Disc Brake Basics

Location of the disc brakes in a car

brake Disc location

The main components of a disc brake are:

The brake pads
The caliper, which contains a piston
The rotor, which is mounted to the hub

How Disc Brakes Work?

Most modern cars have disc brakes on the front wheels, and some have disc brakes on all four wheels. This is the part of the brake system that does the actual work of stopping the car.

Disc brake

The most common type of disc brake on modern cars is the single-piston floating caliper. In this article, we will learn all about this type of disc brake design.

Disc Brake Assembly

Because a disc brake assembly can absorb more heat than a drum brake assembly, most cars use disc brakes for their front brake systems. When the brake pedal is pushed, brake fluid from the master cylinder compresses the brake pads against the rotors attached to the vehicle's front wheels. The friction between the stationary pads and the revolving rotors causes the rotors and wheel to slow and stop.

In day-to-day driving, these rotors and pads are subject to much abuse, and should be checked periodically for wear. Faulty disc brakes can cause excessive pedal travel, pumping or fighting pedal, vibration during braking action, and brake failure.

Disc Brake Assembly

Older cars had dual or four-piston fixed-caliper designs. A piston (or two) on each side of the rotor pushed the pad on that side. This design has been largely eliminated because single-piston designs are cheaper and more reliable.

Disc brake Parts

Parts of a disc brake

front disc brake component

1. Brake caliper
2. Brake hose
3. Support (anchor) plate

4. Outboard brake pad
5. Rotor
6. Rotor retainer

rear disc brake component

1. Brake caliper
2. Support bracket
3. Outboard brake pad

4. Rotor retainer
5. Rotor

The disc brake is a lot like the brakes on a bicycle. Bicycle brakes have a caliper, which squeezes the brake pads against the wheel. In a disc brake, the brake pads squeeze the rotor instead of the wheel, and the force is transmitted hydraulically instead of through a cable. Friction between the pads and the disc slows the disc down.

A moving car has a certain amount of kinetic energy, and the brakes have to remove this energy from the car in order to stop it. How do the brakes do this? Each time you stop your car, your brakes convert the kinetic energy to heat generated by the friction between the pads and the disc. Most car disc brakes are vented.

Disc brake vents

Vented disc brakes have a set of vanes, between the two sides of the disc, that pumps air through the disc to provide cooling.

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