There Are Different Kinds Of Brakes That Your Car May Have

Posted on: 17 May 2016

Without brakes, your car won't stop when you need it to. That means that you can end up having a serious accident, getting hurt, or even dying. If your brakes are in need of repair or replacement, you may wonder what kinds of brakes your car has. There are different kinds of brakes that might be on your car. 

Disc Brakes

Disc brakes are made up of a large disc that is situated next to your tire and is attached to the wheel. This braking system also has a caliper that holds the brake pads. When you hit the brakes, the caliper is pushed against the rotor that is installed in between the disc brake pads. It's the friction that is created between the brake pads and brake rotor that causes your car to stop. 

Drum Brakes

If your car has drum brakes, the brake is made up a drum that is attached to the wheel. There are several parts of a drum. Inside the drum are brake shoes, a wheel cylinder, a master cylinder, and a brake return spring. When you hit the brakes, the hydraulic pressure created makes the master cylinder push the wheel cylinder against the brake shoes which then apply pressure to the drum itself. That causes friction, which slows your car. 

Emergency Brakes

All cars have an emergency braking system. This brake is also called your parking brake. It usually involves a handle that is in your car's cab, You pull that handle in case your car's brakes start to fall or when you are parked and you want to make sure that your car doesn't go anywhere. Generally, the emergency brake is a manual brake. That means that there is a cable which runs from the handle of the emergency brake to one set of brakes in your car, usually one that is attached to a back tire. It's safer in an emergency braking situation to have a rear brake kick in than to have one in the front. A brake in the front could cause your car to end up doing something like rolling or stopping way too suddenly. An emergency brake attached to the rear wheel is much safer. The cable that runs in between the handle and the brake causes pressure to be applied to your brakes and stopping your car. 

If you need to have your brakes repaired or replaced, its important to know what kind of brakes are on your car. Contact a business, such as Advanced Auto Care, for more information about brake repairs. 

Share