Handbrakes and Friction Material
Handbrakes
Handbrakes (or emergency brakes) are normally cable-operated brakes that actuate the rear brakes when you pull the handbrake lever.
The action of the handbrake is responsible for the adjustment of your rear brakes, so make sure that you use the handbrake regularly. Regular use will also prevent the handbrake cables from seizing in their guides due to corrosion.
The handbrake can be adjusted in more than one place, and it is crucial that the adjustment process follows the correct sequence.
Should the hydraulic system ever fail completely, the handbrake is the only thing between you and the emergency room, so keep it well maintained!
Friction Material
The disc pads and/or brake shoes on your car are lined with a layer of friction material, offering as much friction as possible to stop the car, but also protecting the discs and drums from undue wear.
Today, some 2,000 different materials and compounds are used in manufacturing a variety of brake linings and brake pads, affecting aspects like brake dust deposition on the wheel rims, braking performance under a range of differing conditions, brake pad life, brake disc life, tendencies to fade, performance in wet weather, et cetera. The life expectancy of your brake linings will also be affected by your driving style, so make sure that you explain your needs when you select new linings and disc pads. Just as a certain car will suit your requirements, a particular design of friction material will suit your driving style.
Pads can wear off at an angle, be of the wrong compound, become glazed or contaminated with grease. Discs should always be skimmed lightly to create a flat virgin surface for the new brake pads to bed in properly.
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