If you’re interested in learning more about how your car’s brakes operate, Monnington Motors are here to make your understanding a little clearer. We specialise in car brakes in Newton Abbot so if you have any questions, feel free to come to us.
80% of the braking force in a car goes through the front wheels, and it is done (not so) simply by:
1. When you apply some pressure to the break, hydraulic pressure is generated in the master cylinder.
2. The cylinder is pressurised in the brake pipes and flows to the hydraulically powered pistons in each rotor, which are loaded with brake fluid
3. Which forces the pads or trainers on your feet to rotate, forcing the vehicle to come to a halt.
Disc Brakes Newton Abbot
Disc brakes are commonly attached to the front wheel on most vehicles; however, they are located on the back wheels on some larger vehicles. The main components of a brake disc are:
• Brake pads
• Calliper – containing a piston
• Disc – attached to the hub
The disc brakes are known as a calliper which is used on bicycle brakes to squeeze the brake pads against the tyre. On a disc brake, though, the brake pads squeeze the disc rather than the wheel. The force is then transferred hydraulically through a wire, creating friction and slowing the vehicle. At Monnington Motors, we fix and upgrade disc brakes, so come in or give us a call today.
Drum Brakes Newton Abbot
Drum brakes are similar to disc brakes in that they use the same mechanism, with the exception that the rotating surface is called a drum rather than a disc. Cars with drum brakes on the rear wheels and disc brakes on the front are popular. They’re much faster and less expensive to make, but they’re a lot more difficult to maintain than discs. The car slows down when the metal-lined brake shoes are rubbed against the tire’s surface by hydraulic wheel cylinders, causing friction. Call our garage for more details.
ABS Brakes Newton Abbot
ABS means ‘anti-locking braking system’ and essentially stops the car wheels locking during heavy or harsh braking. They ensure the car doesn’t skid or lose control and lead to a worse injury.
Here’s how they work:
With non-ABS brakes, the brake pads put pressure on the car wheels, making them rotate more frequently but slower.
• This does slow the car down, however the speed of the wheel spin remains
• When this happens, the car is still able to be pulled in any direction, but when the wheels are moving at different speeds, they begin to lock
• This is because when the front wheels turn, as they continue to rotate, they pull the front of the car in the desired direction
• Skidding is then caused if one or more wheels stop rotating, so if the driver tries to steer then they’ll skid all over the road
If this still does not make sense (and we understand if it doesn’t) call one of our experienced mechanics today.
The ABS system monitors the speed of all the wheels and if it notices one rotating at the wrong speed it can alter the brake pad pressure to allow that wheel to return to the correct speed, resulting in the driver keeping control. This is constantly happening and so the driver may feel a slight pulse when braking.
Monnington Motors Newton Abbot
We hope we could teach you a little about brakes and hope you now have a better understanding on how they work.
If you need your brakes servicing, repairing or replacing, be sure to contact us at Monnington Motors. Our friendly and professional team of mechanics will be happy to help with any issues or questions you may have.
