Understanding Various Types of Car Brake Systems
Cars are a popular mode of personal transportation among the public, as they can assist with the daily needs of their users. Each vehicle is equipped with safety and security features such as brakes, ensuring that drivers and passengers feel safe. Here are some types of car brake systems viewed from the perspective of how they work.
Types of Vehicle Brake Systems and How They Work
1. Disc Brake
The Disc Brake is one type of brake that uses the principle of clamping and is commonly found on four-wheeled vehicles. The brake disc serves as the friction medium and will be clamped by the pads when the vehicle's brake is applied. The process of clamping the brake disc by the pads is what brings the vehicle to a stop.
Compared to other types of brakes, it can be said that its friction surface area is relatively small because the direction of pressure is opposing. Nevertheless, car drivers only need to apply a little pressure to stop the vehicle. Based on this advantage, disc brakes have earned the nickname responsive brakes that can be relied upon.
If there are advantages, of course, this vehicle component also has disadvantages. One of the weaknesses of using disc brakes is stopping a fast-moving vehicle with a narrow friction force; indirectly, the vehicle cannot counteract the rotational energy from its four wheels in a short time.
2. Drum Brake
The Drum Brake is a car brake system that works by rubbing two pads against a brake drum. The drum itself looks like a bowl, but this car component is made of quality iron. Its operation is quite simple, where the wall section will be pressed by both brake pads when the brake pedal is pressed.
Uniquely, the direction of pressure from the pads appears to be outward, resulting in the drum's rotation automatically stopping when the drum wall is subjected to friction from both brake pads. To ensure that both pads can generate friction, the friction surface is made wider to facilitate the braking process.
This statement can be seen from the shape of the pads, which are wide on the surface. Thanks to the wider surface of the pads, the braking force is significantly greater. This is a strong reason why this car brake system is suitable for heavy-load vehicles such as cargo trucks and buses.
Read Also: Understanding the Principles and How Car Brakes Work
3. Engine Brake
In addition to the two types of vehicle brakes mentioned above, you may often hear about the engine brake. This type of brake is popular in vehicles, although not many are aware of its existence. Based on its name, we can understand that this brake utilizes engine energy during braking.
When the vehicle's engine decelerates, the throttle valve, which was initially open, will close. The closing of the throttle valve affects the movement of the piston, as this component seems to be directly held back by the vacuum in the intake manifold, causing the engine speed to decrease gradually.
The deceleration of the vehicle's speed is what is referred to as the engine brake. Based on its operation, which only functions when the vehicle's engine is decelerating, it can be said that the engine brake is not part of the car's brake system.
The brake is one of the vehicle components that plays an important role in the safety and security of its passengers. Each type of brake has a different role, although broadly speaking, they serve a similar function of reducing the vehicle's speed.
