Safety First with Volvo Brakes

Anthony Fontanelle
October 16, 2007

Braking is a very critical process that a car must be able to execute as efficiently as possible. A driver may be in control of the car, but it is the brake system that ensures safety. Thus it is very important for one to know just how the brake system works. What may appear to be a simple act of stepping on the brake pedal is actually a complex operation of a set of components that work in harmony to make the moving car stop. One such component is the brake caliper that helps get the job done.

After more than 80 years of Swedish legacy, Volvo has always been known for providing high-quality brake parts. This includes the brake caliper. The Volvo Brake Caliper holds the brake pads and aluminum or chrome-plated iron pistons. It can either be floating or fixed. A fixed caliper is proven to be more complex and more expensive than a floating caliper. Moving independently of the disc, it uses one or more pairs of pistons to press from each side of the disc. A floating or sliding caliper moves relative to the disc. It uses a piston on the disc’s one side to push the inner brake pad until a contact occurs with the braking surface. Then it pulls the caliper body with the outer brake pad to employ pressure to the disc’s both sides. A floating caliper with single piston designs tend to fail because of sticking which results from dirt or corrosion if the vehicle is rarely used. One must be attentive to this because this can cause friction between the Volvo Brake Caliper’s pad and the disc once the brake is released. This results to decreased fuel efficiency and extreme wear on the pad. The heat produced by the continuousness of the rubbing pad can also lead to warping of the rotor. Hence it is important that one should know how to take good care of one's Volvo Brake Caliper because its damage may lead to the deterioration of the whole system.

The keen driver must be critical with whom to entrust his or her brake system. Volvo Brake Calipers are made from high-grade materials that perform with great efficiency and last durably. Undoubtedly, only the premium brake parts from Volvo can secure one’s safety.

Source:  Amazines.com