Technical University of

Mombasa
EAU 2201: Vehicle Technology I

DAE 03 (Y2 S1):

Lecture Notes 4: Braking System

Sub-Topics:
• Types of braking systems: (i) Mechanical braking system - Layout & Components (ii) Hydraulic braking system; Layout
& Components
• Types of brakes: (i) Disc brakes; Layout & Components (ii) Drum brakes; Layout & Components

References:
1. Bonnick, D. Newbold - A Practical Approach to Motor Vehicle Engineering and Maint.-Elsevier (2005)
2. Hilliers Fundamentals of Motor Vehicle Technology (Book 1), 5th Edition (Victor Hillier, Peter Coombs)
3. Tom Denton - Advanced automotive fault diagnosis automotive technology vehicle maintenance and repair
(2021)

Prepared by:
Eng. Abdillahi Hassan Bakari (MSc. Marine
Eng. & Naval Arch, BSc. Mech. /Auto. Eng.)
Eng. Abdillahi H Bakari Vehicle Technology I: Braking System Technical University of Mombasa (TUM) November 2022

Braking System
The purpose of the braking system is to slow down or stop the vehicle and, when the
vehicle is stationary, to hold the vehicle in the chosen position1.
When a vehicle is moving it contains energy of motion (kinetic energy) and the function of
the braking system is to convert this kinetic energy into heat energy. It does so through the
friction at the brake linings and the brake drum, or the brake pads and the disc1.

Figure 1: Braking System Principle2

Some large vehicles are fitted with secondary braking systems that are known as
retarders. Examples of retarders are exhaust brakes and electric brakes1.

NB: In all cases, the factor that ultimately determines how much braking can be applied is the
grip of the tyres on the driving surface1.

Types of Brakes
Two basic types of friction brakes are in common use on vehicles; these are1:
• Drum brake
• Disc brake

Figure 2: Types of brakes2

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Eng. Abdillahi H Bakari Vehicle Technology I: Braking System Technical University of Mombasa (TUM) November 2022

Drum Brakes
Figure 3 shows a drum brake as used on a large vehicle. This cut-away view shows
that the linings on the shoes are pressed into contact with the inside of the drum by the action
of the cam. In this case the cam is partially rotated by the action of a compressed air cylinder.
The road wheel is attached to the brake drum by means of the wheel studs and nuts.
A brake of this type has a leading shoe and a trailing shoe. The leading shoe is the one whose
leading edge comes into contact with the drum first, in the direction of rotation. A leading shoe
is more powerful than a trailing shoe and this shows up in the wear pattern because a leading
shoe generally wears more than a trailing shoe owing to the extra work that it does.

Figure 3(a): Drum Brakes2

Figure 3(b): Drum Brakes3

Main Disadvantage: Heat dissipation is difficult in the case of a drum brake because the
heated regions of the brake are shrouded by metal hence brakes fade quickly.

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Eng. Abdillahi H Bakari Vehicle Technology I: Braking System Technical University of Mombasa (TUM) November 2022

Disc Brake
Figure 4 shows the principle of the disc brake. The road wheel is attached to the disc
and the slowing down or stopping action is achieved by the clamping action of the
brake pads on the disc.
In this brake the disc is gripped by the two friction pads. When hydraulic pressure is
applied to the hydraulic cylinder in the caliper body, the pressure acts on the piston and
pushes the brake pad into contact with the disc. This creates a reaction force which causes the
pins to slide in the carrier bracket and this action pulls the other pad into contact with the disc
so that the disc is tightly clamped by both pads.

Figure 4(a): Disc brakes1

Figure 4(b): Disc brakes3,2

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Eng. Abdillahi H Bakari Vehicle Technology I: Braking System Technical University of Mombasa (TUM) November 2022

Mechanically Operated System

A mechanically operated system uses a series of push rods or cables together with
levers to push the brake linings against the friction surface. Figure 5a shows the layout
of a simple mechanical system.

Figure 5: Mechanical braking system2

Four adjustable rods or cables link the brake shoe operating levers to a transversely
mounted ‘cross-shaft’. The footbrake and handbrake controls are connected to the
cross-shaft by links having elongated holes to allow independent operation of each
control.

In this system each brake receives its share of the brake pedal force only when the
mechanism is correctly balanced, i.e. set up so that each shoe contacts the drum
simultaneously. If one brake has a much smaller shoe-drum clearance than the others,
all the driver’s force will be directed to that brake; as a result, the unbalanced braking
action will cause the vehicle to ‘pull’ violently to the side on which this brake is
situated.

Compensation devices are fitted in the layout to overcome this problem and Figure 5b
shows a simple arrangement for balancing two brakes. A fully compensated brake
system ensures that each brake is applied at the same time and that each one receives
its share of the braking effort. To achieve this condition, the mechanical system shown
would require three compensators:
• Front (to balance the front brakes)
• Rear (for the rear brakes)
• Centre (to equalise front and rear sets).

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Eng. Abdillahi H Bakari Vehicle Technology I: Braking System Technical University of Mombasa (TUM) November 2022

The large force on the brake shoe is achieved by using a compound lever system. The
larger the leverage, the smaller is the force needed on the brake pedal, but if a very
large leverage is provided, the brake will require frequent adjustment to counteract
wear of the brake linings.

Mechanically Operated Handbrake

To comply with legislation, a vehicle must have a handbrake (parking brake) to hold
the car stationary when the vehicle is left unattended. The handbrake also functions
as an emergency brake should there be any major failure with the main braking
system.

Legal requirements insist that hydraulically operated brake systems must be fitted
with a mechanical handbrake that acts on at least two wheels.

Normally a rod or cable is used to link the handbrake with a mechanical lever-type
shoe expander fitted to the rear brakes. The system is usually operated via a flexible
cable which allows for body and suspension movement.

The handbrake mechanism is usually operated by a hand lever; the lever is held in the
‘on’ position by a ratchet and pawl mechanism. When the handbrake is disengaged,
the pawl is released from the ratchet allowing the brakes to be released. Figure 6 shows
a mechanically operated handbrake.

Figure 6: Mechanical Handbrake System2

Hydraulic Operation of Brakes

The main braking systems on cars and most light commercial vehicles are operated by
hydraulic systems. At the heart of a hydraulic braking system is the master cylinder as
this is where the pressure that operates the brakes is generated.

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Eng. Abdillahi H Bakari Vehicle Technology I: Braking System Technical University of Mombasa (TUM) November 2022

Principle of the Hydraulic System

The small diameter master cylinder is connected to the large diameter actuating cylinder by
a strong metal pipe. The cylinders and the pipe are filled with hydraulic fluid. When a
force is applied to the master cylinder piston a pressure is created that is the same at
all parts of the interior of the system. Because pressure is the amount of force acting
on each square millimetre of surface, the force exerted on the larger piston will be
greater than the force applied to the small piston.

Figure 5(a): Hydraulic System Layout2.

Figure 5(b): Example of the principle of the hydraulic breaking system1.

The Master Cylinder

The part of the hydraulic braking system where the hydraulic operating pressure is
generated is the master cylinder. Force is applied to the master cylinder piston by the
action of the driver’s foot on the brake pedal.
In the example shown in Figure 6(a) the action is as follows. When force is applied to the
push rod the piston moves along the bore of the master cylinder to take up slack. As soon as the

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Eng. Abdillahi H Bakari Vehicle Technology I: Braking System Technical University of Mombasa (TUM) November 2022

lip of the main rubber seal has covered the by-pass hole, the fluid in the cylinder, and the system
to which it is connected, is pressurised.
When the force on the brake pedal and the master cylinder push rod is released, the return
spring pushes the piston back and the hydraulic operating pressure is removed. The action of
the main piston seal ensures that the master cylinder remains filled with fluid.

Figure 6(a): Simplified Master Cylinder1

Figure 6(b): Master Cylinder2

Wheel Cylinders
The hydraulic cylinders that push the drum brake shoes apart, or apply the clamping force in
the disc brake, are the wheel cylinders. There are two principal types of wheel cylinders:
• A single acting cylinder and,
• A double acting cylinder.

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Eng. Abdillahi H Bakari Vehicle Technology I: Braking System Technical University of Mombasa (TUM) November 2022

The Single Acting Wheel Cylinder

The space in the wheel cylinder, behind the rubber seal and piston, is filled with brake fluid.
Pressure from the master cylinder is applied to the wheel cylinders through pipes.
Increased fluid pressure pushes the piston out and this force is applied to the brake
shoe or brake pad1. Its used on a twin leading shoe brake. Therefore, to wheel cylinders
are needed for per break2.

Figure 7: Single Acting Hydraulic Wheel Cylinder1

Double Acting Wheel Cylinder

Figure 8 shows that the double acting wheel cylinder has two pistons and rubber seals.
Hydraulic pressure applied between the pistons pushes them apart. The pistons then act on the
brake shoes and moves the linings into contact with the inside of the brake drum. A double
acting wheel cylinder are required for a leading and trailing shoe. Therefore, only one-
wheel cylinder is required per brake.

Figure 8: Double Acting Hydraulic1

The Hand-Brake
The handbrake (parking brake) is required;
• To hold the vehicle in any chosen position when the vehicle is stationary
(parking brake).
• Used when making hill starts and similar manoeuvres.
• The handbrake also serves as an emergency brake in the event of failure of the
main braking system.

Figure 7 shows the layout and main features of a handbrake for a car or light van.

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Eng. Abdillahi H Bakari Vehicle Technology I: Braking System Technical University of Mombasa (TUM) November 2022

Figure 7: Hand Brakes1

The vehicle has trailing arm rear suspension and the swivel sector pivots (4) are needed to
guide the cable on these suspension arms. The purpose of the compensator is ensuring that
equal braking force is applied to each side of the vehicle. The handbrake normally operates
through the brakes at the rear of the vehicle.

Braking Efficiency
The concept of braking efficiency is based on the ‘idea’ that the maximum retardation (rate of
slowing down) that can be obtained from a vehicle braking system is gravitational acceleration
𝑔 = 9.81𝑚𝑠 −2. The actual retardation obtained from a vehicle is expressed as a percentage of
‘g’ and this is the braking efficiency.

Stopping Distance
Approximate stopping distance at different vehicle velocities for various conditions
of brakes are different. However, the minimum allowable limit of brake efficiency for any
vehicle is 50 % for foot brakes and 30% for hand brakes.
However, during emergency braking, the reaction of the driver and response time of the brakes
also an important part. The stopping distance in case of emergency braking may be divided
into 3 types:
• Distance traversed during the reaction time of the driver.
• Distance traversed during the time elapsed between the driver pressing the
brake pedal and the brake being actually applied at the wheels.
• Net stopping distance, depending upon the deceleration.

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Eng. Abdillahi H Bakari Vehicle Technology I: Braking System Technical University of Mombasa (TUM) November 2022

Stopping distance mainly depends upon following factors:

• Vehicle speed
• Condition of tyre
• Condition of the road surface
• Coefficient of friction between tyre and road
• Coefficient of friction between the brake drum and the brake lining
• Braking force applied by the driver

Brake Fluid
Many different brake fluids have been developed to suit particular braking systems.
However, it is recommended that the correct brake fluid for the correct vehicle application.
Most brake systems used a vegetable-based oil, while other systems used mineral-based
oils.

The following characteristics should determine a good brake fluid.

• Low freezing point (Approximately not higher than −40℃)
• High boiling point (Approximately not lower than 190℃)
• Low viscosity
• Non-corrosive
• Act as a lubricant to the brake hydraulic components.

NB: Additives improve the performance of the brake fluid, providing additional anti-
corrosive and lubrication qualities.

Brake fluids absorb moisture (it is hygroscopic), but different brake fluids absorb moisture
at a different rate. It is therefore important that the brake fluid contained within the
vehicle’s braking system is checked periodically and changed regularly, normally
during the routine maintenance as specified by the vehicle manufacturer

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