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      Guide On Car Brakes

      CarTrade Editorial Team

      CarTrade Editorial Team

      Braking system is one of the most important safety features in cars. It decelerates the car’s speed by declining conversion of the kinetic energy into heat.  The car brakes are based on two different types of systems – hydraulic and friction. The hydraulic system includes a master cylinder, wheel cylinders, brake lines, calipers and hoses. Whereas, the friction system is either made-up of pads with front disc brakes or shoes with rear drum brakes.

      Guide on car brakes
      Guide on car brakes


      How car brakes work?
      When the brake pedal is pushed with pressure, the master cylinder develops hydraulic pressure that shoves brake fluid to the wheel brakes. The pressurized brake fluid, flowing through high pressure rubber hoses and steel brake lines, forces wheel cylinders and calipers to exert pressure on the pads or shoes, i.e. friction system, that usually depends on the type of the brakes.

      Types of brakes
      Modern cars come integrated with different types of advanced braking systems that ensure a convenient and safe drive.
      Disc brakes
      Disc brakes have a disc brake rotor, affixed to the wheel, and a caliper, that seizes the disc brake pads. Hydraulic pressure of the master cylinder fastens the caliper piston between the disc brake and the disc brake pads. It develops friction between the rotor and pads to stop or slow down the car.

      Drum brakes
      Drum brakes have a brake drum connected to the wheel, a wheel cylinder, brake return springs and brake shoes. The master cylinder’s hydraulic pressure causes the wheel cylinder to compress the brake shoes against the brake drum. It develops friction between the shoes and drum slow that stops the car.

      Emergency brakes
      Most new cars come equipped with emergency or parking brakes, which usually come at rear wheels. There are several types of emergency brakes such as a pedal positioned to the left side of the floor pedals, a stick lever situated between the driver and passenger seats and a handle or push button placed close to the steering column. Emergency brakes, often used as a parking brake, are used in emergency situations when there is a brake failure or malfunction. In addition, these brakes keep a car still while parked. It is recommended to test emergency brakes of the used cars, as they might have braking issues that won’t be noticed until you drive the car.

      Anti-lock brakes
      Anti-lock braking system (ABS) is an advanced computer controlled safety feature. It avoids the tires skidding, especially on slippery or wet roads, by preventing the wheels from locking up. It monitors wheels’ speed and automatically applies and withdraws the brake pressure on the skidding wheels. It coordinates with service brakes for reducing stopping distance, increasing control and stability of the car during hard braking.
      If your car brakes get noisy, heavy or less responsive, repair or replace them immediately. An overdue car brake service might cause braking system failure or serious accident. Most used cars are complained for braking issues, therefore, experts suggest testing the brakes of the vehicle on different road conditions.