The ability to stop your vehicle is critical to your safety and the safety of others. A vehicle’s brakes are its most used safety feature. It helps to stay informed so that you can take care of your brakes on a regular basis. There are two kinds of service brakes, disc and drum, which are the brakes that stop your vehicle while driving. Also, almost all vehicles come with emergency brakes and anti-lock brakes. The four kinds of brakes below are an overview of those within most vehicles.
Disc Brakes
Disc brakes consist of a brake rotor that is attached directly to the wheel. The hydraulic pressure from the master cylinder causes a caliper to squeeze the brake pads on either side of the rotor. It is the friction between the pads and the rotor that causes the vehicle to stop.
Drum Brakes
Drum brakes are made up of a brake drum attached to the inside of the wheel. When the brake pedal contracts, hydraulic pressure presses two brake shoes against the brake drum, which creates friction and causes the vehicle to stop.
Emergency Brakes
Emergency brakes or parking brakes are a secondary braking system that works independently of your service brakes. There are a number of different kinds of emergency brakes, but most of them are powered by cables that mechanically apply pressure to the wheels. Emergency brakes are used to keep a vehicle in place while it is parked.
Anti-Lock Brakes
Anti-lock braking systems (ABS) are on most new vehicles. They are meant to prevent the wheels from locking up, which causes the tires to skid, especially on wet roads.
Make sure your brakes are in the proper working order by taking your vehicle to Stryker Bros, a reputable auto shop for brake service near Lake Stevens, WA.
