There Are Different Kinds Of Brakes For Your Car

One of the systems on your car that you want to make sure is running as well as possible is your braking system. While it is important to make sure that your car can go, it is more important to make sure that your car can stop. That's why it's important for you to know what kind of brakes your car has. There are several kinds of braking systems that may be on your car. You might even have one kind of brake on the front wheels of your car and a different kind on the rear wheels of your car. If you aren't sure what kind of brakes you have, you can always talk to a service shop that handles brakes and ask them about it. 

Disc Brakes

These brakes are what most new cars come equipped with. The way that these brakes work is that when you hit your brake pedal, the hydraulic brake fluid is pushed out of the reservoir, and that causes the calipers to push the brake pads up against the rotor, which slows down your car. The reason that a disc brake system is more common on new cars, even though they are generally more expensive to install and repair, is that they dry faster when they get wet, which means that your car is going to be able to slow down better in wet weather. Disc brakes also cool down faster. All brakes are going to heat up because the friction of stopping your car is going to heat everything up. Excessive heat can warp your brakes, so a braking system that cools down faster is going to be better. 

Drum Brakes

These brakes look like little drums, thus the name. Instead of having calipers and pads that are outside of the braking system, these brakes have shoes inside the drum. When you hit the brakes, the shoes push against the sides of the drums, which slows the car down. These brakes are problematic when it is wet outside because water can get into the drums, which can make it harder for the brakes to work, and will cause corrosion inside the drum. 

Knowing what kind of brakes your car has is important. That way you can keep them in good shape and replace them when necessary. A good brake shop can help you by telling you what kind of brakes you have, and help you keep them maintained. 

For more information, schedule a brake service with your local auto shop.