Brake Repair: Know the Enemy

Jun 24
06:48

2011

Ace Abbey

Ace Abbey

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Nobody likes to have to pay for automotive repairs, but in most cases it is a necessary and important part of life. This is especially true when it comes to brake repair, which, while often costly and a hassle, is also extremely important.

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Let's be honest,Brake Repair: Know the Enemy Articles you don't ever want to hear your mechanic tell you that you need brake repair. As with any other aspect of your car or truck, and perhaps even moreso, brake repair involves numerous parts, ample time and labor and more than your share of hassle. Of course this all adds up in the monetary bottom line as well, making it more than just a simple aggravation.

While needing brake repair may be as frustrating and aggravating as it is costly, it's also extremely important and necessary in maintaining the safety and functionality of your vehicle. So while your first reaction to the thought of needing to shell out your hard-earned money to fix your brakes may be that of anger, keep in mind that this particular nemesis is only going to help you in the long run.

Because of this, you may not need to like your brakes or the fact that you need to fix them, but you should understand them, how they work, and when you need to get them fixed. Braking systems are complex and complicated, and if you're not an automotive professional, you probably don't need or want to be bored with all the tiny details. What you should know, however, are the basics, and that starts with the type of braking system you have in your own automobile.

There are two main types of braking systems in today's automobiles that are common in most vehicles that are found on the road today. 

Disc brakes are common on many types of vehicles and can be broken down into two types that are relatively similar to one another and work off of the same basic principle. 

A floating disc system has a piston on only one side of the caliper system. When the pedal is depressed by the driver, the inside brake pad is pushed against the rotor and manipulates this caliper to the point where it pulls the outside pad against the rotor. When applied to both sides of the rotor, this pressure is what causes the vehicle to stop.

A fixed caliper system has pistons on each side that provide bilateral pressure on the rotor that is more equal on both sides. This clamping process is what stops the vehicle.

With drum brakes, friction that stops the automobile is caused by what are known as shoes or pads, which press against the inner surface drum-shaped mechanism attached to the wheel and force it to stop. There are also various types of drum braking systems, but each operates utilizing the same basic principles.

Of course there are more complex aspects to any braking system, but when it comes to identifying the need for brake repair, as a driver, it is helpful to simply know the basics.

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