Ground-Braking Innovation: A Glance into the Development of Automotive Brakes

Brake systems in automotives have seen a lot of improvements since the emergence of the first car in automotive history. Now, almost three centuries after, automotive brake systems have evolved much since the traditional drum brakes of the early 1900 s. These brakes were of considerable popularity up to the end of the 1970 s, when disc brakes began to be widely accepted and circulated for mass production. Although there are fewer drum brakes now, a number of modern cars like the Toyota Prius still rely on drum brakes. These days, though, the type of automotive brake systems often seen in cars employ disc brakes. Frederick William Lanchester in Birmmingham, England, was actually the first person to patent the first ever disc brakes for automotive use, but it took a long time before the potential and reliability of these disc brakes were recognized. Initially, this brake system was confined to sports cars. Over time, when improved performance of this innovation steadily became apparent, disc brakes were put to use by many automotive companies, and thus, became a common feature of contemporary passenger cars as well. Disc brakes also include brake pads, rotor as well as calipers and support.
Other parts of the modern automotive brakes also include the master cylinder. This is typically located in front of the driver s seat, in the engine compartment. This cylinder is usually made up of two, with each one connected to a pair of wheels. In this manner, if either of the cylinders suddenly suffers from corruption or component collapse and malfunctions, the other still remains to enable you to brake effectively. Another automotive brake system element is the brake fluid. This is enclosed in a container positioned on top of the master cylinder. Remember that when you are changing your brake fluid, you should take care to replace the cap or lid on it immediately. Because brake fluid corrupts after a certain period of use--as do all things--when it s time to pour in a new batch, most people forget that the air that gets into the hydraulic fluid contaminates it, lowering its boiling point while raising its freezing point, in addition to adversely affecting its anti-corrosives. Then there are also the brake lines. This is the path that the brake fluid takes that allows it to circulate from the master cylinder to the wheels. Last, there are also the power brake booster and anti-lock brakes.
For most people, brake system care and maintenance do not necessarily enter into their run of daily thoughts and worries. As long as the car gets them where they are going and stops when they press on the pedal, they relegate these issues to the backburner, remembering them only when they find themselves confronted with a spongy brake pedal or, much worse, with brake failure. So, if you do not fancy the thought of finding yourself falling back into childhood prayers while you hang tight to the steering wheel, do yourself a favor and learn more about your brake system. Knowing more always leads to better automotive protection.



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