The use of disc brakes on trucks is fairly new. Do not get me wrong. The technology has been around for a quite some time. Despite the high expectations when the technology was first introduced, it has not been received well by truck operators. It is unlike the air suspension truck which, despite early skepticism, has continued to grown in number.
Due to the amount of energy involved in stopping or slowing a large vehicles, the brakes are exposed to some very damaging forces. This is the reason why despite new regulations regarding stopping distances that should have propelled disc brakes as the preferred braking system, many truck operators still use drum brakes due to their ability to withstand braking forces.
Due to the few number of trucks using discs brakes, there are also fewer resources that operators can rely on for important information regarding maintenance practices. The upkeep for disc brakes for smaller vehicles like cars and for large trucks is very different. Truck parts tend to require more frequent replacements. As already mentioned, the amount of forces that truck brakes are exposed to are vastly greater than that of the cars. There is also the fact that trucks tend to travel longer distances. In cars, it would be possible to remanufacture worn components while truck brakes tend to require replacement.
