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.