Friction materials and friction material manufacturers including disc brake pad, clutch bands, clutch facings, brake linings, and brake friction materials.  

Information Page Links:

Featured Friction Material Manufacturers

About Friction Materials

Friction Material Terms

Friction Material Associations

Friction Material Resources

Trade Shows

Featured Friction Material Articles

More Articles

ISO - International Organization
for Standardization

Back

Friction Material Terms

Balance – Refers to the stability between the front and rear brakes.
 
Bleeding – The process by which overheated or spoiled brake fluid and air bubbles are removed from the brake system.
 
Brake Drum – Metal housing bolted to an axle and vehicle wheel that looks like a large jar lid. Brake shoes are forced against the drum to stop rotating wheels.
 
Brake Lining – Heat-resistant friction material that presses against the disc/drum to create braking force.
 
Brake Pad – Made of friction materials and bonded to metal plates. Brake pads need to be replaced occasionally due to heavy wear.
 
Burnish – Process of wearing in brakes so that the contact between the friction material and the rotor or drum becomes stable.
 
Caliper – The assembly that houses the brake pad(s) and applies them to the rotor. This also houses the hydraulically operated pistons to which the pads are bonded.
 
Clutch – Any of various contraptions used to engage and disengage two moving parts of a shaft or shaft and driving mechanism. When changing gears, the clutch pedal is pressed, disengaging the clutch and allowing the gear change; when released, the clutch engages and transfers the rotating motion throughout the entire driveshaft.
 
Coefficient of Friction – The ratio of force necessary to move an object compared to the weight of the object itself.
 
Disc Brake – Consists of brake pads, caliper and rotor. This is the part of the brake system that actually stops the vehicle.
 
Drum – A large circular metal housing that looks like an oversized jar lid and is bolted to a vehicle’s axle and wheel. Brake shoes are forced against the inner section of the drum, which then stops the rotating wheel.
 
Dynamometer – Apparatus in a laboratory used to test brake system performance.
 
Fade – Temporary reduced braking power. Fade results from overheating of the friction material.
 
Groove Patterns – Grooves on friction material that help dispel heat, get rid of fluid and eliminate noise.
 
Master Cylinder – The cylinder that contains hydraulic fluid and a piston. It is connected directly to the brake pedal and transmits pressure to the brake operating system.
 
Recovery – The return of braking performance to a normal level after fade has diminished. This measures friction materials’ ability to perform after overheating.
 
Rotor – Also referred to as a disc or drum, this is the circular metal object to which the brake pads are applied, creating friction to slow and stop the vehicle.
 
Shoe – A steel semicircular form coated with a friction agent that presses against the inside of a drum when activated.
 
Squeal – High-pitched noise made when braking. Squeal indicates that brakes should be inspected for wear.