How Disk Brakes Work
Without a braking system, motor vehicles would be impractical for us to use. They help us stop our cars, maintain traction in emergency situations, and if you brake while in a turn, they help with that too. But many people may not understand how they work or what it takes to stop a 2,000 + lb. vehicle. In the following paragraphs, I will describe the basic components of a brake system, how it works, and how you can improve your braking system.
Although brake systems are highly engineered systems which are designed for safety and reliability, they are simple enough to comprehend you know what the constituents are. There are two main kinds of brakes found on cars and trucks; Disc Brake systems and disc/drum brake combination systems. Older vehicles may have disc brakes about the front wheels and drum brakes within the back. Most modern vehicles have disc brakes at all four wheels, so I will be focusing primarily on might will not cover drum brakes in the following paragraphs.
The typical aspects of a disc brake system are: the pedal, the master cylinder, hard brake lines, soft brake lines, brake calipers, brake pads, and brake rotors. There may also be secondary or slave cylinders and Anti-Lock Braking (ABS) components too, but we’ll forget about those for the time being. The brake pedal is obviously located within the vehicle and the master cylinder is mounted towards the firewall that is found underneath the hood. Whenever you push the brake pedal, it leverages the master cylinder to push brake fluid through the brake lines. The brake lines are attached to the master cylinder and set you back the brake calipers found at each wheel. The brake calipers contain between one to eight pistons inside them. The brake fluid forces the pistons to compress the brake pads to the brake disc. The brake rotor, AKA brake disc, is connected to the hub which is connected to the axle. So the brake pads compress onto the rotors and create lots of friction, which in turn slows you down.
Is the vehicle no longer stopping like it used to? Got the requirement for speed and wish to make sure you can stop as fast as you go? Do you now have the need to tow heavy payloads together with your truck? Below are great tips to improve brake feel, response, and stopping distance.
Brake feel can be defined as the feedback the brake system gives towards the driver. That feel is delivered with the pedal. The largest steps you can take to enhance feedback from the brake pedal is much better brake fluid and stainless brake lines. All cars bought from the US should have DOT 3 brake fluid; this is the standard off-the-shelf fluid and also the rating DOT3 requires that a threshold boiling point to be met. If brake fluid boils, your brakes won’t work. For most applications, DOT3 is protected which is recommended for the average driver. If you want spirited drives, participate in road racing, or simply want better pedal feel, try using a DOT4 approved brake fluid. It should give you a firmer pedal and better performance, but be careful because DOT4 needs to be changed more frequently than DOT3, which translates into higher vehicle maintenance costs. You may also install stainless brake lines, which don’t flex as much as the rubber ones which come standard on most vehicles. The decrease in brakeline flex means improved brake feel. Another good choice to improve brake feel is a master cylinder brace, which further reduces flex in the brake system.
Brake fact is primarily affected by the brake pads and rotors. Some brake pads convey more “bite” than others; those that bite faster respond better, however they can be difficult to live with in everyday routine. Performance pads make the perfect option for improving response, especially if the pads need to be replaced anyway. New brake rotors will usually increase the response you receive whenever you hit the pedal, although not as much as performance brake pads will. Where rotors will truly really make a difference is when you’re descending a mountain road and therefore are about the brakes frequently. New rotors could make your brake pads perform at their finest for sustained amounts of time due to better cooling and out-gassing technologies.
You should realize that brake feel and response have almost nothing to do with your stopping distance. Getting new brake pads, rotors, lines, and fluid can make the driver feel better and can create a vehicle stop safer, but it is going to do very little to help you stop faster. If you want to shorten your stopping distance, the only method to really make that happen is by using a large brake kit. A big brake kit includes larger diameter rotors, upgraded calipers, and new brake pads. The larger diameter rotors would be the key component here because they provide the brake system more leverage to prevent the wheels. Big brake kits could be expensive and usually require larger wheels to support the larger brakes, but if shorter stopping distances are your ultimate goal, it is well worth the some time and investment. I understand this is a large amount of information to take, but there is one thing you don’t want to consider. Your tires are what really slows your vehicle and just how much grip they have is a big element in how fast you stop.
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