Braking system

1.Master cylinder
Master cylinder is a hydraulic component which houses one or more
pistons, a brake fluid reservoir, brake lines, seals, and springs. These
are arranged in such a manner that the mechanical force applied by
a rider or a driver onto the brake pedal/brake lever is converted into
hydraulic pressure that eventually brakes the rotors via the brake
callipers. The master cylinder multiplies this mechanical brake force
(which on its own isn’t enough for braking) transferring high
pressure on the brake callipers. Braking happens when the master
cylinder transfers the brake fluid to the braking circuit as you pull
the brake lever.

2.Disc brakes
Brake rotors of disc brakes rotate with the wheels, and brake pads,
which are fitted to the brake calipers, clamp on these rotors to stop or
decelerate the wheels. The brake pads pushing against the rotors
generate friction, which transforms kinetic energy into a thermal energy

When it comes time to replace your rotors, keep in mind that not all rotors are
made the same. In fact, there are four different types to choose from, so before
replacing your vehicle's rotors, make sure you're choosing the right one for your
needs. The four different rotor types are: 
 Blank & Smooth - Blank and smooth rotors are what you'll find on most
passenger vehicles and feature a smooth, blank metal surface all the way around
the rotor
 Drilled - Drilled rotors feature drilled holes around the metal surface
 Slotted - Slotted rotors feature long "slots" or lines in the metal surface
 Drilled & Slotted - Drilled and slotted rotors combine the drilled holes
and slots for enhanced performance

3.Drum brakes
Brake shoes fitted with brake linings (friction material) which press against the drums
from the inside to generate braking force (decelerate and stop) are set inside of the
drums.

With this system, friction is generated by pressing the brake linings against the inside
surfaces of the drums. This friction converts kinetic energy into thermal energy.
Drum rotation helps to press the shoes and the lining against the drum with more
force, offering superior braking force in comparison with disc brakes. On the other
hand, it is very important to design the components so that the heat from the thermal
energy is dissipated efficiently into the atmosphere.

There are three types of drum brakes depending on how the brake shoes are
pressed on to the drums; leading/trailing shoe type, twin leading shoe type and duo-
servo type.

4.Brake pads
Your brake pads are one of the most crucial components on your bike. They
determine just how effective your braking system will work, especially in wet and
slippery conditions. Unfortunately, brake pads are a consumable component that
undergoes wear and tear and may require to be replaced over time

5.Brake calliper
The brake calliper plays a central role in a disc-brake system and has two
functions. First, it acts either as a bracket to support the brake pads on
either side of the rotor or to support the calliper bracket itself — there are
other designs, but these are the two most common. Second, it uses pistons
to convert pressure exerted on the brake fluid by the master cylinder into
friction on the rotor.

In simple terms, a brake calliper’s purpose is to squeeze the brake pads

against the rotor to stop the car. There are two main types of callipers, a
single piston and a dual piston. Most front callipers are dual piston but
many cars use single piston callipers on the rear, where less braking force
is needed.

Stepping on the brake pedal forces the master cylinder piston forward,
compressing the brake fluid. The brake fluid forces the calliper pistons
toward the rotors, pinching the rotors in between the brake pads, which
creates friction and slows the vehicle.
6.Brake shoes

Brake shoes carry the brake lining inside brake drum systems. They are a curved
piece of metal, with a friction material fixed to one side. 

When the driver applies the brake, a wheel cylinder in the drum brake system forces
the brake shoe outward, against the inside of the drum. This creates friction between
the lining and drum, causing the car to brake. The kinetic energy is dissipated as
heat. Brake shoes are often used for the rear axle, especially as most modern cars
brake more sharply on their front wheels, so the temperatures the rear brakes need
to handle aren’t so high. As well as being less expensive to manufacture, drum brake
systems can be more effective as a parking brake than disc brakes.

Brake shoes are components of the drum brake assembly. They are forced to press against the
inner surface of the brake drum. The friction produced between the shoes and the drum works to

reduce speed and to stop the motorcycle.

• Braking distance increases

• Noise and / or vibration occurs

• Brake "feel" adversely affected

Under normal use, brake shoes gradually wear out by being used to reduce speed and for stopping

the motorcycle. If excessively worn, the brake shoes are unable to produce adequate braking force

and the rider will experience poor braking. It may lead to be a dangeraous situation.

If the shoes are worn down further, their metal parts make contact with the brake drum producing

excess noise, a reduced braking force and a damaged brake drum leading to a situation where What
is a brake booster?

Definition & Description

An example of different types of brake boosters.

A Brake Booster is a device that increases the force applied from the brake pedal to the master
cylinder. The booster is what separates a power-assisted braking system from a manual one.

The most common type of brake booster uses Engine Vacuum. However, hydraulic boosters are also
available. They use fluid pressure created by the power steering pump. Some vehicles also use an
electric powered brake booster.

How does it work?

A vacuum booster is usually mounted on the firewall, in the engine compartment. It has a chamber
divided in half by a diaphragm. The chamber is connected to a vacuum source, usually the intake
manifold. It also has a shaft with valves running through the center.

The brake pedal is linked to one side of the booster. The Master Cylinder is mounted on the other
side.

A diagram showing the inside of a vacuum brake booster and how it works.
Before you push the brake pedal, both sides of the diaphragm are supplied with vacuum.

When you push the pedal:

The shaft moves forward and opens the valve on the back of the chamber.

Atmospheric pressure enters half of the chamber.

The other half of the chamber is still under vacuum.

The difference in pressure moves the shaft forward even more.

The shaft then presses on the master cylinder pushrod.

When you release the pedal, a spring returns the shaft to its starting point. This also returns the
valves to their starting points. Vacuum is then equalized on both sides of the diaphragm.

How does it affect performance?

The brake booster pushes harder on the master cylinder pushrod. In many cases, it can add 200-300
lbs. of force. However, the actual force depends on:

The size of the diaphragm

The amount of vacuum applied

The atmospheric pressure in the air

The added force helps create the high pressure needed in the braking system without increasing the
force you apply to the pedal. This makes stopping easier and driving more enjoyable

BRAKE PEDAL
Knowing how your braking system works is something
that’s important for every driver. Safety should always
be a priority when it comes to driving and well-
functioning brakes should be at the forefront of every
driver’s mind.
Read on to learn more about how exactly your braking
system works, and some things that each driver can do
in order to maintain peak functioning.

Braking Systems 101

When it comes to brakes, all modern cars come

equipped with hydraulic system operating brakes on all
four wheels. Brakes in the front are seen as more
important than rear brakes given that during the
braking process, weight is shifted towards the front of
the vehicle.
Because of this, disc brakes are often used in the front
due to their efficiency levels. In contrast, drum brakes
are generally used on the back wheels. It’s also
important to note however that many expensive cars
and luxury vehicles employ disc brakes in both the
front and rear wheels.

Hydraulic Brakes

The main type of brake system in your car is a hydraulic

system. This system functions with cylinders connected
by brake pipes which receive fluids through the
hydraulic brake circuit.
When you’re driving and push the brake pedal, this, in
turn, causes a pushrod to exert force on the piston in
the master cylinder, which then leads to brake fluid
flowing into a pressure chamber leading to an increase
in pressure of the hydraulic system.

The increased pressure forces the fluid through

hydraulic lines towards one or more caliper pistons
which then apply force to the brake pads of your
vehicle. Overall the components of a hydraulic braking
system include the brake pedal, brake master cylinder,
wheel cylinders, brake boosters, and brake pipelines.

Keys to Brake Maintenance

While braking systems are certainly complex and it’s
important to not attempt a DIY fix of any issues
without previous training, there are a few things that
vehicle owners ask for from their ASE certified auto-
mechanics to ensure that brakes receive proper
maintenance.

Check Brake Pads and Rotors: The placement of your

brake pads and rotors between your braking system
and tires means that they regularly experience a great
deal of friction and this requires frequent
maintenance.

The regular contacts between your tires and brake

pads will generate heat and cause regular wear and
tear. If you notice the smell of burning rubber or that
you need to press down on your brake harder to
achieve results, then it’s definitely time to go get your
brake pads and rotors checked out. Be sure to inspect
brake pads for depth as well to ensure there will be
enough resistance when in use.

Change Brake Fluid: Brake fluid is a crucial element of

your braking system because it acts as the go-between
when you press your brake pedal and your pads touch
the tires. When you step on the pedal, pressure is
transferred through your master cylinder, through your
brake lines, and into the calipers, which in turn transfer
pressure to your brake pads and rotors.

If moisture gets into your brake fluid it can lead to

corrosion of different metal parts of your braking
system and lead to damage. Because of this, it’s crucial
that you keep an eye out for a cloudy or opaque quality
in your braking fluid; make sure to swap it out every
two years or 30,000 to 40,000 miles.
Bleed Your Lines: Another important maintenance
process to remember is regular bleeding of brake lines
to get rid of excess air. If air is stuck in the brake line, it
can throw off pressure balance and lead to
inefficiencies.

Bleeding the air from the lines should be done every 2

to 3 years, and can be completed during your regularly
scheduled maintenance. The bleeding process will
depress the brake pedal while adjusting the bleeder
valve, and ensure that your system is running as

efficiently as possible
Speedometer Error
On every bike I've owned, the speedometer has read
much higher than actual road speed, whereas my cars
have always been almost spot-on. Why is this? I want
to fix the speedometer on my Honda CBR1000RR using
something like a SpeedoHealer. I know those devices
tap into the speed sensor. Should I be worried that it
will affect how the ABS works on my bike.?

On testbikes we typically see an error of a few percent

in the speedometer reading—at times up to 10 percent
and always on the high side. This fudge factor can most
likely be traced to ECE Regulation No. 39, which is a 14-
page document detailing speedometer accuracy for
vehicles sold in EU countries. According to this law, a
speedometer can read high by as much as 10 percent
plus 4 km/h at a specified test speed, but under no
circumstances can the speedometer read low.

Speedometer accuracy is very dependent on tire

diameter, which is affected significantly on a
motorcycle by pressure, load, and temperature. These
values are strictly defined in the regulation's testing
procedure, and the speedometer calibration must take
these potential alterations into account. In addition,
the manufacturers must consider the owner changing
to non-standard tires, which may have a different
diameter than the OEM fitment. In our last tire test,
diameter of the seven rear tires tested varied by 2
percent, which directly affects the speedometer by the
same amount. This also accounts for some of the
discrepancy. Even with all these variables, however,
the manufacturers do seem to be erring on the side of
caution so the speedometer doesn't read low.

Most current motorcycle speedometers use a sensor

triggered by the teeth of a transmission gear or a
similar dedicated ring or by the slots in an ABS wheel
ring. These sensors send a square-wave signal to the
ECU, which calculates speed from the frequency of the
signal. As mentioned, tire diameter does affect the
speedometer, but if the sensor is in the transmission,
changing gearing can also affect the reading.
Aftermarket devices like the SpeedoHealer tap into the
sensor wire and speed up or slow down the frequency
of the signal, changing the speedometer reading
accordingly to recalibrate it for any error or a gearing
or tire change.
On most bikes equipped with ABS, the speedometer
works from the same signals as the ABS to measure
speed; on these bikes, I would not recommend using
any device that taps into the sensor or alters the
readings from the ABS rings, as that could affect your
ABS, and this would not be something you want to test
or find out right when you need it the most. There are
a couple of workarounds here: If the ECU sends a
square-wave signal to the dash specifically for the
speedometer, a device could be inserted here as
opposed to in the sensor wires. And some bikes can
have the inspeedometer recalibrated by an ECU re-
flash.

Your CBR1000RR C-ABS is a bit of an anomaly,

however, as it retains the countershaft speed sensor of
the standard model to measure speed. Here you could
install a SpeedoHealer or similar device with no worries
of affecting the bike's ABS.
How Brake Lines Work
Brake Lines

The brake lines on a motorcycle run along the outside

of the frame. They can usually be seen and many
motorcyclists upgrade them for to make their
motorcycle look nicer.