
<img src="http://img159.exs.cx/img159/8048/disc5rockwell0qt.jpg" border="0">

hey spicer, did you know that a rotor form a 4cyl vw jetta has the same diameter center hole as the flange for the e brake drum on an m715? the flange has a round machined surface on it that actually snaps into the jetta rotor. im running the kaiser case in my toyota and thats how im running the brakes for it so they will be up and clear of the mud. just figured i'd bring that up since were talkin about disc brakes

Hmmm, interesting. Could you be more specific on the Jetta rotor? Year, size and front/rear if you know. What caliper are you using? I might have to try this, rather than rebuild the E-brake on my 715.

Big Mike, thanks, but I've long since swapped out the NP200 for a cooler running and PTO port NP205. I'm soon to change the jackshaft and was thinking of putting an eBrake there. Good info, thank you! I've been debating about putting an ebrake on the rear Rockwell's pinion or on the T-case again. Thanks!

Elwenil, fancy seeing you here! HA.

Hey, Spicergear. Yeah, I'm dreaming of a 6x6 at some point in the future. Figured I'd hang around here so I could learn some stuff about them before I jump in head first like I did with the M715.