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Know more about Car Brakes

Car brakes are a technological marvel without which life would have become miserable. Imagine any car without brakes. There would have been no force or friction to stop a car or have an instant reaction to avoid accident with anything coming in sight. This would have definitely increased the number of nasty accidents on roads.

Brakes are hence an important aspect of the car production and car driving. Innovative and advanced technology has revised and refined the brake system to make it more dependable, reliable and efficient. Let’s gain some knowledge about the car brakes to know it better.

bullet Components of Brake System

Brake is not a single component that controls and regulates the kinetic energy of the car. It involves an integrated braking system that mainly includes brakes, tubes, hoses, combination valve, brake fluid and a master cylinder.

Brakes are further divided into disc and drum types that are connected with a system of tubes and hoses with the rear. This connective system is also known as brake lines or brake lining that helps the transfer of fluid from the cylinder to car wheels. The master cylinder is placed in the engine compartment and is integrated with two cylinders, each controlling two wheels. The master cylinder supply pressure to the car circuits and the connecting combination valve signals any sort of break damage. Brake fluid is the oil placed on top of the master cylinder and is designed mainly to withstand high temperatures.

bullet Principle of Working

Friction and heat are two basic principles that regulate the brake system and control the working. Applying friction to any turning wheel produces heat that eventually slows down the car and stops. The rate of slowing down the car is deeply influenced by various factors like car weight, braking force, type of brake, surface area and control of the driver.

A car stops by pressing the brake pedal that transfers pressure to the master cylinder through the brake fluid. The cylinder further passes the pressure to the brake lines connected to the wheels. Rotation of each wheel is then regulated by the brake fluid, which in turn operates the pistons against the brakes. This slows down the wheel as well as the car.

bullet Types of Brakes

There are mainly two types of brakes: disc brakes and drum brakes. Advanced technology has come up with additional features like power brakes and anti-lock brakes.

Disc brakes are brakes with a superior design housed with a slim rotor, two brake pads, small caliper and caliper support. The rotor is composed of iron and is completely exposed to open air. This exposure helps in cooling down the heat generated by the brakes. Brake pads, composed of metal shoe, are placed within the caliper, one on each side of the rotor. Calipers are classified as floating calipers that floats to center itself over the rotor and fixed calipers that are fixed on the support with two pistons pressing the brake pads against the rotor. The mechanism is further used to slow down the car.

Drum brakes are more complicated but cheaper. These brakes can be easily loaded with parking brake system, a system that controls the rear brakes. All the components including the brake shoes, brake drum, wheel cylinder, return springs, backing plate and self adjusting system are housed in a round brake drum along the car wheels. Brake shoes, constructed of steel, are pressed against the drum using the brake pedal. Further to it, the backing plate holds all the components. Wheel cylinder, placed on a solid surface made by the backing plate, comprises of two pistons that are forced out to connect the shoes with the drum, eventually slowing down the car wheels.

Some technologically advanced brakes are hydraulic blades, regenerative brakes and Anti-locking brakes (ABS). Hydraulic brakes are the ones with light viscosity petroleum oil, regenerative brakes or electrical brakes are the ones equipped with electric motors and the ABS is a braking system that locks the wheel in order to maintain directional control.

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