What have you done today with your Austin Seven

[Tony Griffiths]

Yep! Eventually, you end up with 1-inch wide shoes....

Although (weirdly) according to common wisdom the reduction in width does not diminish braking effort - it merely causes them to wear down quicker... perhaps there is method in this

Yep! Eventually, you end up with 1-inch wide shoes....

Although (weirdly) according to common wisdom the reduction in width does not diminish braking effort - it merely causes them to wear down quicker... perhaps there is method in this

Quite so - F = µ x R - it's purely a function of friction coefficient and applied force.

Nothing in life is quite that simple, of course, especially when you're talking about drum brakes. The wider shoes <may> confer other benefits e.g. better capacity to dissipate heat, more stable geometry... or may not...

Thought experiment: reduce the lining width to 1/16" and test. Replace drums with 4-inch wide and repeat. Result?