Parking brake - how it works and how it works

A car, in fact, is the wheels that carry the driver and passengers, there is a steering wheel to control these wheels, an engine to drive, and a brake to stop, which is the main element in terms of safety. Distinguish between a working brake system and an auxiliary one, which is a parking brake. It is also known as a handbrake or simply "handbrake". With modern cars, the word manual is already becoming an anachronism, since the leading automakers are transferring the handbrake drive to electronic.

The parking brake is designed, as the name implies, to keep the car stationary while parking (stopping), especially if the roadway or parking surface has a slope. However, this brake is still used as an emergency brake system if the main working one fails. Let's try to understand the design of the parking brake system. let's find out how it works.

What it's for: main function

As noted above, the main purpose of the handbrake is to keep the car in place during parking for a long stop. It is used as an additional control element for extreme driving, as an emergency, as a braking device in emergency situations.

The design of the "handbrake" is standard - it is a brake drive (in most cases mechanical), and a brake mechanism.

What are the types of brakes

The parking brake differs in the type of drive, of the main types we note:

• mechanical drive (most common);
• hydraulic (most rare;
• electromechanical EPB (button instead of lever).

The prevalence of the mechanical version is due to the simplicity of design and high reliability. To activate the parking brake, just pull the lever up (towards you). At this moment, the cables are stretched, the mechanisms block the wheels, which leads to a stop or a decrease in speed. In new cars with rich equipment, the third option is increasingly used, the hydraulic one is not common and is mainly liked by fans of extreme driving.

There is also a conditional division into methods of inclusion:

• There is a pedal (aka foot);
• There is a lever (with a lever).

As a rule, the pedal "handbrake" is used on machines equipped with an automatic transmission. It is installed by the third pedal instead of the disappeared clutch pedal.

The brake mechanisms also differ, and are as follows:

• drum brake;
• cam;
• screw;
• transmission (aka central).

In the first case, the cables, stretching, act on the blocks, which, in turn, are pressed tightly against the drum, thus braking occurs. The central parking brake does not block the wheels, but the driveshaft. In addition, there is an electric drive with a disc mechanism, which is driven by an electric motor.

How is the handbrake

The design of the parking brake consists of three components:

• Actually, the brake mechanism that interacts with the wheels or the engine;
• Drive mechanism that actuates the brake mechanism (lever, button, pedal);
• Cables or hydraulic lines.

In the handbrake system, as a rule, one or three cables are used, the three-cable version is the most popular and reliable. The system has two rear cables, one front. In this case, two rear cables go to the brake mechanism, the front one interacts with the lever.

The fastening or connection of the cables is carried out with the elements of the handbrake using special adjustable tips. In turn, there are adjusting nuts on the cables, with which you can change the length of the cable itself. There is also a return spring in the system, which returns the mechanism to its original position after the handbrake is released. The return spring is mounted either on the brake mechanism itself, on the equalizer or on a cable connected to the lever.

Principle of operation

The brake is activated (the car is put on the "handbrake") by moving the lever to the maximum vertical position until the characteristic click of the latch. At the same time, the cables, stretching, press the pads mounted on the rear wheels tightly to the drums. Wheels blocked in this way lead to braking.

To release the machine from the handbrake, it is necessary to press the button holding the latch, lower the lever to the initial position down (lying down).

Disc brake

Cars that have disc brakes all around have a handbrake with slight differences. There are the following varieties:

• screw brake;
• cam;
• drum brake.

The first option is used in single-piston brake systems. The piston is controlled by a special screw screwed into it. It rotates, driven by a cable and a lever. The piston moves along the thread, moving in, presses the pads against the brake disc.

The cam mechanism is simpler, it has a pusher that acts on the piston. At the same time, the cam has a rigid connection with the lever (also cable). The pushrod moves along with the piston as the cam rotates. The drum mechanism is used in multi-piston systems.

How to properly operate

Immediately after getting into the car, it is necessary to check the position of the handbrake lever. You should also check it before any start, you can’t ride the handbrake, as this leads to engine overloads and rapid wear of the brake system elements (discs, pads).

As for putting the car on the handbrake in the winter season, experts do not recommend doing this, as this can lead to wheel blocking and impossibility of movement. Melted snow, dirt adhering to the wheels can freeze at night, the pads freeze to the discs or drum. If you apply force, you can damage the system, you need to warm up the wheels with steam, boiling water or carefully with a blowtorch.

In cars equipped with an automatic, the parking brake should also be used, despite the presence of the “parking” mode in the box. This will reduce the load on the shaft lock mechanism, and will also ensure that the car is firmly held in place, sometimes in a limited place you can accidentally run into a neighboring car.

Summary

The braking system, and in particular the parking brake, plays an important role and is one of the important components of a car. It is necessary to keep everything in good order, this will increase the safety of the operation of your car, reduce the risk of an accident. The parking brake system should be diagnosed and serviced regularly, like other important systems.