How does it work? Braking systems

A few things in life will likely remain perpetually mysterious, like the origin of the Great Pyramids, the cause of dinosaur extinction and whether our single missing socks are conspiring in secret to covertly take over the world. Fortunately, good people, I can assure you that the workings of your car’s brakes needn’t remain a mystery.

We all know that acceleration in our vehicles would be futile and dangerous without a complementary brake system. As per the laws of physics, the faster we’re cruising along, the harder the brakes need to work to generate the friction required to counteract the velocity of acceleration of our car. Stopping a big machine in it’s tracks is no easy task though, and requires a team effort from some quiet achievers under the hood. Allow me to introduce the Hydraulic System – the brains behind the show and the reason  tonnes of moving metal has enough force to stop itself. Hydraulics are a system of fluid filled pipes capable of producing and transmitting large amounts of force. The brawn behind the performance is brake pads. They’re the brave soldiers, having the tough job of being in the front line of action, head to head with the opposition. Using sheer muscle, the brake pads must physically stop the revolutions of the cars engine to overpower acceleration. We’ve all met the front man of the operation. The brake pedal is really a one trick pony, and receives a lot of public recognition for simply being a glorified lever. Depressing the brake pedal activates the pushing of a piston into a long, narrow cylinder filled with hydraulic brake fluid. As the piston pushes into the cylinder, it forces hydraulic fluid  through the brake booster and out through the master cylinder to a narrow hose at the end. The narrow hose leads to large cylinders positioned next to the four brake callipers.  This is what makes it possible for the brake pads to have the strength to clamp against the rotors and generate sufficient friction to slow or stop the car very quickly.

Of course there are other forms of braking systems, this however is the most common. To ensure your brakes are in good working order have your vehicle serviced regularly . If you need any help with your brakes or you have any questions about braking systems call Sandro on 0400 401 171.