Most people only think of car brakes when you talk auto shop with them. However, there are actually three kinds of brakes found in vehicles. Two kinds of brakes are found in all passenger vehicles, while the third kind of brakes are usually only found in semi tractors and heavy duty construction vehicles. Not surprisingly, you will need different brake service for each kind of brakes. Here are the types of brakes and why they will need different kinds of service.

Standard Passenger Car Brakes

Drum and/or rotary brakes count as standard brakes for passenger vehicles. These brakes are consistent in that they all have rotors, calipers, and brake pads or brake shoes. If you have to replace the brakes in your truck or car, you have to replace ALL the components on BOTH sides of the vehicle. The reason for this is so that the brakes do not continuously wear out on just the side that was not replaced when you replaced just one side before. Replacing just one side causes abnormal wear and tear on the brakes, and eventually brake failure occurs.

Emergency Brakes

Emergency brakes are extraneous brakes built into all vehicles. There is either a lever to the right of the driver or a floor pedal that allows you to yank or slam on the emergency brake to apply emergency pressure to the tires. This makes your vehicle or your commercial vehicle stop faster, harder and sooner. If you use this brake a lot, either in the course of your job or as a fail-safe for bad standard brakes, it/they will wear out very fast and then not work at all when you really need to brake quickly.

Air Brakes

Semi tractors and heavy duty trucks require air brakes. These are brakes which rely on a compressed air system to slow the vehicle down and bring it to a full stop. They are necessary because of the size and extensive weight of these vehicles. Standard brakes and emergency brakes could not stop these vehicles. 

Failure of air brakes always results in an accident. If you drive a vehicle with air brakes and notice some slipping as you slow down, the compressed air system that controls the application and compression of the brakes may have a leak. Rather than take chances with your life as the driver or the lives of other people and drivers on the road, get this vehicle in for brake service right away, such as at Buettner Tire & Auto .

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