Brakes - Everything You Need To Know

Have you ever slammed on your brakes so hard that you felt your vehicle shake? Or met a red light so fast that you could almost taste the burning metal? In situations like these, after your vehicle has stopped, it’s easy to take your brakes for granted. If your brakes are not functioning properly, it can be dangerous to not only your passengers, but other drivers on the road as well.

Yet, how well do you actually understand how brakes work? Simply put, when you push down on your brake pedal it causes your vehicle to stop. However, behind the scenes, brakes are tailored and engineered through highly complicated scientific processes to meet specialist needs and industry standards.

At Pedders, your automobile and your safety is as important to us as it is to you- so we created a guide to help you understand the inner workings of your vehicle’s brake system.

Hydraulic System

Most vehicle brakes operate on a hydraulic system and are friction based. This means your brakes convert kinetic energy into heat energy to move and stop the vehicle. The pressure you apply is then transmitted from your foot all the way to the wheels in order to stop the car.

The vacuum from the engine boosts the force that is generated by your foot. This force is applied to brake fluid within the system, causing a sudden jolt when you push your foot down to hard.

This is called hydraulic pressure. The pressurized fluid then moves down to the wheel, forcing the brake pads to tightly squeeze the revolving rotors creating friction and causing them, and your vehicle, to stop.

Disk Brakes, Drum Brakes, Front Brakes & Rear Brakes

Brakes are engineered to provide a specific function for your automobile – getting it to stop. Thus, all vehicles have both front and rear brakes. While brakes usually work on the vehicle’s wheel hubs, they can also work on the axles and transmission.

Friction brakes are either drum or disc brakes. Disk brakes are usually found on the front as they perform better than drum brakes and stay cooler when used frequently.

A key component to the disc brake system is the brake pad. Brake pads can be made of a variety of materials depending on the vehicle, but they are usually a steel or ceramic disk that provides the friction needed to stop the vehicle.

All of these components are designed to boost performance for every vehicle. However, there are other elements that can influence performance and increase longevity. The total weight of your vehicle, the load it is carrying, the frequency of use, the terrain and weather conditions, are all taken into consideration when determining the life of your brake system. Consequently, having them inspected by a professional on a regular basis is key in maintaining the safety of you and your passengers.

If you’re looking for something in particular, visit Pedders online store to see our exclusive range of brakes and brake pads. We offer several industry leading brake products along with top-of-the-line brands that cover most makes and models.

Pedders Brakes Guide

At Pedders we understand brakes and we understand you. We have everything you need to optimize your performance vehicle on the Australian roads!