4wd utes run drum rears for a variety of reasons. Firstly, they are cheap, and many Asian countries require commercial vehicles to have drum brakes by law. Also, drums work better with a weight proportioning valve. In simple terms, drums cope better with varying load weights. In an suv bodied 4wd, the weight is more or less evenly distributed throughout the cabin, whereas a Ute can have no weight in the tray one minute, and 600kg the next, changing the weight distribution quite noticeably. A proportioning valve senses this change, and modifies the brake bias to ensure safe and even braking. Drums are more progressive than discs when heavily loaded, and also require less force to operate.