The brakes are obviously a vital part to your car. Going somewhere is only good if you can stop when you get there. The brakes are, of course, the key to making this happen. There are different types of brake systems, but all are based on the same basic premise. If you don’t understand them, you could be damaging your brakes.
There are two basic types of brake systems – drum and disc brakes. Most cars have disc brakes on all four wheels, but some have drums in the rear. Some cars also have ABS systems, which make the brakes more responsive while preventing skidding. Regardless of the brake system on your car, you could be doing damage to your brakes or at least wearing them out well before they should be. You do this by “riding” your brakes. To understand why it is a problem, we first need to discuss how brakes work.
A brake system is fairly simply. You press the brake pad to make the car slow down. When you press that pad, hydraulic fluid is pushed down brake lines and into the brake system at the wheel. In a disc system, the fluid causes an increase in pressure which causes a caliper to close. When it closes, pads on the caliper squeeze a disk on the wheel and cause it and the wheel to slow down. The same thing happens with a drum brake, except there is no squeezing. Instead, the increased pressure causes a brake shoe to push out against a drum. This causes the drum to slow and the wheel with it.
When you “ride” the brakes, you drive with your foot slightly hitting the brake pad. This causes the brakes to engage slightly again and again. It usually isn’t enough to activate the brake lights or create a sensation of driving. What it does do, however, is cause the surface of the brake pads or shoes to wear away as they lightly rub against the disc or drum. This friction will mean you’ll need to replace the pads or brake shoes frequently. It may also cause excessive heat, particularly in the drums, that may cause warping or problems that require a complete replacement of the brake system. That is a very expensive proposition.
Do you complain about your brakes going out quickly? Well, brake systems have been around forever and are pretty stable. If you need repairs after 10,000 to 15,000 miles, the problem is probably not your brakes – it is you. Pay close attention to how you drive and see if you are riding the brakes. If you can teach yourself to stop, you will save a ton of money on brake repairs.
