To drive a car, you need good brakes. It is simply a matter of life and death to make sure your brakes are maintained regularly and checked frequently. Also, because of the power required in stopping the weight of a vehicle, the parts of a cars’ braking system are many and can be quite sophisticated with especially with the now common feature of ABS digital components.
Each wheel has its own brake, and most cars have at least two disc brake systems on the front and drum or pad brakes on the rear wheels, while more expensive cars will likely have disc brakes on all wheels.
Drum brakes are a more simplistic mechanical operation in that a “brake shoe” is pulled by coil links to the inner edge of the wheel cylinder and pressure is applied, causing the wheel to stop, albeit while intentionally wearing down the padding of the shoe itself. When those pads get worn too much, the car will have little to no braking power on those wheels. The pads on the shoes may need replacing in as little as two years of normal driving. The spring coils and cables will also have to be properly cleaned, lubricated and replaced if necessary.
Disc brakes are the preference for consumers and manufacturers now as they provide more braking power and less friction than drum brakes. If not on all four wheels, then disc brakes will undoubtedly be situated in the front, due to the vehicle’s weight distribution being front dominated because of the engine placement. Disc brakes operate by having a clamp located in the caliper squeeze onto both sides of the rotor or disc of the inner wheel chamber. The caliper is powered by hydraulics which tends to make the brakes more powerful and quiet for the driver and passengers. However, dust, dirt, stones and other impurities can interact with the disc brakes and cause screeching noises. Such noises are also a sign of equipment malfunction and should be attended to immediately.
ABS is an initialism for Antilock Brake System and has become a popular option, if not a standard feature in all late model vehicles. ABS electronically interacts with all four wheels and read and can control each of them separately. The benefit of ABS is that it helps prevent cars from becoming locked up during braking. It is the friction between the tires and the surface that allows a car to stop. Sometimes, particularly on icy, snow-packed or wet roads tires will “lock” and provide no friction. In this case, the ABS will read any particular tire and ease up on that one wheel brake, which in turn – (at least theoretically) allows the driver for more control in handling the vehicle. Keep in mind that ABS will not stop a car sooner, but will enable the driver to navigate the vehicle more safely.
Flame auto provides complete brake maintenance including pads and drums, disc and calipers, as well as ABS brake systems.