| The world is all about balance and the same goes for | | | | dissipate the heat that arises from the slowly process. |
| your car. While 0 to 60 times are certainly great, 60 to | | | | A drum break works on a push and pull system. |
| 0 times are as well! When it comes to braking | | | | Imagine two plates stacked next to each other. One is |
| systems, you have a choice between two types - | | | | the wheel drum spinning and the other is the drum |
| disc and drum. | | | | break. When you decide to break, the internal rim of |
| What is the biggest issue when it comes to slowing | | | | the drum break extends two curved pads that rub |
| down a car with brakes? The answer may seem | | | | against the turning wheel to slow it down. These drum |
| obvious - how quickly you can slow the car down. This | | | | pads are surrounded by metal, which means they tend |
| is an immediate concern, but the bigger issue for most | | | | to have problems dissipating heat and can wear down |
| passenger cars is the ability of the brake system to | | | | fairly quickly. |
| deal with heat caused by the friction of the slowing | | | | So, now you know the difference between disc and |
| process. The better a brake system can get rid of | | | | drum brakes. Given the advantages of the disc brake, |
| heat, the longer it will perform well and last. | | | | most cars must have them, right? Well, yes and no. |
| When it comes to disc and drum brake systems, there | | | | Most cars have disc brakes on the front wheels, but |
| is really know contest between the two when heat is | | | | have drum brakes on the back. Why? There are two |
| considered. Disc brakes are much better at processing | | | | reasons. First, drum brakes are cheaper than disc. |
| heat. This means they will last longer and perform | | | | Second, a slowing car puts most of the wear and tear |
| better than drum brakes in nearly every situation. | | | | on the front brakes, so the wear and tear on the back |
| Disc brakes work via a squeezing motion. Imagine | | | | is nominal. This means the drum brakes do not heat up |
| taking a Frisbee and spinning it between two points. If | | | | as much and last plenty long enough to be used. |
| you place a hand on each side and slowly start | | | | The thing about brake systems is you are pretty much |
| squeezing the Frisbee, it is going to slow down. This is | | | | stuck with what you have on a car when you get it |
| pretty much how a disc brake system works. The | | | | from the dealer unless you want to do some serious |
| fact the brake pads, in this case your hands, are on | | | | retrofitting. Still, it is good to know what you have and |
| both sides of the brake and exposed to air helps them | | | | why it works. |