Car brakes are not all the same, in the sense that there are some that perform better and cost much more. The decision to mount one or the other is a personal choice that also varies according to the available budget at the moment.
The best brakes on the market are carbon ceramic discs, which are able to survive surges, at high temperatures and for this reason they are retained ideal for extreme circumstances.
Carbon brakes are made precisely of carbon fibers and silicon carbide which absorb the energy produced by friction, which is generally very high and consequently very dangerous. Unfortunately, however, all of this has not only advantages, it has several disadvantages that cannot be overlooked also because they make the difference. Knowing them before making fatal mistakes is really important economically.
How a normal brake works
A normal brake works by friction, in particular there is a support which is pressed against another element. In this way, thanks to the friction, energy is produced which reduces the drive energy. But the heat produced by friction can also become a problem.
When the melting point of the disc is reached, the braking effect increases. You risk failure, but not always. For example, not if the car has a carbon disc that has a much higher melting point, it is hardly achieved, not even in the most extreme situations. In addition, its life cycle is 350,000 km quite high.
Because these particular brakes cost so much
Cast iron is cheaper than carbon. The carbon ceramic discs are of superior quality just like the components that in fact last longer than the traditional ones.
This is one of the reasons why they cost so much more than the classics. Then follows the production process which is totally different. A cast iron disc is produced in just 90 minutes. While for the production of a carbon disc it takes three weeks of processing because there are so many phases and, among other things, they are all performed by specialized workers.
For the production of the latter, thousands of materials are needed, while the steel discs are prepared with few elements and in small quantities. In short, as they may seem two types of brakes quite similar, united by the same goal, they are two totally opposite brakes. One costs more and lasts much longer, the other is cheap, ideal for those who don’t want to spend a lot and accept responsibility for future problems.
