A brake caliper is one of the most important parts of your car’s braking system. It works with the help of brake pads and rotors to ensure safe braking.
It uses a piston that operates via pressurized hydraulic fluid. Brake calipers have different designs, but they all work in a similar manner.
Brake Pads
Every time you press the brake pedal or your traction control, stability control, or crash avoidance systems are activated, a host of hydraulics and mechanisms work in unison to bring your vehicle to a stop. The car brake caliper is one of the most important parts of this complex system, so it should be replaced at regular intervals.
The car brake caliper presses the brake pads against a spinning rotor to create friction and heat as you hit the brakes. When the rotor stops, it releases the pressure and the wheels resume moving again.
When the car brake pads are worn down to the point where they no longer grip the rotor, the braking system will fail. This will result in a loss of control and possibly a serious accident.
Good indication
Often, the first sign that your Brake Caliper pads are wearing down is a screeching noise when you hit the brakes. This is a good indication that the brake pads are getting thinner and need to be replaced.
Your vehicle may also have a low-pad warning light that illuminates your dashboard when it’s time to replace the pads. This is a serious sign that you need to replace your brake pads as soon as possible, and it’s something you should not ignore at any cost.
Most cars are equipped with sliding-caliper brake assemblies, which make it simple for an automotive technician to replace the brake pads. If your vehicle has a fixed-Brake Caliper assembly, you will need to learn a different procedure for the replacement process.
A professional will first jack your vehicle up, remove the wheels and tires, and disassemble your caliper. Then the mechanic will remove the old pads and reinstall the new ones. Afterward, he or she will tighten the lug nuts to the proper torque specifications and lower the vehicle.
Rotors
Rotors are a key component of your vehicle’s braking system. They are designed to withstand high amounts of pressure and heat. They work in conjunction with Brake Caliper pads to stop your car, and they’re vital to safety.
Brake Caliper rotors are made of steel and feature multiple holes and ribs that aid in heat dissipation and cooling. They also help prevent rust and corrosion.
A rotor’s ability to dissipate heat is important because it’s the only way to keep your car from overheating while braking. This is why it’s essential to replace your rotors as soon as they are damaged, or if you feel them shaking or vibrating while driving.
There are many different rotor designs available, and some of them offer better heat-dissipating capabilities than others. Some rotors are vented, which means that air channels are cut into the surface to facilitate more airflow. This helps to cool the rotor faster and improves pad wear.
Popular choice
Slotted rotors are another popular choice, which has slots on the surface that draw air into the rotor to increase the amount of heat it can dissipate. They are more efficient than solid rotors and can improve stopping power in heavy trucks, but they’re not as durable.
While rotors are not as critical to the safety of your vehicle as Brake Caliper pads, they still need to be checked regularly for signs of wear. One of the biggest indicators that a rotor needs to be replaced is when it starts to show cracks that extend from the center to the outer edge.
Another indicator that your rotors are in need of replacement is when they begin to show signs of warpage. This is usually only noticeable when you’re braking heavily and can be difficult to tell on your own, so you may want to get them inspected by an experienced technician.
A quick test that you can do to see if your rotors are warped is to drive your car on an empty road and apply the brakes at 30 mph. If you notice a vibration, it’s an indication that your rotors are warped.
Brake Fluid
Brake fluid is a crucial part of your vehicle’s braking system. Every time you step on the Brake Caliper pedal, it triggers a release of fluid into a network of tubes and hoses that run to the braking units at each wheel.
The pressure and motion of the brake pedal send the brake fluid into the hydraulic system, which then pushes the pistons in the calipers forward to pinch against the rotors. This pinching creates friction and slows your car down.
A car’s braking system is built to work under high temperatures and high pressure, which means it needs a good quality lubricant that can handle the heat and cold. That’s why brake fluid has to be formulated to work in extreme weather, and it needs additives that keep it able to withstand corrosion.
There are several types of Brake Caliper fluid, each with its own characteristics. Each type of fluid has a different boiling point, which is how hot it can get before the brakes stop working properly.
Read more: Choosing the Right Type of Car Brake Fluid
DOT 3 and DOT 4
DOT 3 and DOT 4 are glycol-based Brake Caliper fluids, usually clear to amber in color. These types of fluids are commonly used in domestic and euro vehicles.
Higher DOT numbers indicate better quality hydraulic fluid that can withstand higher temperatures. For example, a DOT 5.1 fluid has a higher boiling point than a DOT 3.
It also contains a lot of moisture-absorbing additives to prevent water from forming in the system. This helps to protect the calipers from corrosion and also keeps the braking system running smoothly.
In addition, a good quality lubricant will help to prevent dirt from getting into the brakes, which can cause your braking system to malfunction. This can result in a squishy feeling on the brake pedal or longer braking times.
The most important thing to remember when dealing with Brake Caliper fluid is to always use the proper formula for your vehicle. Using the wrong kind will lead to damage and may even cause your car to not stop properly.
Depending on your vehicle, you’ll need to bleed the brakes regularly to ensure that they are always filled with fresh fluid. Ask a friend or family member to help you pump the brakes a few times, then open the bleeder screw and let the fluid drain out until new, clean fluid comes out.
Brake Shoes
Brake shoes are the friction elements inside a drum brake system. They’re made from organic and metallic materials bound together under extreme heat and pressure to prevent them from shedding or breaking, making them durable enough to withstand the braking force required for a car to stop.
They’re positioned inside the Brake Caliper drums, rather than outside as brake pads are, which means they have more surface area to work with in converting your car’s kinetic energy into thermal energy to slow it down. This makes the system more powerful and less prone to heat-related failure than disc brakes.
When you press the brake pedal, a piston in the wheel cylinder expands and pushes outward against the brake shoe. The pressure on the shoe forces the friction lining to touch the inner surface of the brake drum and slows the vehicle. The retracted springs pull the brake shoe inward again.
Braking force
This process repeats until the braking force has been removed from the brake pedal, whereupon the piston retracts and the brake shoe is no longer in contact with the Brake Caliper drum. When this happens, the friction linings are no longer able to transfer enough force to the drum to decelerate the vehicle.
If you notice your car taking longer to stop, you may have a bad or failing brake shoe. This is because the braking power of your Brake Caliper shoes can be reduced by excessive wear, corrosion, or improper installation.
The best way to prevent this from happening is to change the brake shoes on a regular basis, which is about once a year or every 50,000 miles. It’s also important to make sure that you’re always using the proper Brake Caliper fluid in your car.
When buying brake shoes, it’s important to check for a reputable maker’s name that is clearly printed on the box. Dangerous fakes are common, so be wary of anything you don’t recognize.
Changing the brake shoes on a regular basis also helps prevent dust and debris from building up in the shoes, which can cause them to lock up and not function as well. In addition, it keeps them clean and helps extend their life.