Types of braking systems

The following are the most common types of braking systems in cars today. It’s
always good to identify which ones apply to your car for easier troubleshooting and
repairs.
 Hydraulic braking system: This system works on brake fluid, cylinders,
and friction. By creating pressure within the system it forces the brake pads
to stop the wheels from moving.
 Electromagnetic braking system: Electromagnetic braking systems can be
found in many new and hybrid vehicles. Electromagnetic brakes force the car
to a stop by using an electric motor.
 Servo braking system: Also known as vacuum or vacuum assisted braking.
With this system, the pressure applied to the pedal by the driver is
augmented.
 Mechanical braking system: This system is one that powers the hand
brake or emergency brake. Brakes are applied through mechanical linkages.
When you press your foot down on the brake pedal, a connected lever
pushes a piston into the master cylinder, which is filled
with hydraulic fluid. That hydraulic fluid gets squirted along a system
of pipes into other, wider cylinders positioned next to the brakes on
each wheel.

This hydraulic system multiplies the force of your foot on the brake

pedal into enough force to apply the brakes and make the car stop.
The brakes themselves are usually one of two types: disc brakes or
drum brakes.

Many modern cars have disc brakes on the front wheels and drum
brakes on the rear wheels. More expensive models may have disc
brakes on all four wheels. Only very old or very small cars tend to
have drum brakes on all four wheels.

Disc brakes consist of a brake disc, a brake caliper, and a brake pad.

When the brake pedal is depressed, the hydraulic fluid causes the
brake caliper to press the brake pad against the brake disc. The
rubbing of the brake pad against the brake disc generates friction,
which converts kinetic energy into heat in the brake pad.

Stopping a speeding car can heat the brakes to 950º F or more!

To withstand such heat, brake pads must be made of special
materials that won't melt at such high temperatures. Some of those
special materials include composites, alloys, and ceramics.

Drum brakes also use friction but in a slightly different way. Drum

brakes consist of a brake drum and brake shoes. The hollow drum
turns with the wheel. When the brake pedal is depressed,
a hydraulic cylinder pushes brake shoes with friction linings against
the inner surface of the brake drum, creating friction and thereby
slowing the wheel.