Every car owner should know the basics of how their car works. Not only is it important knowledge for times of emergency, but knowing your car inside and out will help you keep it in good shape at a lower cost for years to come. On that note, we will be focussing on brake discs in this post.
What are Brake Discs?
Disc brakes are one of the two main types of motor brakes in use today, with the other being drum brakes. As is the function of all braking systems, disc brakes serve the purpose of stopping wheel rotation in order to bring the vehicle to a stop. To do that, disc brakes rely on three primary components, which are the callipers, the brake pads, and the brake discs.
The brake disc is a rotor made from grey cast iron or carbon-ceramic composite that’s installed directly inside the wheel. There are several different types of brake discs such as grooved discs, vented discs, drilled discs, dimpled discs, waved discs, and solid discs to name a few. The brake discs are the most important components in a disc braking system, since they are essentially what separates a drum brake from a disc brake.Â
Brake Discs Vs Brake Drums: Which One is Better?
Drum brakes are not as effective as disc brakes, so newer car models will either have a four-wheel disc brake system, or they may have a hybrid braking system. A hybrid braking system has drum brakes for the rear wheels and disc brakes for the front wheels, making the manufacturing process and the retail price comparatively affordable. However, according to onlinecarparts.co.uk the brake discs can be used to replace rear wheel brake drums on almost any vehicle with a disc brake conversion kit.
As to why disc brakes are by far the better options, just go through the points below.
- Drum brakes generate significantly more heat than disc brakes and they do so at a much faster rate.
- The excess heat builds up quickly to the point of overheating because heat also dissipates at a much slower rate in drum brakes.
- All of the above leads to faster brake pad degeneration in drum brakes.
- On heating, brake drums start to expand away from the pads, making them less reliable under heavy load due to the risk of high risk of locking.
- On heating, brake discs expand towards the pads, which makes them even more effective under heavy load.
- Disc braking systems are much more tolerant to rust and water damage than drum brakes.
How Often Should You Change Your Brake Discs?
Despite all the advantages that brake discs have over drum brakes, they too can and eventually will break down, just like everything else. Check out this information on how to replace the brake discs taken from edmunds.com. There is no way to be sure how long a rotor will last, without knowing the kind of vehicle and rotor we are discussing.
For example, the brake discs on non-commercial 4-wheelers can last anything from 30,000 – 80,000 miles, depending on use and maintenance. It also depends on several other factors such as the material used, as well as the quality of manufacturing.Â
Irrespective of the expected lifetime, be sure to get your brake discs checked for signs of significant wear and tear regularly. You must replace the discs well before any damage becomes significant enough to cause brake failure.
