Specifics It Is Advisable To Know About Brakes
Brakes on any vehicle work with a friction pad placed against a disc with force. The friction between the disc and the pad causes heat to spread over the brake disc, which causes the car to slow down. The same applies for brake drums with the brake shoe pressed against it, heating up and again slowing the vehicle.
Starting under your foot the pressure you apply to the brake pedal is transferred to the brake servo, this utilises engine power to increase the pressure and ensuring you can still feel your leg after a long journey!
How is the pressure transferred to the friction (brake) pads? The secret to brake fluid is in the brake pipe, which runs from the servo and the brakes. Fluid is used as cables would require constant adjustment due to stretching from the heat and constant use.
The brake discs dissipate heat from the pads. For improved dissipation vented brake discs have a central channel that increases the surface to air ratio of the disc and gives more efficient cooling. Ventilated discs improve the air ratio, reduce the buildup of gases, and maintain clean pads. To further improve the braking of a high performance car you can always fit larger discs but you may have to fit different wheels.
Brake pads are obviously an essential part in stopping your car and the higher the friction the better the performance. Fast road pads give a good compromise between standard and racing pads with some generating zero pads. Your driving style and driving habits will have a significant impact on how the pads and discs wear.
ABS helps to prevent lockups under heavy braking and allows you to steer the car but steering will reduce the braking efficiency as the ABS cuts in more.
Brake Upgrades
Braided hoses made of stainless steel resist bending and loss of pressure at the pad ends. They also look better and theoretically last longer. Get a complete set and do both the front and the back.
You have many options to upgrade your cars braking system. An easy upgrade is to fit larger discs. Take a standard family car for example with small discs - you could visit your local breaker or buy brake parts online for a performance model from the same vehicle. Small cars usually share the same brake parts than their larger brothers and just a small amount of research could turn up some surprises.
General Care of Your Brake System
At least once per year you need to give your brakes a once over. Start by checking your pads and discs for wear and tear. The edge of the discs shouldn't have a ridge due to excessive wear. Thin discs can crack under extreme heat conditions. Check your pads for wear as they will eat into your discs when worn.
The level of brake fluid should be checked at least once a year, but not more than twice a year.
One point to make is to test your brakes by applying them after driving through standing water to remove the water and grease build up.
I hope you have found this information useful, it's important to understand the attention you need to give your brakes as you need to stop your car with confidence.
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