How Do Brakes Work in A Car PDF
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GEORGEHow Do Brakes Work in A Car PDF
Uploaded by
GEORGEWhat Are the Main Parts of the Hydraulic Braking
System?
Master cylinder
When you press the brake pedal, the brake linkage (rod)
pushes on the master cylinder’s internal piston seals,
pressurizing and forcing brake fluid into the brake lines,
brake calipers and wheel cylinders. This causes the brake
pads to press inward against the rotors and force the brake
shoes to press outward against brake drums.
Power brake booster
Brake boosters assist drivers by multiplying the force they
apply to the brake pedal. These boosters use engine vacuum,
an electric pump (diesel engines produce little or no engine
vacuum) or hydraulic pressure (usually the pressure of the
power steering pump). This increases braking performance
while decreasing pedal effort, making driving safer and more
pleasurable.
Brake lines and hoses
Made of double-walled steel and multi-layer rubber and
synthetic compounds, brake lines and hoses transfer
pressurized fluid from the master cylinder to the brake wheel
assemblies.
Disc brake assemblies
A disc brake assembly consists of a brake caliper, brake pads,
disc rotor and mounting hardware.
Drum brake assemblies
A drum brake assembly consists of a backing plate, wheel
cylinder, brake shoes/linings, hold-down and pull-back
springs, brake drum and an automatic self-brake adjusting
mechanism.
Brake switches
Modern brake systems include a brake warning lamp switch
that tells the driver if the master cylinder is low on brake fluid,
or there is a problem with the brake system. There is also a
parking brake warning light that lets you know if the parking
brake is engaged.
Parking brake
Applying the parking brake mechanically locks the rear brake
assemblies to keep a car stationary when parked on a hill. It
also helps stop a vehicle due to a hydraulic system failure.
A hybrid’s hydraulic brakes includes all the same parts as a
standard hydraulic brake system.
How do brakes work in a car?
The majority of modern cars have disc brakes on all four wheels and
some cars have drum
brakes on rear wheels.
How do disc brakes
work?
What are the main
parts? What are the
common problems?
How long do disc
brakes normally last?
We'll discuss these
questions in this article.
Passenger cars, SUVs
and pickup trucks on
the road today have a
hydraulic braking
system filled with brake
fluid. When the driver
presses the brake pedal,
it pushes the piston
inside the brake master cylinder that in turn, creates pressure within the
hydraulic braking system
The brake fluid transfers the pressure to the brake calipers. Each wheel
has one brake caliper. The hydraulic pressure pushes the caliper pistons
out. The caliper pistons apply clamping force to the brake disc using
two brake pads; one on each side of the disc. The clamping force slows
down or stops the rotation of the disc and the wheel; see the diagram.
As a result, the kinetic energy of a moving car converts into heat.
Brakes are vital for safe driving. Problems with brakes make the vehicle
unsafe to drive.
Brake calipers:
There are two types of brake calipers: fixed
calipers and floating calipers. Fixed calipers are
often installed on luxury and sports cars. Most of
the vehicles on the road today have floating brake
calipers similar to the one in the top photo. A
Floating brake caliper.
typical floating brake caliper has one or two
pistons on the inner side. Compact cars and SUVs
typically have single-piston calipers, while larger
SUVs and trucks have dual-piston calipers on the
front axle and single-piston calipers at the back.
Fixed brake caliper.
Front brake calipers are mounted on the steering
knuckles. Rear calipers are bolted to the rear spindles or the rear axle.
In the most common design, the lubricated caliper guide pins allow
lateral movement of the caliper. This movement is vital for proper brake
operation.
Sticking or seized brake calipers or pads:
As a result of constant heat and moisture, brake calipers (pistons or
guide pins) tend to stick and seize up. For this reason, brakes must be
serviced regularly. Brake pads can also seize up inside the caliper or
inside the caliper bracket. If caught early, servicing brakes may be
enough to restore operation of the brake calipers. In some cases, a bad
brake caliper will have to be replaced.
Symptoms of a sticking brake caliper or pads
include dragging brakes, squeaking while driving,
overheating of one of the wheels or excessive
brake dust on one of the wheels. In a sticking
brake caliper, brake pads tend to wear unevenly. In some
cars, sticking rear brake calipers can cause parking
brakes not to release fully.
Often, a bad or failing brake caliper doesn't show
any symptoms and can only be caught during an inspection. For
example, the broken piston boot in the brake caliper in the photo
above caused internal corrosion of the piston. Over time, a corroded
piston will seize up or start leaking brake fluid. This caliper must be
replaced as a precaution even though it still works. This is one of the
reasons why regular brake inspections are important. During an
inspection, your mechanic may catch the problem early. If the brake
caliper is found to be bad, it must be replaced. Replacing one brake
caliper in an average car or SUV costs from $320 to $650.
Brake discs (rotors):
The brake discs (rotors)
are mounted on the
hub and rotate together
with the wheel. As we
mentioned earlier,
during braking, kinetic
energy of the vehicle
converts into heat. To
better dissipate the
heat, most vehicles have
ventilated brake discs
on the front wheels,
because front brakes do
most of the braking. Rear discs are also made ventilated in heavier
vehicles. Smaller cars have solid (non-ventilated) discs.
Warped or unevenly worn rotors: As a result of the excessive heat,
rotors can warp. Mostly it happens to front rotors in heavier vehicles.
The main symptom of warped front rotors is shaking of the steering
wheel that is noticeable When braking at higher speeds.
Technician checks the rotor for uneven wear or warping.
Rust on the rotors can also cause the same pedal when braking at
higher speeds.
The solution is to have the brakes inspected. Mechanics have special
tools that can measure if the brake rotor is warped or worn unevenly,
see the photo above. Typically warped or unevenly-worn rotors need to
be replaced or machined, depending on their condition. Brake pads
might also need to be replaced if they don't pass the inspection. If the
pads are in good shape and pass the requirements, a mechanic may
advise replacing rotors only and servicing brake components.
Rust damage of the brake
disc.
Brake pads:
Brake pads are installed
within the brake
caliper, on both sides
of the brake disc so
that they can slide
laterally, towards and
away from the disc. A
brake pad consists of a
friction material pad
molded to a metal
Honda OEM rear brake pads.
backing plate. In many brake pads, noise- reducing shims are
attached to the backing plates.
Brake pads wear out with mileage. To work
properly, the pads have to have enough friction
material. Car manufacturers specify the minimum
Toyota front brake pads.
thickness of the friction material (lining). If any of
the pads are found to be worn out close to that
limit, all brake pads of that axle must be replaced.
Brake pads that show signs of overheating or
other damage must also be replaced. Brake pads
come as a set of four. A typical front or rear brake Brake pads that are worn
beyond the safe limit.
job includes replacing brake pads and rotors, as
well as servicing brake calipers and other related
parts.
How long do disc brakes normally last?
In an average car, disc brakes normally last for 30,000-50,000 miles.
Worn out pads need to be replaced. Rotors can be resurfaced or
replaced depending on their condition. Replacing brakes (pads and
rotors) on one axle costs from $410 to $650 for an average car. Of
course, there are many reasons why brakes can wear out prematurely.
Why is it important to have brakes
regularly inspected?
Properly functioning brakes in your car can be the difference between
stopping in time and having an accident. Even if they seem to work
properly, we strongly recommend having brakes inspected at least once
a year or earlier if so advised in the maintenance schedule for your
vehicle.
Your brakes also need to be inspected if you suspect a problem with
them, for example, when you notice noises coming from the wheels or
when brakes don't work as they should or when one of the wheels
appears hotter than the others or when the car pulls to one side while
braking. Trust your brakes only to qualified professionals.
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