Breaking System Componants



You know that when you press down on your car’s brake pedal, the vehicle will slow down. Simple, right? But what parts of the braking system make stopping and slowing down possible? 

Learning about the parts of a car brake system can help you better understand your vehicle, signs that components need to be replaced or repaired, and when it's time to seek out maintenance services. Keep reading to learn what the main parts of a braking system are and what to look for when they wear out

Master Cylinder 

The brake master cylinder is the first, and perhaps most important, component in your braking system because it sets the rest of the system in motion. The master cylinder is activated by pressing down on the brake pedal, which pushes a piston through the cylinder to force brake fluid through the brake lines. 

In other words, the master cylinder creates hydraulic pressure that pushes the brake fluid down to the brake components on each wheel. The brake fluid reservoir sits on top of the master cylinder to supply it with fluid.

Defective Master Cylinder 

While master cylinders are designed to last the lifetime of your vehicle, they can sometimes suffer from leaks or other mechanical failures.

Abnormal brake pedal 

A brake pedal that feels soft, squishy, or slowly sinks to the floor may indicate that the master cylinder has a leak or is otherwise not properly sealed.

Dirty brake fluid

Brake fluid that appears dark brown or black may indicate that the master cylinder’s rubber seals have broken down and contaminated the fluid.

Leaking fluid

A master cylinder whose seals have worn out may present visible leaks that drip brake fluid onto the ground beneath your vehicle.

Check engine light

Your vehicle may be equipped with sensors that detect when the brake system loses pressure due to a faulty master cylinder, prompting a check engine light.

Brake booster

Brake boosters are a component of power brake systems. They multiply the force applied by the brake pedal onto the master cylinder. Power brakes are found on many vehicles nowadays to make braking more manageable. 

Without a brake booster, you would have to put in a lot more effort to slow down your car. Most brake boosters are vacuum-boosted, meaning the engine produces a vacuum inside the booster’s diaphragm to multiply force from the pedal.

Defective Break Booster

A failing brake booster can create dangerous driving conditions by making braking more difficult. Oftentimes, a brake booster fails due to a ruptured diaphragm or cracked vacuum hose. 

Hard brake pedal

A break padel that is hard or extremely difficult to press down and does not rise after being pressed is one of the primary indicators of a bad brake booster.

Longer stopping distance

A vehicle with a bad brake booster may be more difficult to stop and could result in longer stopping distances.Engine stalls when braking: If the diaphragm in your brake booster is ruptured, it may draw excess vacuum from the engine, causing it to stall.

Break Fluid

Pressurized brake fluid is the medium by which the mechanical parts of your brake system are activated. It is sent from the brake fluid reservoir to the master cylinder. Then, through the brake lines, and down to the callipers or wheel cylinders (if the vehicle has rear drum brakes) at each wheel, which house the brake pads. This hydraulic fluid not only actuates the brake pads and rear shoes (if drum brake equipped) at each wheel, but it also acts as a lubricant and has anti-corrosion additives to keep your brake system healthy.

Bad Break Fluid

Exchanging break fluid is a routine maintenance item that should be investigated approximately every two years or 30,000 miles. If your brake fluid is contaminated, sludgy, or its level is too low.

Soft brake pedal:

A pedal that is overly soft and unresponsive may indicate a leak has caused you to lose too much brake fluid.

Less effective brakes

Brake fluid that is contaminated with air or sludge won’t respond as effectively when pressurized, which may lead to longer stopping distances.

Brake warning light

Your car may be equipped with a sensor in the brake fluid reservoir that activates the brake warning light on your dashboard if fluid levels drop too low.

Brake lines and Hoses 

Brake lines and hoses carry brake fluid from the master cylinder to the calipers on all four wheels. Brake lines are rigid metal tubes attached to the car's body, and they transport the fluid most of the way to the wheels. Brake hoses are found at the end of the brake lines and are used to bring the fluid the rest of the way to each caliper or wheel cylinder. Brake hoses are made of rubber to allow movement between the wheel and suspension

Defective Break lines and Hoses

Brake lines and hoses are made to last for tens of thousands of miles, but they should be inspected regularly to check for leaks or damage. Here’s how to check if your brake lines or hoses are going bad:

Soft brake pedal

If a line or hose has sprung a leak, it may compromise the pressure of the hydraulic fluid your brakes need to operate, leading to a dangerously soft pedal.

Check Brake Hose

Exposure to weather and heat from the brakes over time may result in brake hoses that have cracks, tears, or frayed threads that can quickly turn into a leak.

Break Callipers

Brake callipers are a component placed at each wheel and found only in disc brake systems. They act as a metal clamp on the wheel’s disc or rotor. When the brake pedal is applied, brake fluid activates a set of pistons inside the caliper, which presses brake pads against the rotor and slows the vehicle.

Defective Break Callipers 

Brake callipers are built to last tens of thousands of miles without issue, but as they age, the piston(s) inside the caliper may get stuck or the caliper itself may leak or become stuck as well.

leakage

Constant exposure to the heat from braking can cause the caliper’s rubber seals to break down over time, which may result in brake fluid leaks under your vehicle and near the wheels.

Less effective brakes

If the caliper has built up too much dirt and grime, the caliper sliders may become stuck, preventing the caliper from fully clamping down on the rotor and giving the brake pedal a spongy feel.

Car pulls to one side

As a caliper begins to wear out from heat exposure, its pistons may seize and create drag on that particular wheel, causing it to pull to that side.

Brakes engaged without pedal

A caliper that becomes stuck from dirt and grime may be unable to fully retract the brake pads from the rotor, making your ride feel like the brakes are partially engaged even when your foot is off the pedal.

Brake pads and Shoes

Brake pads are found only in disc brake systems, while brake shoes are found in drum brake systems. With disc brakes, brake pads act as the friction material that is squeezed against a wheel’s rotor to slow it down. On drum brakes, brake shoes perform the same function, except they create friction by being pressed against the inside of a drum.

Defective Break Pads and Shoes

Brake pads are a routine maintenance item and need to be replaced at regular intervals. Depending on the type of pads you have, they may last anywhere between 20,000 to 70,000 miles. However, a better way to tell if your pads need replacing is by how thin they are. Brake pads should be replaced when they wear down to about 3 to 4 mm in thickness.

Squealing noise

Some brake pads come with a built-in indicator that makes an audible squealing noise when they become too thin, letting you know they need to be replaced. If you hear a harsh grinding noise, this likely means the pads have completely worn out and are now pressing against their rotor with only their metal backplate. If you hear grinding then schedule an appointment as soon as possible to have your brake pads replaced.

Less effective brakes

As brake pads wear out, their braking response worsens especially during hard braking situations.

Break Rotor and Drum 

A brake rotor is a metal disc attached to the wheel hub, found only on disc brake systems. It rotates with the wheel so that when the brake pads squeeze the rotor, the whole wheel comes to a stop. In drum brake systems, the brake drum also rotates with the wheel, but it contains wheel cylinders and brake shoes that slow the rotation of the drum.

Defective Rotor and Drum

Brake rotors last longer than brake pads but suffer from similar wear due to heat and friction and will need to be replaced eventually usually after tens of thousands of miles. Rotors can sometimes be resurfaced or replaced altogether.  

Scraping noises

A rotor that has become warped may make a squealing sound when applying the brakes and a scraping noise if the rotor is severely worn.Brake pedal vibrations: If one or more rotors are warped, it can cause irregular vibrations felt through the brake pedal or steering wheel (during braking).

Linings on the rotor

As brake pads and rotors wear out from contact, the rotor may be left with linings or visible marks that may need to be resurfaced to maintain safe braking.Longer stopping distances: Rotors that are grooved, scored, or warped are overall less effective and can unsafely increase your stopping distance

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