Why do Ford still use drum brakes?
Ford still uses drum brakes on the rear axle in some models and trims. The short answer is that this arrangement helps keep costs down and simplifies the integrated parking brake, particularly for base models and fleet-oriented configurations.
Across Ford’s lineup, most mainstream vehicles use rear discs, but drum brakes persist where packaging, maintenance costs, and practical fleet needs favor a cheaper, simpler solution. This article explains the rationale, the trade-offs, and where you’re most likely to encounter drum brakes in Ford’s current offerings.
Cost, packaging, and parking brakes: the practical reasons
Rear drum brakes persist because they offer cost and packaging advantages, and because their design makes it easy to implement an integrated parking brake. The following points summarize the main factors Ford weighs when choosing rear drums for certain configurations.
- Lower upfront and ongoing costs for rear braking hardware, especially on base trims and fleet-oriented models.
- Integrated parking brake mechanism: drum brakes naturally accommodate shoes that act as the parking brake without a separate caliper assembly.
- Adequate braking performance for many everyday driving scenarios when paired with modern ABS and front-disc brakes, with the rear system handling normal duty loads.
- Fleet-friendly maintenance and wide availability of spare parts, which matters for rental and commercial operators.
- Packaging and space considerations in compact rear assemblies where a drum package can be smaller or easier to fit.
Together, these factors help explain why Ford continues to offer rear drum brakes in certain models, even as the company moves more of its lineup to rear discs.
Where you’re likely to see them today
While rear discs dominate most of Ford’s passenger and light-truck lineup, drums still appear in select contexts where cost control, fleet practicality, or packaging constraints trump the benefits of a rear disc setup.
- Base-trim or value-focused versions of certain models in price-sensitive markets.
- Commercial, fleet, or work-focused configurations where simple maintenance and affordable parts matter most.
- Regional variants or platforms that haven’t migrated fully to rear-disc brakes across the entire lineup.
- Public safety or rental fleets that prioritize predictable maintenance costs and long-term part availability.
In practice, Ford’s current strategy uses rear drums where they make the most sense from a cost and practicality perspective, while most newer, higher-volume vehicles rely on rear discs for improved braking performance, heat management, and overall stopping power.
Summary
Ford still uses drum brakes on the rear axle in select models and trims to minimize cost, simplify the integrated parking brake, and meet fleet and regional market needs. For most mainstream passenger cars and light trucks, Ford continues to shift toward rear disc brakes, balancing performance with efficiency. The drum brake approach remains part of a broader strategy to tailor braking systems to each vehicle’s use case and customer base.
