Stop right now! Let’s talk about brakes, baby. The front brake vs rear brake of your car to be exact.
There’s a lot riding on your brakes. Your entire car, your safety, and that of your passengers, pedestrians and all other road users, in fact! Keeping your brakes in good condition is critical to comfort, safety and performance. So today we lift the lid on the mystery of your car’s braking system.
Brakes 101 – the basics
You press the pedal, the car stops. You press it harder, the car stops faster. That’s it, right? That’s certainly the short of how car brakes work, but there are several parts that make up a whole braking system in your car to enable you to pull up where and when you want to.
Brake systems using a combination of pressure and friction to slow down or stop your car on command. All cars have front and rear brakes. Your car may have a ‘disc brake’ system across all four wheels, a ‘drum brake’ system across all four wheels (less common these days), or a combination of the two (very common), usually with a disc system on the front brakes and a drum system on the rear brakes.
Disc brakes
Disc brakes are not unlike the brake system on a standard bicycle. On a bike, you squeeze a brake lever, which activates a caliper to squeeze the brake pads against the wheel. The friction of the pad against the wheel slows the bike down. In a car with disc brakes, you press the brake pedal, which activates a caliper to squeeze the rotor (a circular disc connected to the wheel hub), rather than the wheel itself. Where a bike transmits force through a cable, a car with disc brakes transmits force hydraulically (by compressing brake fluid in the master cylinder). For those of you who loved physics at school, the act of applying that hydraulic force to the drum takes kinetic energy, and converts it to thermal energy (heat) through friction. Most disc braking systems are vented (that is they are designed so that cool air is drawn across them) to help combat the heat generated when in use. Brake pads are constructed of heat-resistant materials like ceramics or specialty alloys to ensure longevity.
Drum brakes
Like disc brakes, drum brakes also use friction, but they do so in a slightly different way. Drum brakes consist of a brake drum (a hollow drum that turns with the wheel) and curved brake ‘shoes’. When you press the brake pedal, hydraulic force (again, created by compressing brake fluid) activates a series of pistons in the wheel cylinder to push the brake shoes out against the inside of the spinning brake drum. The friction of the brake shoe against the drum slows the car down.
Which is better?
There are benefits and drawbacks to both systems, which is why a combination of the two is quite common. Disc brakes are more durable, less prone to grabbing/pulling, lighter, self-cleaning, and are better at managing heat. They also have more stopping power, can be applied quicker for shorter stopping distance, and perform better in wet conditions. And while they’re also easier to service, they are very expensive to manufacture and replacement brake pads can be quite pricey, too. Drum brakes are more complex, but much less expensive to manufacture (and replace!). It’s also much easier to attach a parking or handbrake to a drum brake system. More expensive vehicles designed for high performance are more likely to have a full four-wheel disc-brake system, and as manufacturing costs come down, these systems are becoming more common across the board. The front brakes play a greater role in slowing down your car because braking redistributes the weight of the vehicle to the front wheels. This is why vehicles who have a mix of disc and drum brake systems favour installation of disc systems for the front brakes and drum systems for the rear brakes. If you own a car with a full four-wheel disc brake system, you may notice that the front brake vs rear brake will degrade at different rates – this is also a by-product of the front brakes working harder on deceleration.
Front brakes v rear brakes – what’s the difference?
There are some subtle differences between the brake systems on the front and rear of your vehicle. Front brake systems have to perform under greater strain as the weight of your car shifts forward during deceleration. As a result, they’ll often have larger brake pad surface areas, larger calipers and rotors, and may operate under higher pressure. Front brakes are also more likely to have venting systems to assist in dissipating the more intense heat generated by deceleration. But that doesn’t mean that your rear brakes aren’t pulling their weight, too! While the front brakes do most of the grunt-work (applying up to 80% of the friction required to bring your vehicle to a stand-still), they can’t do so without the rear brakes working in support. It’s important that both systems are in good working order so you can safely and comfortably manoeuvre your vehicle at will.
How to keep your brakes in good working order
Whether you’ve got disc brakes, drum brakes or a combination of both, the nature of friction is such that different parts of these systems have certain lifespans. Car brake systems operate under high pressure, are subject to heat and can be compromised by moisture, grime and dust. Regular brake inspections and servicing help to keep your brakes in good condition.
Using the latest diagnostic equipment, our experienced technicians will conduct a comprehensive inspection of your car’s braking system components and can advise you on any necessary repairs or service items, ensuring the best possible car performance and safety. We only use the most trusted brands, such as Bendix, for parts and all our work is backed by a 12-month or 20,000km guarantee.
And as an official A.T.E Brake Centre, we offer high-quality, dustless ceramic brakes along with a 50,000km wear warranty. We also test and repair shock absorbers, in addition to carrying out brake fluid flushing of the entire braking hydraulic system, including the ABS controller pump.
Now that you know the difference between front vs rear bakes, eep an eye out for any signs of brake pad or brake shoe wear, and book an appointment or call the workshop today on 03 9699 6338. We’ll assess the condition of your brakes and provide you honest, reliable advice on the best course of action.
