What is a wheel disc or brake disc?

The brake rotor or wheel disc is the key component used in disk brakes. All vehicles, from personal cars to war vehicles, use this system to stop. Besides these brakes, drum brakes are placed. The important point is that the disk brakes are more practical than of drum brakes.

Todays, most cars use a disc brake to control and halt the moving car in both axles or just to the front axle. Apart from the brake disc part, the performance of disc brake systems depends on the coordination of various structures including brake pads, rotors, calipers and support calipers.

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The disk brake is a piece of brake system that causes the car to stop by applying pressure to the moving rotor. Considering the role of the disk brake in stopping the car, it can be considered as one of the most important safety parts of the car. All of the car's internal components and components all affect the final riding experience and, of course, the safety of the car. However, the brake pad is one of those parts that it’s failure may cause a dangerous damage.

If one part such as the oil filter break down, the engine gradually wears out, and if the replacement of the element such as the oil filter, is slightly delayed, you can start the car with caution for a while; However, if the disc part fails, your life, the lives of other occupants and even the drivers of other vehicles will be in danger. This is why drivers need to increase their general knowledge about this piece.

Apart from the disk brake, the caliper is also one of the key components used in the disk structure, which, unlike the disk part, is connected to the fixed part of the drive system. These two parts, in coordination with each other, reduce the speed of the car and eventually cause it to stop completely.

What is a brake disc called?

Some people refer to this part as the brake wheel or wheel disc; But most people name this circular piece as "brake disc"; The part that plays the main role in stopping the car. This rotating piece rotates exactly with the wheels, and if it stops rotating, it also stops the wheels from moving. If we look at the structures of the car from another angle, considering the connection of the disc brake to the wheel bearing with the help of two central screws and nuts, it can also be considered as one of the moving parts of the wheel structure.

If you cannot find the disc brake around the wheels, just find the pad and then look for a machined piece made of cast iron or ceramic on the opposite side so that it is not vulnerable to friction. The pads placed on the disc brake stop the car with the help of the friction factor and finally by affecting the disc brake. The stopping process begins when the driver depressing the brake pedal and ends when the disc being compressed.

What is the use of a wheel disc or brake disc and how does it work?

As mentioned, the main task of the disc brake is to stop the machine with the help of friction force. Although the cast iron and ceramic material of the disc brake prevents it from eroding in the short term, this part, like other car parts, gradually loses its function. Note that the disc brake and brake pads are also in direct contact with each other. It is the brake pad that engages the disc brake after the brake pedal is pressured, forcing it to stop when the brake fluid pressure changes. One of the most common signs of a disk failure is increasing the distance to stop.

Types of brake discs

Due to the fact that the movement characteristics of different cars are different, naturally there will be different types of brake discs.

An iron or ordinary disc, for example, is a piece that is relatively less durable and breaks down quickly in hot, dry areas.

Cooling disc is a modern type of brake disc in which cooling grooves are designed. As the name implies, these discs extend their service life by cooling themselves.

A perforated wheel disc is a component that can remove frictional gases and particles, thereby slightly reducing the friction pressure load. Slotted discs have a similar mechanism; However, to reduce the pressure load, it disperses the gases created by friction through its grooves in the environment. If a piece of wheel disc has both a hole and a groove, we call it mixed.

What is the difference between brake discs in heavy vehicles and brake discs in light vehicles?

Although heavy vehicles do not accelerate as much as light vehicles, their high weight means they need a powerful piece of disc to stop. The whole brake disc part in different cars is not much different from each other. Basically, the more modern the car, the more advanced the disc part mounted on it. Another difference between disc parts in light machines and heavy machines is carbon polymers, which, along with cast iron alloy, increase the strength of the disk part.

What are the consequences of brake disc failure?

Disk failure is one of the most dangerous things that can happen to a car. Thankfully, the disc piece is very durable and does not break easily. However, there are still factors that cause the disc part to corrode and erode. These factors include the following:

Continuous braking and driving in situations that require continuous braking;

Failure to pay attention to timely replacement of brake pads;

Select poor quality brake pads for installation in the car braking structure.

Note that otherwise, if you use substandard parts, the wear of the parts will accelerate. Each of these three causes the discs to overheat in some way. On the other hand, if the disc you have installed on the car is substandard, it does not need any of these three to heat up, and the temperature will increase automatically.

As the disc heats up, not only does the performance of the brake pads gradually decrease, but the shape of the disc itself also changes as a result of this increase in temperature. On the other hand, the deformation of the disc due to heat causes the pad to be scratched after colliding with it, and thus the whole braking system is disrupted.

The last word

Undoubtedly, the brake disc is one of the key safeties and functional parts of the car. A piece that, if not working properly, not only enters the self-destruct process, but also damages the pads and wheels. Thus, it can be said that the failure of the disk part, by affecting other parts, can reduce the level of security of each car by a factor; But, there is no need to worry, because if you have read this article, you know how to react to possible breakdowns. So just be careful and drive safely.