Know Your Vehicle's Disc Brake Kit Better
What Is Disc Brake Kit?
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.
Types Of Disc Brake Kit
Want to know the various types of
disc brake kit? Then have a look below:
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
How does Disc Brake Kit Works?
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.
Frequent Problems With Disc Brake Kit
Look at some frequent
problems with the disc brake kit:
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Symptoms Of Bad Disc Brake Kit
Searching for some symptoms of faulty
disc brake kit? Wait no more! Have a look below:
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Tools Needed For Disc Brake Kit
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
Top Brands For Disc Brake Kit
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:
Total System Costs & Repair Times, Effort For Disc Brake Kit
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.
How To Change Disc Brake Kit?
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.