All cars have brakes that have a standard way of working. You apply the pedal and the car will stop. But what is the application behind it that allows us to stop the car without destroying the drive shaft?
The brake pedal is directly connected to the master cylinder that has brake fluid in it. When you apply the brakes the hydraulic fluids in the master cylinder get compressed. This fluid runs into a series of smaller pipes that lead to the hub of the wheels.
The pistons of the wheel hubs get activated and exert friction onto the pads. This is how the car gets stopped safely.
The Brake disc is what assists the driver to come to a halt. When the brakes are in use, the fluid travels to the wheels and gets pushed against the brake pads which come into contact with the disc.
Brake discs use callipers that are found on the edge of the disc that contain the pads on either side. These callipers get squeezed or compressed together to stop the motion of the brake discs.
Braking is a normal thing that happens when driving and because it is repeated often the disc will get worn down. Maintenance is in order to deplete rough and dented sections on the face.
In order for the car to brake there has to be no more motion or kinetic energy. Kinetic energy is what allows the car to move forward even when you are not feeding the engine.
When it comes to the handbrake or emergency brake, the system is connected to the rear wheels. You will often feel the rear of the car grip when the handbrake is pulled up. This is how the motion gets reversed so that the car slows down.
The handbrake should only be used in case of an emergency. It will do some hectic damage to the tyres and drive shaft. If you can avoid using the handbrake then by all means do so.
The brakes and brake discs are the last thing you want in ruins. This is the safety mechanism that avoids and prevents you from being involved in a collision. Regular maintenance is required to keep the brakes working and functioning at all times.
To avoid having to do complete replacements on the car make sure that you don’t do sharp and sudden braking. To achieve this always be vigilant on the road so that you can stop slowly and safely.