Copyright © Shindary Automotive Parts Co., Ltd. All Rights Reserved
Unlike your running shoes, which aim to enhance your mile time, your car's brake shoes serve a different purpose altogether: they're tasked with bringing your vehicle to a halt. Contrary to common misconceptions, brake shoes are distinct from brake pads and play a crucial role in specific braking systems. It's essential to understand what brake shoes are, their significance, and how they differ from brake pads.
Although brake pads and brake shoes serve similar functions, they are distinct components.
Brake pads are integral to disc brake systems, where they are pressed against a rotor disc by a caliper. This action creates friction, facilitating the car's braking by slowing down the rotating disc.
Brake shoes are part of a drum brake system. Brake shoes are crescent-shaped components with a rough friction material on one side. They sit inside of a brake drum. When the brake pedal is pressed, the brake shoes are forced outward, pushing against the inside of the brake drum and slowing down the wheel.
Drum brakes, with their associated brake shoes, are characteristic of older braking systems and are less prevalent in modern vehicles. Nevertheless, certain vehicle models may still incorporate drum brakes, particularly on the rear wheels, as they offer a more cost-effective braking solution.
In today's braking systems, the majority of vehicles are equipped with disc brakes featuring brake pads. However, as noted earlier, certain vehicles employ disc brakes in the front and drum brakes in the rear as a cost-saving measure. In such cases, disc brakes are typically reserved for the front wheels due to their greater capacity to withstand braking force. Here are additional distinctions between brake shoe and brake pad systems.
The primary distinction between brake shoes and brake pads lies in the direction of force they exert. Brake shoes stop the vehicle by expanding outward, whereas brake pads bring it to a halt by coming closer together. Unlike brake shoes housed within a brake drum, brake pads are situated around a rotor disc. A caliper compresses the brake pads, causing them to apply pressure against the rotor disc, effectively slowing down the wheels and bringing the car to a stop.
Another contrast between brake shoes and brake pads lies in the force required to stop the vehicle. While brake shoes usually feature larger areas of rough-surfaced material to generate necessary friction for halting the car, they typically offer less stopping power compared to brake pads in a disc brake system. In general, disc brakes provide greater stopping power more rapidly than drum brakes, enabling the vehicle to come to a halt sooner and over shorter distances, all else being equal.
Brake shoes assy often have a longer lifespan compared to brake pads due to their positioning within the braking system. Situated at the rear of the vehicle, brake shoes endure less of the stopping force, contributing to their extended durability.
Moreover, being housed inside the brake drum provides brake shoes with protection against rust, dirt, and corrosion. However, any dirt or debris that manages to enter the brake drum may become trapped, accelerating the wear on the brake shoes. In contrast, brake pads are more exposed to environmental elements, road conditions, and potential debris. While this exposure may contribute to faster wear, it also facilitates the cleaning of the rotors. When engaged, the brake pads effectively wipe away dirt and debris from the rotors, potentially extending the lifespan of both pads and rotors.
Brake shoes benefit from being enclosed, enhancing their resistance to corrosion. However, due to the intricacies of drum brake systems compared to disc brakes, replacing brake shoes is a more intricate and time-consuming process than swapping out brake pads. While the shielded nature of brake shoes protects them from corrosion, it also poses challenges in accessibility.
Both brake pads and brake shoes are susceptible to wear. Typically, accessing brake pads for replacement or repair is quicker and easier compared to brake shoes. Servicing brake shoes often entails more time and effort. Additionally, as brakes wear down, brake shoes may require adjustments to ensure proper contact with the drum, adding to the complexity of maintenance.
Although brake shoes may not necessitate service as frequently as brake pads, they are not immortal. Similar to brake pads, brake shoes need periodic replacement to prevent potential problems within the braking system or, in extreme cases, brake failure. While certain brake shoes are engineered to endure thousands of miles, factors such as driving habits, road conditions, and weather can impact the longevity of brake components, irrespective of whether your vehicle is equipped with disc brakes, drum brakes, or a combination of both.
Shindary Automotive Parts Co., Ltd.
