Brother DR-3400 — Drum Unit for the HL-L5000 to MFC-L6900 Mono Range
30,000 pages at 1 page per job50,000 pages at 3 pages per jobSixteen compatible machinesNot a toner cartridge
The Brother DR-3400 is the drum unit for Brother’s HL-L5000 to HL-L6400 and DCP/MFC-L5500 to L6900 mono laser platform — sixteen machines in all. It is not toner, and this is the part the printer asks for when replacing a cartridge does not clear the message. Brother publishes two life figures for it and they are conditional rather than alternative: approximately 30,000 pages at one page per job, or approximately 50,000 pages at three pages per job. Many short jobs wear a drum faster than fewer long ones, because each job includes its own start-up and shut-down cycle. Listings that quote a bare 50,000 pages are quietly optimistic.
Compatibility — check before buying:
It fits the HL-L5000D, HL-L5100DN, HL-L5100DNT, HL-L5200DW, HL-L5200DWT, HL-L6250DN, HL-L6300DW, HL-L6300DWT, HL-L6400DW, HL-L6400DWT, DCP-L5500DN, DCP-L6600DW, MFC-L5700DN, MFC-L5750DW, MFC-L6800DW and MFC-L6900DW. The important exclusion is the newer generation: the HL-L5210, HL-L5215, HL-L6210, HL-L6410, HL-L6415, DCP-L5510DW, MFC-L5710, MFC-L5715, MFC-L6710, MFC-L6910 and MFC-L6915 machines use the DR3600 drum with the TN-3600 toner family, and nothing crosses between the two. The machines look alike and the part numbers are one digit apart, so check the model badge. Before ordering at all, confirm the printer is asking for the drum rather than the toner — they are tracked and reported separately.
Best For
✓ Machines reporting drum life rather than toner
✓ Print quality faults that toner replacement did not fix
✓ Planned maintenance on a high-volume mono printer
✓ Sites keeping a spare drum for a critical machine
✓ Refurbishing a printer before redeployment
✓ Fleet maintenance across a mixed HL-L5000 to L6900 estate
Key Features
Two life figures, both published with conditions
Brother states approximately 30,000 pages at one page per job and approximately 50,000 at three. Neither is a marketing number: they describe the same drum under different workloads, and the difference tells you something useful about how your own printing will affect it.
Fits sixteen machines
From the entry HL-L5000D up to the MFC-L6900DW, one drum part covers the whole platform. For a mixed estate that is one part number to stock rather than several.
Genuine Brother, matched to the engine
The drum works with the laser, the transfer roller and the fuser as a matched set. A genuine unit is what keeps the image sharp across the page and prevents the streaking, banding and ghosting that a worn or mismatched drum produces.
Separate from toner, and much longer-lived
The drum spans several toner cartridges: at 8,000 pages per TN-3480 or 20,000 per TN-3520, it lasts anywhere from about two to six cartridges depending on which rung your machine takes. The printer reports the two independently.
Technical Specifications
| Identification |
| Brand |
Brother |
| Product Type |
Genuine drum unit — not a toner cartridge |
| Part Number |
DR3400P |
| Brother Catalogue Reference |
DR-3400 |
| EAN / GTIN |
4977766755894 |
| Life |
| At One Page Per Job |
Approximately 30,000 pages |
| At Three Pages Per Job |
Approximately 50,000 pages |
| Note |
Brother publishes both figures conditionally. They are not alternatives, and a bare 50,000-page claim overstates what a machine printing many short jobs will achieve |
| Compatible Printers |
| HL Series |
HL-L5000D, HL-L5100DN, HL-L5100DNT, HL-L5200DW, HL-L5200DWT, HL-L6250DN, HL-L6300DW, HL-L6300DWT, HL-L6400DW, HL-L6400DWT |
| DCP Series |
DCP-L5500DN, DCP-L6600DW |
| MFC Series |
MFC-L5700DN, MFC-L5750DW, MFC-L6800DW, MFC-L6900DW |
| Will Not Fit |
The newer HL-L5210, HL-L5215, HL-L6210, HL-L6410, HL-L6415, DCP-L5510DW, MFC-L5710, MFC-L5715, MFC-L6710, MFC-L6910 and MFC-L6915 machines, which use the DR3600 drum |
| Toner Cartridges for the Same Machines |
| Standard |
TN-3430 — approximately 3,000 pages, ISO/IEC 19752 |
| High Yield |
TN-3480 — approximately 8,000 pages |
| Super High Yield |
TN-3512 — approximately 12,000 pages |
| Ultra High Yield |
TN-3520 — approximately 20,000 pages, HL-L6400DW, HL-L6400DWT and MFC-L6900DW only |
| Warranty |
| Warranty |
1-Year Warranty (Singular) |
| Manufacturer Term |
Brother does not publish a warranty term for consumables that we can verify from its European documentation. Singular’s direct warranty is 1 year; beyond that we assist you with the manufacturer’s warranty process for whatever term applies. |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it 30,000 pages or 50,000?
Both, and the difference is your workload rather than the part. Brother publishes approximately 30,000 pages when the printer averages one page per job and approximately 50,000 when it averages three. Each job carries fixed start-up and shut-down wear, so a machine that prints hundreds of single-page documents gets through drums faster than one printing longer runs at the same page total. Plan against the figure that matches how your office actually prints.
Does my printer need a drum or toner?
They are separate parts on separate schedules and the printer reports each by name. If the display says drum, this is the part. If it says toner, you need a TN-3430, TN-3480, TN-3512 or TN-3520 depending on the machine. If the message is unclear, photograph it and send it to us — we will tell you which one to order.
Will it fit my newer Brother printer?
Only if your machine is in the HL-L5000 to HL-L6400 or DCP/MFC-L5500 to L6900 range. The newer HL-L5210, HL-L6415, MFC-L5710 and MFC-L6915 machines use the DR3600 drum instead. The two generations look very similar and the part numbers differ by one digit, which makes this the most common ordering error on Brother mono lasers. Check the model badge or send it to us.
Will a new drum fix my print quality problem?
It depends on the fault. Repeating marks at regular intervals down the page, ghost images of a previous page and general grey background are classic worn-drum symptoms and usually clear with a new drum. Faint or patchy print across the whole page is more often toner. Streaks in one narrow band can be either. Describe what you are seeing and we will help you narrow it down before you spend anything.
Singular Expert Insight
Two things about this part are worth being precise on, because most listings are not. The life figure is conditional: 30,000 pages at one page per job, 50,000 at three, and Brother publishes both together for a reason. If your office prints a lot of single-page documents, plan on the lower number regardless of what a headline claim says. And the generation split is the expensive mistake — Brother sells the DR-3400 for the HL-L5000 to L6400 machines and the DR3600 for the newer HL-L5210 to L6915 machines, the printers look alike, and neither drum will go into the other. Before ordering either, confirm the printer is genuinely asking for the drum rather than the toner; they are separate parts on separate clocks, and swapping a cartridge will not clear a drum message. Send us the model number and a photograph of the display and we will identify the part before you buy. Our
original toner and consumables section has the matching cartridges, and the machines are in
mono laser printers.
Buyer’s Guide
Buy it if
The printer is reporting drum life rather than toner,You see repeating marks, ghosting or grey background,Your machine is in the HL-L5000 to MFC-L6900 range,Planned maintenance before a busy period,You keep a spare drum for a machine that cannot stop
Skip it if
Your machine is an HL-L5210, HL-L6415, MFC-L5710 or MFC-L6915,The printer is actually asking for toner,You have not identified which part the message names,Print quality problems that have not been diagnosed
Also consider
TN-3480, TN-3512 or TN-3520 toner for the same machines,DR3600 drum if your printer is the newer generation,Send us the printer message and we will identify the part,A spare drum for a machine that runs continuously