What are disc brakes?
The caliper is the part you can see first and foremost and is the part of the system that creates friction and acts as a clamp around the disc. These calipers are often painted in bright colours on sportier cars to emphasise the theme of performance.
Attached to either side of a caliper are the brake pads; the materials that make contact with the discs under braking. The discs themselves are fitted to the inside of your car’s wheels. As you apply pressure to the brake pedal, brake fluid pushes a piston against the caliper, causing it to squeeze the pads against the disc. This in turn slows the turning wheel and therefore, the car down.
What are drum brakes?
Though the concept is much the same, drum brakes utilise a metal drum instead of the round discs that you’ll find in the majority of modern vehicles. When the brake is applied, brake shoes (similar in function to brake pads) are pushed against the inside of the spinning drum which creates friction, thus slowing the vehicle down.
Drum brakes are much cheaper to produce than their disc counterparts, however they are becoming uncommon in conventional petrol and diesel cars due to their inability to dissipate excess heat. Nevertheless, their inherent low cost means they are still finding their way into the rear axles of some of the cheapest cars on the market where intense braking isn’t so much of an issue.
Drum brakes are also seeing a resurgence in the electric car market. This is because the majority of an electric car’s braking power comes not from the brakes themselves, but through regenerative braking. This means that expensive and complex disc brakes are not needed, especially in smaller EVs such as the Volkswagen ID.3.
How do I check my brake pads?
Checking your brake pads may be something you’d want to do every now and again to ensure your vehicle is stopping as well as it should be.
“Keyword”
“how does lifetime warranty on brake pads work”
“brake pads how they work”
“how do rear brake pads work”
“how long to brakes pads last”
