Advantages and disadvantages of disc brakes and drum brakes on cars

The main function of the brake is to help reduce the speed of the vehicle through the impact on the axle while the vehicle is running. The operating principle of the brake system in general is to use the friction created between the two surfaces to slow down to stop the axle.

Currently, brakes on cars are divided into two main types and named according to the structure of each type of brake. Including drum brakes (drum brakes) and disc brakes.

Drum brakes (drum brakes) are mainly composed of brake drums and brake pads. The brake drum is a hollow box on the outside, attached to the wheel axle and rotating with the wheel. The brake pads are located inside, in direct contact with the brake drum surface to create friction. In order for the brake pads and brake drums to be able to combine with each other, this system also has the appearance of many other details.

Drum brake structure.

The two important parts of this system are the master cylinder and the spring-loaded mechanism. The two arc-shaped brake pads are mounted on both sides, with a fixed upper part and an adjustable lower part. When the driver steps on the brake, the master cylinder, through hydraulics and the spring-loaded adjustment, pushes the two brake pads outward. At this time, the two brake pads will contact the brake drum on the outside, creating friction, helping the wheel to gradually slow down until it stops.

This is one of the simplest types of brakes today. The advantage of drum brakes is that they are sealed, so they are suitable for many different road and weather conditions. With a simple design, maintenance, care, and replacement of drum brake systems are more convenient. In addition, the installation cost of drum brakes is also lower, often used for popular car models, passenger cars, trucks...

The biggest disadvantage of drum brakes is poor heat dissipation due to their closed design, the heat cannot escape during operation. For this reason, the vehicle's braking performance is worse, especially when braking suddenly or going downhill. Occasionally, some vehicles have accidents due to brake failure when going downhill. The reason for this is that the driver uses the brakes too much, causing the brake pads and drums to overheat and expand, reducing friction. To overcome this, the driver needs to stop the vehicle after going downhill for a while and only continue driving when the braking system has cooled down. In addition, an experienced driver will know how to use low gears when going downhill, "which gear up, which gear down" is a saying that every driver needs to know.

Disc brakes.

Disc brakes consist of three main parts: the brake disc, brake pads, and brake calipers. The brake disc is also attached to the wheel axle and rotates with the wheel. The brake calipers will be mounted on both sides of the brake disc. Each brake caliper will include brake pads and a hydraulic piston system.

Most of the current models using disc brakes have fixed brake calipers. When the driver steps on the brake, the pistons will push the brake pads forward towards the brake disc. Friction is created when the brake pads and the brake disc come into contact with each other, thereby slowing down the rotation speed of the wheel and stopping completely when the braking force is large enough.

The inner surface of the brake disc is designed to better control the airflow through the brake disc. This design is derived from motorsports, significantly improving cooling capacity, minimizing overheating that leads to brake failure. This also reduces the possibility of brake disc cracking due to overheating by 40%. PVT Plus also provides designs specifically researched for each vehicle model to increase air flow capacity, improving cooling efficiency.

Brake discs using Brembo PTV Plus technology.

In addition, a large number of popular car models are equipped with disc brakes for the front wheels and drum brakes for the rear wheels. Many people believe that this comes from the fact that car manufacturers today want to combine two factors: braking performance and price.

The front wheel uses disc brakes to increase the safety of the vehicle during operation. Meanwhile, this system is not too necessary when used for the rear wheel, drum brakes will be preferred to reduce costs and prices to consumers.