In the next 2-3 weeks, I will focus on the content of car brakes, including brake parts (material, craftsmanship, matching your model, price, advantages, and disadvantages), which products are suitable for your car, and how to replace them Those brake parts that need to be replaced, common problems and solutions for your car.

Don't worry about your wallet, I'm not affiliated with any brand of products. In the part that contains the products, I will also do the most objective evaluation.

Today, I will tell you the composition of brake parts, and some guidelines. Sorry, I can't make sure everyone understands, I'll try to explain as clearly as possible.

Without further ado, let's started.

What are the components of the brake system?

We can first understand the working principle of the whole set of brake parts through a picture

brake system

Brake pedal: It is internally connected to the entire car braking system

The position of the brake pedal is different according to the transmission. The brake pedal of the vehicle with automatic transmission is on the left, and the brake pedal of the vehicle with manual transmission is in the middle.

When you step on the brake pedal, hydraulic braking starts (this is why your brake pedal is heavier than the gas pedal, don't think of the gas pedal as a brake pedal!!! It's terrible), triggering a series of brakes move action. The switch of the brake light is also determined by your foot, and it will come on when you step on it.

Usually, the brake pedal itself is hardly a problem, but it reflects a problem with the braking system.

eg:

The feeling of your foot on the sponge may be air entering the brake system or brake fluid leaking.
When you step on the brake pedal and feel a vibration, it may be that the brake rotors are deformed.

Brake Booster: Use an engine vacuum or a vacuum pump to increase your foot strength, which makes it easier for the vehicle to slow down

You can imagine that you can pry the earth with one foot, and all you need is a stick long enough. This is the brake booster.

Unfortunately, your brake booster is damaged:

Your brake pedal is as hard as your home brick.
The braking distance will be longer.
There's a hissing sound when you hit the brake pedal, if so, congratulations you on the booster leak.

Brake master cylinder: Converts the energy of the brake booster into hydraulic pressure

You just need to know that your car has more than two cylinders for your safety. If one cylinder fails, the other can still slow the car and keep the driver in a reasonable amount of control.

There is a problem with the master cylinder, you have to be vigilant:

Depressing the brake pedal will not restore.
The brake fluid leaks, probably in front of the underbody master cylinder.

Brake lines and brake hoses: Output and transfer fluid pressure

Brake lines carry brake fluid between the master cylinder and the wheels.

What is the difference between a brake line and a brake hose?

Brake lines are metal tubes that run along with the chassis.
A brake hose is a hose that connects the brake lines to the brake mechanism.

Damaged brake line or brake hose:

brake fluid leak.
Different tire pressures cause the vehicle to break drift.

Disc brake: Squeeze to generate braking friction

When the brake pedal is depressed, pressure from the brake fluid acts on the caliper piston, causing the brake pads to squeeze against the spinning rotors. The friction between the brake pads and the rotors stops the wheel.

Composition:

Brake calipers
Brake pads
Brake rotors

Drum brake: Push to create braking friction

When you depress the brake pedal, brake fluid pressure drives the wheel cylinders, which separate a pair of brake shoes and push them into the interior of the rotating brake drum. The friction between the brake shoe and the drum stops the tire.

Composition:

Brake drum
Wheel caliper
Brake shoes

You already know the reaction paths from the pedal to the different brakes. Let's start by understanding the difference between the two types of brakes.

Difference Between Disc Brakes and Drum Brakes

About disc brake

Disc brakes are roughly divided into two categories: caliper disc type and full disc type. For the caliper type, the rotating part is the brake disc and the fixed element is the brake caliper. It is worth mentioning that in the past, the caliper disc was only used as a central brake, but now more and more cars and trucks of all levels also use it as a wheel brake, while the full disc brake is mainly used in heavy-duty vehicles.

About drum brake

For drum brakes, open-type drum brakes are commonly used in automobiles at present. The working surface of the brake drum of this type of brake is an inner cylindrical surface, and the brake shoe is located inside the brake drum as a fixed part the surface is With a friction plate, when the brake shoe is stressed, one end does not move, the other end rotates around it, rotates outward, and presses against the inner surface of the brake drum, thereby generating braking torque. According to their different structures, drum brakes can be divided into different forms such as leader-shoe type and double-leader-shoe type.

Why are more and more family cars using caliper brakes?

-Radiating:

Since the entire braking system of the drum brake is wrapped by the brake drum, the heat dissipation capacity is much worse than that of the disc brake, not a little bit! Usually, large trucks use drum brakes with a spray system to cool down to ensure that they will not suffer from thermal decay! In fact, generally driving in the city, due to road congestion and slow speed, there will be no heat decay! Usually, serious heat decay occurs when running down the mountain road and down the long slope.

-Replace:

Did you change the brake pads yourself?

Replacing the disc brake pad is usually easier, even if you haven't done it yourself. First, remove the calipers, install the brake pad on it, push the piston inwards, and you're done! And the drum brake is very laborious, trying to pry the brake drum off is very laborious, and finally, it took a lot of effort to pry it off.

As a result, I accidentally exhaled, and the brake dust flew. Once the dust is removed, you will be faced with a ton of springs and leaf springs. It would be too difficult to pull out the spring without that special tweezers. It's like dismantling an alarm clock.

After dismantling a lot of parts! After they are all installed, they have to be put back one by one, especially the brake drum is still so laborious!

After everything is done, you have to adjust the tension, otherwise, the brakes will be boring.

All in all, the replacement of drum brakes is too much trouble!

-Braking Force:

Due to their own structure, drum brakes have a higher braking force than disc brakes. Large braking force is a good thing, but too fast and non-linear force is a disadvantage.

It may be for large trucks. It is the most important, but for a family car, a drum brake that can brake instantly or even cause ABS to intervene with a little step on the brake will obviously make you very uncomfortable.

With ABS, you can't let the ABS intervene with a little effort? Right! The non-linear braking force makes it extremely difficult to precisely control the time when ABS, ESP, and other functions intervene!

Most of the drum brake family cars that can be seen on the market use "front disc and rear drum", the front and rear braking force adopts a 7/3 braking force ratio, the brake mainly relies on the disc, and the rear drum only exists as an auxiliary, only After the front disc fails, the rear drum can play its full role!

And the front wheel doesn't get on the drum because its braking force is too fast and non-linear!

-Price:

Replacing "brakes" usually means changing the pads or shoes. The cost of new brakes varies by vehicle make and model, location, and friction material used.

However, the average price per axis can be between $150-$300. Remember, brake repair involves more than just replacing brake components.

Last sentence

Good driving habits include measuring enough braking distance, avoiding tailgating (to prevent hard braking), and applying gentle pressure to the brakes. Minimizing the use of hard braking helps improve fuel economy and prevents unnecessary wear on brake components.

Also, keep in mind that regular brake inspections and regular brake service can help you plan brake repairs and spread the cost.