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Is it safer to disassemble the front brake? Watch out for the 3 hidden risks behind it
[Truck Home Original] 'Should the front brakes of a tractor be removed or not?' A while ago, while accompanying a truck friend to look at a vehicle, we talked about this rather old topic. A couple of years ago, removing brakes wasn’t anything new, but nowadays, with braking technology very advanced, a small number of people still choose to remove the front brakes. Is this safe? The answer is definitely no.
● Remove the front brakes? What's the point
Brake systems are essential components for ensuring a vehicle can slow down and stop. In previous years, many 6x2 or 6x4 tractors would remove 2 or 4 front wheel brakes, not only to prevent the trailer from swaying but perhaps also partly to reduce weight.
Reducing own weight: Once charges started being calculated based on weight, many people began racking their brains to reduce it. Gradually, everyone started focusing on the front wheels. By removing the front wheel brake drums, brake pads, brake chambers and other components, the vehicle's weight could be reduced. Imagine, a front twin-guided 6X2 tractor, removing the braking system from the front four wheels could easily shed a hundred or two kilograms. But this also plants the seeds for safety hazards!
Ensure smooth braking: In the past, vehicle braking technology wasn't very advanced, so even with ABS systems, many cars had unreliable ABS and could still have uneven braking force or wheel lock-ups. As a result, cars might veer off when braking, or the braking timing between the truck and trailer would differ too much, causing the trailer to push the truck. I won't go into all the examples here.
For the reasons mentioned above, in the past couple of years, many tractor trucks chose to remove the front brakes. However, as of today, vehicle braking technology is very mature, ABS has long become standard, and safety assist technologies like EBS (Electronic Braking System) and its derivatives ESC, ASR, etc., are mainstream configurations. There is almost no need to worry about uneven brake force distribution or unsynchronised trailer braking. Despite this, a small number of people still choose to remove the front brakes. Reducing weight is good, but focusing on the front wheels is definitely not a good idea.
● Removing the front brakes brings endless troubles These 3 hazards cannot be ignored
Lack of braking power: There's no doubt that after removing the brakes on the front wheels, the braking power will definitely be insufficient, and the stopping distance will be much longer than with normal brakes. When braking, you rely more on the main vehicle's drive wheels and the trailer's brakes, which poses a huge safety risk.
Failing the annual inspection: During a vehicle's annual inspection, the braking performance and brake system of the whole vehicle are checked. There's no doubt that a vehicle with the front brake system removed will have a hard time passing the inspection normally. Even if you hire someone to do it, you're only deceiving yourself.
Insurance companies won't cover it: We have to be extra cautious about the scenario we least want to see. From cases we've seen before, if a vehicle involved in a serious traffic accident has had its front brakes removed, the insurance company usually just walks away during the on-site assessment and refuses to pay out. The reason is simple: removing the front brakes affects braking safety and is considered deliberate, so the insurance company has every reason to deny the claim. With weight-based charging and strict checks on overloading, vehicles are inevitably tending towards lighter designs. It's one thing for manufacturers to reduce weight through technology to stay competitive, and fine for users to find ways to make their vehicles lighter, but focusing on the front brakes is certainly not wise. Safety is the unchanging priority for all of us in the trucking industry; any modifications should prioritise safety, being responsible to society, to yourself, and to your family!
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