Anatomy of Car Brakes: How They Work and When to Repair

Your brakes are your vehicle’s most important safety feature. As a driver, you put your life and the lives of your passengers in your hands every time you get behind the wheel. Therefore, it’s your responsibility to maintain your vehicle’s braking system. You don’t need to be a professional mechanic to know a little bit about the anatomy of car brakes. Knowing how your braking system works and when it needs repair will help ensure the safety of everyone on the road.  

Every driver relies on their braking system to bring their vehicle to a complete stop at a stop sign, an intersection, or if an animal crosses the road in front of them. However, few know how their vehicle’s brakes actually work. In this post, we’re going to go over the anatomy of car brakes, how these components work together to bring your vehicle to a stop, and how to know when your brakes need repair.

Anatomy of Car Brakes

There are two types of brake systems – disc brakes and drum brakes. Let’s look at the different components of each:

Disc Brakes

Most newer vehicles have disc brakes on all four wheels or disc brakes on the two front wheels and drum brakes on the two in the back.

A disk brake consists of three major parts:

• Brake Pad – Your brake pad is a metallic disc found behind the wheel. In a disc brake system, the brake pad is the component that is pressed against the rotor to generate the friction needed to bring your wheel to a stop. Brake pads can be metallic or ceramic, depending on your vehicle.
• Brake Rotor – Brake rotors are circular discs connected to each wheel. They are responsible for converting kinetic energy into thermal energy to slow your vehicle down when you press the brake pedal.
• Brake Caliper – Your brake calipers are what hold the brake pads and clamp them down onto the brake rotors using hydraulic pressure. When you apply pressure to your brakes it forces brake fluid through the lines which drives a piston in the caliper, pushing the brake pads against the rotors.

Along with the disc brakes’ major components, they also contain smaller supporting parts and hardware such as caliper pins, abutment clips, and piston boots. These parts help hold your brake parts in place and make sure everything is optimally aligned for effective braking performance.

Drum Brakes

Drum brakes are one of the oldest types of car brakes and are still used on many vehicles today.

Drum brakes consist of many parts that work together to bring your car to a stop:

• Backing Plate – The backing plate is a thin, circular metal plate that provides a base and protection for all the other drum brake components.
• Brake Drum – A brake drum is a cylindrical drum that is attached to the inside of a car’s wheel and rotates with the wheel and axle.
• Brake Shoes – The brake drum surrounds a set of brake shoes. These brake shoes are crescent-shaped components with a rough friction material on one side. When the brake pedal is pressed, the brake shoes press against the interior of the brake drum to slow and stop the vehicle.
• Wheel Cylinder – One wheel cylinder operates the brake on each wheel. Each wheel cylinder consists of a cylinder with two pistons, one on each side. When the brake is applied, the pistons are forced out, pushing the brake shoes into contact with the drum.  

As you can see, both disc brakes and drum brakes consist of several individual components that work together to safely bring your vehicle to a stop when you apply the brakes.

When To Repair

As you drive, your brake parts experience wear and tear and need proper maintenance to function efficiently. Parts like brake pads, brake rotors, and brake drums need to be inspected and replaced when necessary.

However, there are some signs that your brakes need attention right away:

• You hear strange sounds like high-pitched screeching, squealing, or grinding sounds coming from your brakes.
• Your brakes are not responding as quickly.
• Your vehicle is pulling to one side when you apply the brakes.
• You see leaking fluid after your vehicle has been parked.
• You feel vibrations or shaking when you hit the brakes.
• There is a warning light on your vehicle’s dashboard.
• A burning smell is coming from your brakes. (If you smell burning from your brakes, it’s advised that you stop driving immediately and call a vehicle mechanic.)

As a vehicle owner, it’s important to know which type of brakes your vehicle has and the basics of how they work. Neglecting to maintain your car’s brakes can lead to costly repairs or serious accidents. By paying attention to the signs that your brakes need repair, you can ensure your safety and the safety of those around you. If your brakes need service, book an appointment with My Calgary Mechanic today!