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United Tire and Service News
How Do My Brakes Work?
4/24/2019 10:02:29 AM
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It’s a sunny day and you’re driving down the road with your windows down and music turned up. All of a sudden, the car in front of you stops abruptly, causing you to slam on your brakes. Thank goodness your brakes worked perfectly, and you avoided a collision. Until this incident occurred you probably haven’t given your brake system much thought. Sure, you know your brakes should be inspected and serviced every once in a while… but how do they actually make your car stop with just a tap of the foot?
When you really stop and think, you realize brakes are a pretty amazing invention. They have the power to bring a large, multi-ton machine traveling at 70 miles per hour to a complete stop with just a push of the pedal. This ability is all thanks to science!
A moving car has a lot of kinetic energy, meaning “energy in motion.” To stop your car, your brakes must eliminate that kinetic energy. When you push your foot to the pedal, a connected lever will be pushed into a small cylinder filled with hydraulic fluid in its reservoir. This causes the hydraulic fluid to travel through a system of lines into other larger cylinders, or calipers, located by the wheel. When fluid enters the caliper, this pushes the caliper to actuate the brake pad against the brake rotor. When the brake pad and brake rotor meet, this generates friction which in turn slows down the outer wheel and tire… bringing your car to a complete stop! Simple, right?
The brakes themselves are one of two types: disc brakes or drum brakes. Drum brakes appear similar to a drum, hence the name. Drum brakes have shoes located inside the drum which are pushed outward when you press your brake pedal. This causes the shoes to rub the inside of the drum and slow the wheel. Disc brakes operate a bit differently. Disc brakes use a metal rotor which spins with the wheel. When you push the pedal, a caliper squeezes the brake pads against the rotor and slows the wheel. This action is very similar to the one you would use to stop a spinning disc by squeezing it between your fingers!
The next time you drive your vehicle, take a moment to appreciate your brake system and the science used to bring your car to a halt with just the tap of a pedal. Take care of your brake system by having it inspected and serviced regularly by an experienced technician to ensure that when you need your car to stop, it will.
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United Tire & Service
15 Evergreen Dr,
Concordville, PA 19331
Phone:
610-859-4416
Fax:
19331
39.88292,-75.52377
United Tire & Service
637 West Bridge St,
Phoenixville, PA 19460
Phone:
(610) 634-8399
Fax:
19460
40.12979,-75.52659
United Tire & Service
1140 Easton Rd,
Willow Grove, PA 19090
Phone:
(267) 662-2033
Fax:
19090
40.15891,-75.12309
United Tire & Service
87 E Lancaster Ave,
Paoli, PA 19301
Phone:
(610) 723-7664
Fax:
19301
40.04239,-75.47919
United Tire & Service
340 Street Rd,
Southampton, PA 18966
Phone:
(267) 223-7298
Fax:
18966
40.17837,-75.0511
United Tire & Service
224 E Street Rd,
Feasterville, PA 19053
Phone:
(267) 662-2239
Fax:
19053
40.14797,-74.99648
United Tire & Service
4094 Chestnut Street,
Emmaus, PA 18049
Phone:
(610) 967-5625
Fax:
18049
40.51937,-75.52203
United Tire & Service
614 Westtown Rd,
West Chester, PA 19382
Phone:
(610) 590-8479
Fax:
19382
39.95898,-75.58625
United Tire & Service
980 E Lancaster Ave,
Downingtown, PA 19335
Phone:
(610) 590-9116
Fax:
19335
40.01662,-75.68335
United Tire & Service
100 Robbins Rd,
Downingtown, PA 19335
Phone:
(610) 590-8493
Fax:
19335
39.99897,-75.70103
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