The brake system of your car is another, often-overlooked safety item.  Most people are concerned about whether their car will go, while they actually should be more concerned about whether it will stop when they want it to.

The brake system in your car uses fluid pressure to activate the brakes on the four corners of your car.  When you push on the brake pedal, the fluid pressure activates the brakes.  There are two major types of brake.

First is the disc brake.  Once only found on front wheels or sports cars, this high performance brake works like a bicycle brake.  Calipers activated by the fluid pressure grab onto a disc in the wheel like bike calipers grabbing the wheel.

Second is the drum brake.  Here, the fluid pressure pushes the brake shoes outward against the drum to stop the car. 

Both types rely on brake pads made of a fire and wear resistant material.  Once, cars used asbestos brake pads, but now they use a metallic composite which is not hazardous to your health.

Brakes should be checked at least annually or every 12,000 miles.

Back to "Your Car"

Lightning Lube
764 Mast Road
Manchester, NH  03102

(603) 624-8007

 ©2000, Lightning Lube

Web Site Design & Hosting by
iAccessAmerica