How Brakes Work

The braking system is one the most and least understood parts of a car. Brakes are not like an O2 sensor or air fuel ratio sensor there perform their task in many different ways that all seem the same. The basic idea of the braking system is that the calipers clamp on the disc and create resistance which stops the vehicle.  While the idea behind braking is basic the way each piece of the system works is not as simple. 

The brake discs are very important and come in many varieties from basic solid plates to carbon ceramic cross drilled and vented. Each of the different discs has different aspects that make them good or bad. Bigger will always stop the vehicle faster but weight is much higher and so is cost, so on an economy car they are not appropriate. Small light rotors are good for a vehicle’s acceleration since there is less weight around the hub but they will not create as much stopping power. A common mistake made by people looking to upgrade the brake system on their vehicle is to just buy some cross drilled rotors. The main issue here is that not there is less surface area for the pad to contact and thus less braking ability. Cross drilled will allow for more heat to be removed from the brakes more quickly so cross drilled are great if the diameter of the disc is increased. 

The calipers are another important part of the system since they press the pads onto the rotor with specifically placed pistons. The size and number of pistons in the caliper control how evenly and hard the caliper can push. The most common is the single piston type which has one large piston in the center of the pad and is the cheapest of make. The multiple piston types can more evenly disperse the pressure to all areas of the pad which means more pressure with less chance of lock up. A huge issue when upgrading the calipers is the amount of fluid that the calipers. If the system is not upgraded to handle the increased pressure demand then the brakes will not press as hard and even with larger calipers and rotors on a vehicle the braking power will be reduced. 

Understanding the brake system is the best way to make sure they work properly. Many people think that cross drilled means better but unless it is done correctly it actually means worse. The brakes are the part of the vehicle that stops the movement and thus avoid accidents. It is vital to not only the performance of the car but also the lifespan of the drive to have proper brakes.  Next time your mechanic tells you that your brakes need to be changed just consider that using the brakes to stop is better than the back of someone else’s car.