How brakes work isn't very complicated. Vehicles either have a drum brake system or a disc brake system. Some, however, may feature disc brakes at the front and drum brakes at the rear. Both systems include parts such as the master brake cylinder, brake lines, and brake hoses. How each system uses hydraulic brake fluid to slow the rotation of your wheels is where the two differ.

The Difference Between the Two Brake Systems

With a drum brake system, the pressure of the fluid causes a brake shoe to fasten to a brake drum. That produced the friction needed to stop the wheel's rotation. In a disc brake system, the fluid causes brake calipers to clamp brake pads onto the brake rotors to generate that same resistance.

How to Spot Brake Problems

Eventually, though, even the best brake parts can either go bad or wear out. That's not good, since you can't trust your brakes to perform like you expect. Signs of trouble include:

The dash warning light comes on

You hear grinding, squealing, or squeaking noises when you brake

You need more time and distance to stop

Your vehicle shudders when you brake

Your brake pedal feels soft or squishy

Your vehicle pulls to one side when you brake

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