01-04-2025

AUTOMOBILE ENGINEERING
(ME 308)

MODULE 5
BRAKE
Dr Sudip Dey
NIT Silchar
NB: This presentation is solely for academic purposes and is excluded from litigation of copyrights.

What is Brake ?

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Principles of
Braking

Braking requirements
• Braking requirements include having a service brake (safe driving and
stopping purpose), a secondary brake or parking brake (during
parking or inclined plane purpose).
• The braking system should be properly maintained.

Brake system requirements

All vehicles should have a service brake system, a secondary brake
system or parking brake system.
No brake system should have a disconnecting device that allows the
brake to be disabled.
If a device disconnects the service or secondary brake power source,
the parking brake must be applied before disconnection.

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Braking requirements
Brake pad requirements
• Mechanics recommend replacing brake pads when they are between
6.4 mm and 3.2 mm thick.
• Using thin friction material for a long time can lead to brake failure.
Braking system maintenance
• A brake system warning light that is always on could indicate a need
for parking brake adjustment, worn brake pads, or hydraulic issues.
• A brake service warning light that turns on when the brake pedal is
pressed could indicate hydraulic loss or low brake fluid.
Braking techniques
• Place your right foot on the brake pedal with your heel on the floor.
• Gently press the brake pedal until the car slows down

The principle used by every

brake is friction.

Opposing any force is

something friction does, but we
increase it using brakes.

Friction converts kinetic energy

into heat energy, thus effectively
bringing the car to a stop.

Every time of brake will use

friction to stop the car, one way
or another.

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Car Brake Working

Brake capacity depends upon :

1. Unit pressure between the braking surfaces.
2. Coefficient of friction.
3. Ability of the brake to dissipate heat equivalent to energy being absorbed.

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Braking Efficiency
It is the ratio of braking force to a vehicle's weight, expressed as percentage.
It's a measure of how well a vehicle's brakes can slow it down.

Factors affecting braking efficiency

 Brake fluid: The type of brake fluid used can affect braking efficiency. The fluid
should be incompressible, have a high boiling point, and maintain performance
when absorbing moisture
 Brake pads and discs: The materials and surface characteristics of the brake
pads and discs affect braking efficiency
 Vehicle speed and weight: The speed and weight of the vehicle affect braking
efficiency
 Brake adjustment: The adjustment of the brakes can affect braking efficiency
 Anti-lock braking systems (ABS): ABS can affect braking efficiency.

Stopping distance
It is the distance when brakes are applied is the total distance a vehicle travels from
the moment the driver perceives a hazard and decides to brake until the vehicle
comes to a complete stop, encompassing both reaction and braking distances
Components of Stopping Distance:
Thinking/Reaction Distance: The distance traveled while the driver perceives the
hazard, decides to brake, and initiates the braking action.
Braking Distance: The distance traveled while the brakes are applied and the vehicle
is slowing down.
Factors Affecting Stopping Distance:
Speed: Higher speeds lead to longer stopping distances, as there's more distance to
cover before the vehicle can come to a complete stop.
Road Conditions: Wet, icy, gravel roads reduce friction, increasing braking distance.
Vehicle Condition: Poorly maintained brakes or tires can increase braking distance.
Driver Reaction Time: Slower reaction times result in longer thinking distances.
Vehicle Load: Heavier vehicles require more distance to stop.

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Working of Brake

Hydraulic Brake

Application: In the hydraulic

brakes, brake force is applied by
the hydraulic oil. It is one of the
most useful and reliable braking
system. These brakes are used in
most passenger vehicles.

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Electric Brake

Application: Magnetic effect of

electricity is used to apply the
braking force. The braking piston and
the disc are connected to the
electricity. When we want to apply
brakes, we start the electricity, which
creates magnetic effect between
brake pad and the disk; hence, the
brake is applied.

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Air Brake

Application: In the air brakes, air

pressure is used to generate the braking
force. This braking system is used in
heavy load vehicle i.e. trucks, bus etc.

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Vacuum Brake

Application: It uses vacuum to apply the

force on brake pads. This is the one of the
most powerful braking systems available.
This brake is used in exceptionally heavy
duty vehicles, i.e. train, heavy ships etc.

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Mechanical Brake

Application: Brake force is applied

mechanically where we needed small
force to braking. This brakes are used
in the small vehicle such as in
scooters, bikes etc., where only a
small braking force is needed.

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Types of Mechanical Brakes

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Anti-lock Braking System

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Anti-lock Brake Systems

 Rather than attempt to adjust the proportioning directly, anti-lock
systems (ABS) sense when wheel lockup occurs, release the brakes
momentarily on locked wheels, and reapply them when the wheel
spins up again.

 Modern anti-lock brake systems are capable of releasing the brakes

before the wheel goes to full lockup, and modulating the level of
pressure on reapplication to momentarily hold the wheel near peak
slip conditions.

 The objective of the ABS is to keep each tire on the vehicle operating
near the peak of the μ-slip curve for that tire.

 When the brakes are first applied,

wheel speeds diminish more or less in
accordance with the vehicle speed in
the first region of the plot (point 1).
 If the brakes are applied to a high level,
or the road is slippery, the speed of one
or more wheels begins to drop rapidly
(point 2), indicating that the tire has
gone through the peak of the μ-slip
curve and is heading toward lockup.
 At this point the ABS intervenes and
releases the brakes on those wheels
before lockup occurs (point 3)
 Once the wheel speed picks up again,
the brakes are reapplied.

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Engine Exhaust Brake

Engine Exhaust Brake

An engine exhaust brake system slows a vehicle by
restricting the flow of exhaust gases from the
engine. This creates back pressure in the engine,
which slows the crankshaft's rotation.

How it works
 When the exhaust brake is applied, the exhaust
valve is partially closed.
 This causes exhaust pressure to build up in the
engine.
 The increased back pressure makes it harder for
the engine to rotate.
 The pistons push against the increased back
pressure during the exhaust stroke.
 This slows the crankshaft's rotation, which slows
the vehicle.

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Engine Exhaust Brake

When to use
 You can use the exhaust brake in heavy traffic, mountain driving, off-highway
driving, and high-speed highway driving.
 You can use the exhaust brake in combination with the accelerator pedal.

Benefits
 The exhaust brake can help extend the life of brake pads, rotors, and brake
drums.
 It can help reduce service brake maintenance.

Engine Exhaust Brake

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Stopping Distance

Stopping Distance

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Braking Efficiency

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Fading of Brake
 Brake fade is a sudden decrease in a vehicle's braking ability.
 It can occur when the brakes are used repeatedly or for a long time, especially
at high speeds or when going down a steep hill.
 It is a temporary and sudden reduction in braking power, caused by excessive
heat in the system from braking repeatedly, under high loads or at high speeds.

Causes
 Heat: Friction between the brake pads and discs generates heat, which can
build up when the brakes are applied.
 Brake fluid fade: The brake fluid boils, which can happen when the brakes are
used heavily or for a long time. This can make the brakes feel spongy or soft.
 Worn out brake pads: As the brake pads wear down, it can take longer to stop
the car.
 Mechanical fade: When brake-drum overheats and expands, preventing the
brake pad from making contact with the drum.

Types: Brake fade has the following types:

1. Friction fade 2. Mechanical fade 3. Fluid fade and 4. Domino fade.
Prevention
 Use engine braking by downshifting instead of using the brake
pedal when driving downhill.
 Change the brake fluid regularly, preferably every two years.
 Use high-performance brake fluid, such as DOT 5.1.

Effects
 Brake fade can cause the brake parts to melt, warp, or crack.
 If you experience brake fade, you should get your car checked out
by a trained technician as soon as possible.

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Friction fade: This is the most common type of brake fade, where the
friction material on the brake pads becomes too hot and loses its ability
to effectively grip the rotor, leading to reduced braking power.
Mechanical fade: Primarily associated with drum brakes, this occurs
when the drum expands due to heat, causing the brake shoes to lose
proper contact with the drum surface, resulting in reduced braking
efficiency.
Fluid fade: When brake fluid overheats, it can vaporize, creating air
bubbles in the brake lines which significantly reduce the hydraulic
pressure needed to apply the brakes, leading to a spongy brake pedal.
Domino fade: This happens when one set of brakes in a multi-wheel
system is forced to do more work than the others, potentially due to
uneven wear or a faulty component, causing a cascade effect where
overloaded brakes become less effective and whole system suffers.

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Weight transfer during braking

 It is the movement of a car's weight from the rear to the front when
the brakes are applied.
 Due to friction between the tires and the road, torque is created
around the car's center of mass.
 When a car brakes, the front suspension compresses and the rear
suspension extends.

 The car's nose dives toward the ground, which is most noticeable
during hard braking.

 The weight transfer is caused by the car's chassis twisting around

its roll center.

Weight transfer during braking

 The roll center is determined by the car's suspension setup.
 The car's weight shifts around its center of gravity, which is the point
where the car's weight is evenly distributed.
 Weight transfer occurs when car accelerates or changes direction.
 Weight transfer can affect a car's grip, pitch, and stopping distance.
How does braking result in weight transfer?
When a vehicle accelerates, a weight transfer
toward the rear wheels can occur. An outside
observer might witness this as the vehicle
visibly leans to the back, or squats.
Conversely, under braking, weight transfer
toward the front of the car can occur.

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Wheel Skidding
It occurs when a vehicle's tires lose traction and lock up, causing the vehicle
to move in a straight line

Why does it happen?

 Braking: When the force of braking exceeds the limit of adhesion, the wheels
lock up.
 Wet roads: When the road is wet, the tires lose traction.
 Sudden turns: When the vehicle makes a sudden turn, the tires lose traction.
 Over-acceleration: When the vehicle accelerates too quickly, the tires lose
traction.

What happens when it happens?

 If all four tires skid evenly, the vehicle will not rotate and can stop at a longer
distance than threshold braking.
 If the braking force is too high, the wheels lock up and the vehicle moves in a
straight line.

How to avoid skidding:

 Slow down at curves and on slippery surfaces.
 Drive within your sight distance and maintain adequate following distance.
 Adjust your speed to the surface conditions and curvatures of the road.
 Use the brake-limiting valve correctly.

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Hand Brake
 The primary use of a hand-brake in a
car is to stop the vehicle from rolling
forward or backwards when parked or
stopped.
 Parking brake can act as a hill-hold
assist for uphill starts.
 Used as an emergency brake if the
main brakes fail.
 Do not use emergency brake while driving
unless it's an emergency.
 While e-brake is engaged, engaging hand-
brake can severely damage braking
system

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Hill-holding Device
 It is also known as hill-hold control (HHC), hill-start assist (HSA),
or hill-start assist control (HAC), is a driver assistance feature that
prevents a vehicle from rolling backward when starting uphill.
 Hill Start Assist serves to stop your vehicle from rolling back while
on a hill by automatically operating the brake system for about 3
seconds, even if you release your foot from the brake pedal.

How it works
 The hill-holding device applies the brakes while the vehicle is in
gear and stopped on a hill.
 The device holds the brakes until the clutch is at the friction point.
 The device releases the brakes when the accelerator is pressed.

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Benefits
 Makes it easier to start a vehicle on a hill
 Reduces risk of rolling backward for inexperienced drivers
When it's used
Hill-holding devices are typically used when a vehicle is stopped on a
hill and the driver wants to move forward.
Where it's used
 In cars, tractors, ATVs, marine vehicles, and snowmobiles.
 BMW, Chevrolet, Dodge, Fiat, Honda, Kia, Mercedes, and Subaru
Potential issues
 The hill-holding device may not release the brakes or may not
engage at all.
 A malfunctioning hill-holding device could cause an accident.

Bleeding of Brakes
 It is the process of removing air bubbles from brake fluid in hydraulic brake system.
 It improves braking performance and makes the brakes more responsive.
Why bleed brakes?
 Safety: Brake fluid that's close to boiling can cause the brake pedal to feel low.
 Economics: Old brake fluid can damage expensive parts like the master cylinder
and ABS hydraulic modulators.
Brake fluid is corrosive and toxic, so care should be taken for safety
precautions and have an experienced mechanic perform work.
How to bleed brakes?
 Check the owner's manual:  Repeat steps 6–8 until no more air
 Make sure you have the right brake fluid. bubbles come out
 Jack up the car: Remove the wheels.  Tighten the bleeder screws
 Loosen the caliper bleeding screws  Repeat for each brake
 Fit a clear tube over the bleeder screw  Reinstall the wheels
 Have someone pump the brake pedal  Torque the lug nuts
 Open the bleeder screw a little  Apply and release the brake pedal
 Test the brakes on the road

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Bleeding of Brakes
Brake bleeding is a process by which fluid is forced through a
hydraulic system with the intent of purging trapped air and/or
replacing the used fluid with new fluid.
Process of removing air from the hydraulic brake system is called
bleeding.
Air is compressible, and any air in the system will be compressed
during brake application, causing a spongy pedal.
When bleeding brakes, using the proper sequence is recommended
– after 3 times pressing brake padel (pumping brake fluid)
open the bleed screw.
It saves time and ensures that the entire system is bled.

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End of Module

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