How Car Brakes Work

Posted on October 1, 2021 in Automotive Repair, Brake Repair

Brakes: Understanding Your Vehicle

Everyone who drives knows to brake their car, they must step on that right pedal in the driver’s position, but not everyone knows the process that transfers that pedal into stopping your car. This may be important because if your brakes need repair, you can diagnose where the issue originates from. Big Apple Automotive in Victorville, CA, can provide repairs if your brakes stop working, but knowing your brakes can still be beneficial.

What Happens After You Push the Brake Pedal?

Inside the brake system, there is a piston connected to the pedal. Pushing this piston through your tube constricts the braking fluid and creates pressure that pushes the piston at the other end of the tube attached to the brake caliper. The brake caliper, when applied pressure, will constrict and create contact with the rotor and the brake pads.

Brake Fluid

When you press down on the brakes, how hard you press creates more stopping power because of how the brakes are designed. The pressure created by the brake fluid has a user-friendly design that is easy to control even if you don’t know how it works. But, if you find that your brakes aren’t responding to you it can be several things wrong. The brake fluid may need to be changed to create pressure, and the pistons may not be connected to transfer the power, or the brake caliper may need repair.

Brake Calipers

There are a few different brake systems, but most cars use a caliper system nowadays because a hydraulic drum was not as efficient due to the heat caused. A caliper is like a clamp that holds your rotor. The rotor is what spins your wheels, so when there is contact, it halts the rotor’s motion. Two pieces of metal contacting like this can be dangerous, which is why there must be brake pads in between.

Brake Pads

The entire process of braking ends with the brake pads creating contact and friction with the wheel’s rotors to stop it from moving. Most vehicles today use metallic brake pads because it is a durable and cost-effective material. Usually, it is a mix of iron, copper, steel, and graphite. Metallic brakes are great, but because they are so hard, they can cause damage to the rotor faster than other types, but it isn’t a pressing concern. Another limitation of metallic brakes is that they create a lot of heat as a byproduct of friction. If temperatures get too high due to high speeds, the brake pads could start to boil and fail to do their job. This is why performance cars use ceramic or carbon fiber brake pads, which handle heat much better.

If you need brake repair in Victorville, CA, then come to Big Apple Automotive or schedule a service by calling us today at 760-245-7255