How does Car Brakes Work?

Air brakes are an important factor to contribute towards the performance of a car. But before going into the air brakes, first, we need to understand how the brake system works in a car? When the pedal is pushed on the floor, the car ultimately will stop. It is interesting to know how we are able to stop 3000 pounds of a car even at a high speed.

 

There are many varieties of brakes available and it is very important to ensure that a Brake Repair Nottingham is frequently performed. Every vehicle, whether it a car, bus, train etc, have different types of braking systems. The hydraulic brakes are mostly seen in some of the trucks which are used for trade and some normal cars. The hydraulic liquid and oil help to operate the braking system. The air brakes are indeed a great source to manage the system. In the system of hydraulic, the liquid is reserved in a cylinder. When one pushes the pedal, the same liquid is forced through brake lines into the pistons that are placed on every wheel.

 

These pistons are pushed in opposition to two brake shoes, which enlarges and causes friction inside the drum called brake drum, as opposed to a brake pad, which braces on a rotor.

 

Functions of a braking system—

 

1. A brake system intakes the energy, particularly the kinetic, either electrically or mechanically to reduce the speed. During a mechanical brake, friction converts this energy into the heat. In electric brakes, an electric current pushes magnet for the brakes to work.

 

2. Vehicles have brake boosters which are indeed very powerful and helps to boost or enhance the pressure on the brake pedal. They significantly reduce the pressure that is needed from the driver to stop a vehicle.

 

3. The anti-lock brake system gives pressure to the brake which allows the driver to control and manage speed. It also helps to stop a vehicle in the shortest time possible.

 

4. The parking brake or the hand brake is a lever which allows the driver to be in a position where it is able to have an emergency stop in the case of brake failure. It is different from the vehicle's hydraulic brake system.

 

Here are some of the parts of a hydraulic disc brake system—

 

1. The brake reserve which contains liquid or fluid called hydraulic. 

 

2. Master cylinder which is a device that gives the liquid from the reserve to the brake lines which go throughout the vehicle.

 

3. Brake lines which are the steel braided or rubber hoses which goes from cylinder to the brake calliper.

 

4. The brake calliper is a steel plate which is placed on a stable point of the rotor which has a piston and a brake pad. 

 

5. Brake piston is a round bar which pushes against a brake pad when the hydraulic liquid is fed from the cylinder.

 

6. The brake pad is a metal pad along with a semi-metallic cover which basically holds the rotor that is made up of steel.

 

7. A brake rotor is steel disc seated with every wheel and hub which help pads to stop the tyres from rotating.

 

Before the disc brakes, drum brakes were the essential material that all cars usually relied on. Both of them had the same technology. However, the latter one is used with the brake shoes which are set in the drum and was placed on the centre hub as compared to the rotor. The disc brake increases the stopping power because they are not heated easily and have a large area to hold. It is also to be noted that the brake pads which are formed by the brake dust often wear and decreases the ability to brake. It is released quite easily with the disc brake as compared to the drum brakes.