Brake Equipments
Braking is the action used to reduce the speed of the vehicle or to stop its movement. Brake systems, on the other hand, are systems that are usually found in motor vehicles which have a more complex structure. In primitive brake systems, the wheels were locked by means of discs whenever the brake pedal is pressed. However, today, modern brake systems are used to prevent conditions such as drifting caused by locking the wheels, swaying and rolling of vehicles. These brake systems in vehicles are classified in two categories which are hydraulic and air brake systems.
Hydraulic Brake System
Also named as brake hydraulics, these systems have a very simple working principle. As soon as you press the brake, the piston moves and the calipers close with the pressure of the oil in the hydraulic mechanism. As a result of this, the brake pads and the brake discs interlock. Hence, your car slows down or stops. However, you should also note that if the hydraulic fluid or oil is drained, the vehicle won’t be able to brake.
Air Brake System
Air brake systems are used in vehicles named as heavy duty vehicles or heavy commercial vehicles. In these systems, air is compressed and pushed by a compressor, and this air is released when the brake pedal is pressed. The release of the air squeezes the brake disc between the brake shoe hence braking is achieved. In hydraulic systems it’s not possible to brake if there is no more oil left in it, however in air brake systems the vehicle breaks when there is no air left. This decreases the likelihood of accidents caused by braking failure. On the other hand, it’s more likely to see these types of accidents in older heavy duty vehicles. The most important reason for that is, using old or worn brake shoes. Serious accidents may occur if the required maintenance is not performed on these shoes. Another reason, even though this does not occur often, is that the air in the brake chambers not being discharged somehow.
The Structure of the Air Brake System Used in Heavy Duty Vehicles
There are usually 3 types of brake systems in heavy commercial vehicles/ heavy duty vehicles with an air brake system:
-Service Brake (Brake Pedal)
-Emergency Brake (Parking Brake)
-Auxiliary Brake Systems (such as Retarder)
The maintenance of the brake system should be performed at every 15.000 km traveled. On top of that, you should always prefer high quality equipments for your brake system. Failures may occur before reaching the maintenance mileage. As GMW, we always provide our dear customers the highest quality products with the best service.