How Do Brakes Work?

Everyone that has ever driven a car knows what the brakes do, but not many people know how the parts of the brakes work together to stop the car. Budget Brakes is an expert on brake service, and we would like to share some of our knowledge with our customers so that they can better understand the way their vehicle’s brakes function.

There are different kinds of brakes, depending on the make and year model of each vehicle. The most common type of brakes we see at Budget Brakes are disc brakes and drum brakes, and most vehicles use both brake types, one on each set of wheels (front and back.) Regardless of which type of brakes a vehicle is using, the brakes stop the car relatively the same way.

To understand how brakes work, it is important to know the main parts of the brakes. They are: brake shoes or calipers and drums or discs, depending on which brake type is used. When pressure is applied to the brake pedal, a “message” is sent to the brakes to slow the car. On drum brakes, the brake shoes then begin to press against the drum, and this creates friction. The friction is what makes the car slow down. This works the same way with disc brakes, except the calipers press on the discs. If you have any brake questions, stop by Budget Brakes.