Disc Brakes – part 1
Both the material for the disc brakes and their construction vary depending on the car. The “classic” disc brake system has a fixed caliper with a piston and together surrounds the disc. By pressing the brake pedal the piston is pushing the pads and those the disc converting the braking energy into heat.
When the brake pedal is not pressed, the brake pads are very close to the disk (from 0.1 to 0.15 mm.) so with the slightest touch of the pedal the response is immediate. Apart from the “ordinary” disks, there are also ventilated which are manufactured in various types. The most common form of ventilated discs is one consisting of two parallel discs which are joined by ribs which are designed to quickly transfer the temperature in the environment.
Others types are slotted, engraved or the combination of these two, who have the advantage of being lighter and have easier heat dissipation.
The construction material of most discs is cast iron. This has low cost and good performance, but is heavy. This led manufacturers to look for new materials. Thus for example carbon fibers are about 4 times lighter than cast iron and have a better coefficient of friction and are highly resistant to high temperatures.
But their use is not recommended for daily use because there is a great wear of the material, while the desired coefficient of friction of the material becomes possible at temperatures above 200 degrees Celsius. A new material of manufacturing carbon fiber discs with liquid silicon, gave the “ceramic” a brake. These withstand temperatures well over 2.000 degrees Celsius and are stronger and lighter than any other species, but extremely expensive.
Mechanical problems: Disc Brake deterioration
What can cause damage to the disc brakes?
- One of the main causes is the heavy use. No matter how careful we are, friction always wears any material.
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This article is for www.Brockmoor.com