Know Your Vehicle's Disc Brake Kit Better

Callipers are used by the disc brakes to squeeze pairs of pads against a disc or "rotor". This is done so that friction can be created. This action would slow down the rotation of the shaft like vehicle axle, so that its rotational speed can be reduced or it can be held stationary. The energy of the motion would then be converted into the waste heat which should be dispersed.

Want to know the various types of disc brake kit? Then have a look below:

1. Flat Disc - This type of brake disc is a flat, smooth disc which is generally made up of iron, affixed to the rotating axle spindle. There are a lot of cars; especially the vehicles which are small are supplied with these as their lower weight would make them perfect for the task. This type of disc brake is comparatively cheap to produce and restore.
2. Vented Disc - If the overall size and weight of the automobile would increase, then it would mean that there would be an increase in the load on the car brakes. This would generate a lot of heat which would cause issues in the car brake system parts.
3. Drilled Disc - One way with which the car discs can remain cool is by increasing the surface area. This is done by drilling holes completely through them. An escape route for heat, gas and waste material would be provided by these holes and it would also prevent it from building up on the contact surfaces.
4. Slotted or Grooved Disc - If you will add slots or grooves to a disc, then it would work in a same way to drilled discs in that they work to remove extra heat, gas, as well as material from the friction surface. but at the same time by not weakening the heat resistance of the disc.
5. Combination – Slotted and drilled disc - If there would be a combination of slots and holes in a disc, then it would surely work to gain the benefit of both while minimizing the downsides.
6. Dimpled Disc - The main reason for which you can go for dimpling is the reduction of weight and at the same time not compromising strength and resistance.
7. Waved edge disc - The performance discs which are latest have a wavy edge to the disc. This is a way with which they can reduce weight and at the same time there is no impact on the strength, resistance and performance.

The disc brake system is generally utilized on front wheels in mid-range two-wheeler like the commuter and sports bikes. It is utilized on the front wheels in many hatchback cars, entry-level sedans & MUV’s. It is also utilized on both the front & rear wheels of high-end cars and SUVs in combination with hydraulic / vacuum brake actuating systems.

A circular-shaped plate or disc or rotor was the one through which the disc brake got its name. It is the one on which the disc brake parts are actually mounted. There is a brake disc, two friction pads, and brake caliper in a conventional disc brake system. The friction pads would apply grip on the external surface of the disc so that the braking can be performed in the disc brake system.

Look at some frequent problems with the disc brake kit:

1. Poor Fitment - It is very common for the owners of the vehicle to face problems just because their disc brake conversion kit is not fitting well. There are a lot of companies which sell the disc brake conversion kits and do not properly check it’s each and every single fitment. This issue is less when it comes to the latest vehicles, but it is a common issue when it comes to the older automobiles. If there are some issues in the fitting of the disc brake conversion kit, then it can cause a lot of serious issues down the road like a failure in the brake system.
2. Unusual Pedal Feel/Response - If your brake pedal feels too spongy, sensitive, or odd in general, then it can be due to a lot of things. It can be because various parts work when the brake pedal is being pressed. There can be an issue in just one component and then it can totally affect the way your pedal would feel. Sometimes it might just be a symptom of a brake system which was not bled in a right manner.
3. Incorrect Front and/or Rear Brake Engagement - Is your front and/or rear brake engaging very early or extremely late? Or do you have disc brakes on one axle and drum brakes are there on another axle? If this is the case, then you require a proportioning valve and a hold-off valve to achieve the right performance. If any one or both of these parts are missing, then there is a need to install the missing parts and then they should be calibrated correctly.

Searching for some symptoms of faulty disc brake kit? Wait no more! Have a look below:

1. Noisy Brakes - The first symptom which is related with the faulty disc brake is the noise. Now if the rotors would be warped or are worn severely, then they might start producing squealing or squeaking sounds.
2. Vibrations from the Brakes - One another symptom which is associated with the bad disc brake is a lot of vibration or pulsation coming from the car brakes.
3. Grooves or Score Marks on the Rotor - Visual scoring or grooves on the face of the rotor is another symptom of bad or failing disc brake. If there is a repeated contact with the brake pads then it can develop these marks with the passage of time.
4. Increased Stopping Distances - If there is scoring and grooves in a rotor, then it can impede its capacity to slow down the automobile. It can also cause vibration and pulsation which can be felt in the pedal.

Do you like repairing your car on your own? Thinking of opening up your own car body shop? It is a great business opportunity if you love cars and possess a good work ethic. Now if you want your shop to be successful, then you will require a combination of effort as well as car mechanic training. And of course, the correct equipment which would upgrade your speed as well as make your repair work easy. If you have the right tools, then you can easily meet the demands of today's car body structures. Here are some of the most essential tools which you might need to repair your Disc Brake Kit.

• Ratchet and Socket Kit
• Torque Wrench
• Brake Pad Spreader or C-Clamp
• Torx / Allen Set
• Brake Bleeder Wrench
• Jack and Jack stands
• Lug Nut Wrench
• Gloves
• Dust Mask and Safety Glasses

If you know which car parts brand suits the best for your Disc Brake Kit, then it would save a lot of your decision-making time. What we believe is that picking a particular brand would always be helpful in reducing the clutter, and at the same time would make it easier for the customers to find what they are actually looking for. That’s why we have listed out some top brands for Disc Brake Kit below as follows:

The first question which comes in the minds of most people when they see some faults in the Disc Brake Kit is that how much would its replacement cost? The reality is that unless and until a professional technician would look at your car, it is going to be a difficult question to answer because the overall cost would depend on a lot of factors. The first and foremost thing on which it depends is the size as well as type of the Disc Brake Kit. The other factors like is the replacement of the Disc Brake Kit going to be brand new, used, rebuilt, or remanufactured play a major role in deciding the total cost. Now if you want to substitute your disc brake kit, then it would cost between $150 and $300. The labour cost would range between $90 to $100.

Here are some steps of changing the disc brake kit:

Step 1 - Rear Disc Brake Conversion

• There are a lot of automakers which favor a front-disc/rear-drum configuration. The reason behind this is that the drum brakes need a very simple and cheap mechanism to work the parking brake.
• On the drum brakes, there is a parking brake cable which would control a lever that is joined to the brake shoes. Now with the disc brakes, there is a separate mechanical device inside the caliper piston through which the lever is attached. It would then push the piston into the pads. There are some cars in which the lever would be attached to a separate drum inside the rear brake rotor, based on the single-piston or four-piston calipers brakes.

Step 2 - Removing The Drum Brakes

• If you want to remove the rear drum, then it would be the same as removing front drums, except for that discomforting parking brake. You should initiate by removing the car wheels first and then the dust cap, the center nut and washer and the brake-drum bolts. Now before you start removing the drum, then the brake hose and the parking brake cable should be carefully disconnected. Now once you have removed the drum, then the spindle should be inspected and then you can always restore it or use it as per your need. After that the steering arm should be re-positioned and secured.

Step 3 - Installing The Disc Brakes

• The rotor should be attached to the spindle, followed by the washer, the bearing and nut and the cotter pin. After that the dust cap should be put on and the next step would be to move on to the caliper assembly.
• Before the caliper has been positioned on the rotor, the new brake lines should be attached and then the pads should be installed. The caliper should then be placed over the rotor and then carefully attach the parking brake and the brake lines.
• Then the next step would be to put the wheels and tires back on and then you are nearly done.
• It is essential to bleed the brakes and refresh the brake fluid when it comes to the front conversion. At the same time, it is prime to inspect the parking brake and making necessary adjustments.