Getting To Know Your Car Brake System Intimately Inside & Out

The safety of your car is very important, whatever model you have a Mercedes or a Mazda – the safest cars can also have a brake failure. And if the brakes of your car go down, the results might be extremely disastrous. The same issue with a conventional car will plague a homemade electric car also.

Obviously, brakes are the most crucial parts of your car. So acquaintances with a car brake system’s know how is always handy because you hardly know when your car brakes will let you down and it can happen when you are miles away from the nearest garage and who knows in midst of a dessert.

If you know how the brake system works you can:

- Inspect the brakes and find out what the problem is.

- Fully understand what will be required to repair the brakes.

- You can repair the brakes yourself if possible or explain exactly the situation to the person who is going to repair your car brakes.

To become proficient in performing the above functions, first of all you need a clear understanding regarding a car brake system.

A drum system uses a hydraulic pressure to push a pad against the brake drum to slow down and stop the car. The mechanism is like this:

- When brake pedals are pressed, the pistons in the master cylinder exert pressure through brake lines held by the brake shoe to the wheel cylinders inside the break drum.

- The brake shoe tightens against the drum and friction stops the wheel from moving. A brake drum is a flat-topped heavy cylinder generally placed in between the wheel rim and the drive wheel.

- When the brakes are pressed, the friction pad attached to the brake shoe is jammed against the brake drum. This slows down and stops the wheel.

- A wheel cylinder might have pistons that use hydraulic pressure from the master cylinder to exert tremendous pressure forcing the pad against the brake drum.

- The other system that’s called disk brake system uses the same hydraulic pressure to press the brake pads against the rotor to slow down the automobile.

The modes-operandi is as follows:

- When brake pedal is pressed, the master cylinder exerts pressure through break lines to the caliper forcing the friction pads to press against the rotor. The generated friction stops the vehicle.

- A rotor is just a circular plate attached to the wheel which is gripped by the brake pads.

- A brake pad is made with friction materials. When the brake pads are jammed against the rotor plate, the wheel stops turning.

- The brake pads are attached to the calipers and when pressed using hydraulic pressure these pads straddle the rotor.

- The brake pads are pressed using internal pistons to jam the rotor.

- To perform this process the braking system needs a brake fluid. The master cylinder is filled with such brake fluid and distributes the fluid under pressure to the braking system of the vehicle.

The above explanation provides a brief understanding regarding the two car braking systems. This is the basic knowledge you need to know for any troubleshooting and repair works for your car brake system.

Brake problem can occur in any model whether it’s a VW Beetle, a Ford pickup or the safest vehicle of the world. The internet is filled with huge resources that provide detailed explanation of all your needs regarding brake system problems in very vivid and systematic manner. I would advise you to go online and search for ‘car auto brake repair’. You will certainly be surprised by huge resources that will be displayed in no time.

Buying Used Car Parts For Your EV Project Donor Car

It is a common belief with car owners that buying new auto parts from the manufacture dealers is the best buy. They probably have a wrong notion that buying used auto parts is not a good deal.

It is a truth that most of the car servicing companies and even the auto parts manufacturers recommend and use, used original equipment manufacturer (OEM). This is a fact that used auto parts are equally genuine as that of new.

Most of the used auto parts are from the cars which have met with an accident, the parts which are totally damaged are destroyed but other parts which are in good conditions are used.

However in some cases repairing may require removing the parts which are absolutely good and can be reused. These used auto parts are sold to the people who deal with second hand auto part market.

Since these used auto parts are genuine as originals, there is no reason why these parts cannot be used. All these parts are tested before selling to the potential customer. If you are converting a conventional automobile into a pure electric car and you are on a tight budget, sourcing for used car parts for your donor car may be the right option.

There are other reasons also to use these auto parts whenever you get your car repaired, the main advantage is saving as these auto parts are cost effective. Since the fuel costs are increasing every day and so are the auto parts, you save a lot of money, in these hard days money saved is money earned. You are assured to save 50 % cost on the maintenance of your car.

The positive aspect is that you are not compromising with the quality or the functionality of the used auto part, hence buying a used auto part is a sensible decision for your EV conversion project.

Manufacturer’s warranty.

By using genuine used auto part does not affect the warranty of your car. But if you use the parts using aftermarkets in your car, the warranty gets compromised and the manufacturer will immediately seize the warranty. Aftermarkets are the parts which are not manufactured and marketed by the original car manufacturer.

High quality tested car parts.

Used auto parts are approved as being good as new, since these parts have already been tested and passed, you are assured to get the best services using these auto parts. These parts are removed from the same car and are perfect blend for your car.

Some of the experts are of the opinion that these parts are even better as compared to new parts, since these parts were already functioning in the other car.

Limitation of used OEM parts.

The biggest limitation is that finding these auto parts for your electric car is not that easy, you may not be able to find the particular part which suits the specification of your car. Used car auto parts largely depend on the availability of the similar model and specification; it may take you long time before you can spot the one you require.

This happens with the rare car models but thanks to internet you can browse the websites of car dealers so that you can easily find one.

Where to buy used auto parts.

The most trustworthy search can be done online, by visiting the websites of online dealers. There are many OEM search engines which can help you to find parts from the pool of dealers. You just have to enter the car model, year of manufacturing and the specific name to find the desired OEM.

Searching online will also help you to find the OEM’s with lowest prices; you must use your wisdom to identify the genuine dealer.

EV conversion cost saving.

Looking for more tips and tricks on saving money for your first electric car conversion project? If you are, check out the Convert2EV ebook by Les and Jane Oke. The Okes are from Canada and they have been using homemade pure electric cars for more than 15 years. Click on the link below to visit their web site.

==> Click here to visit Convert2EV now!

Gas To Electric Car Conversion Goodies – What You’ll Enjoy Building EVs

Gasoline-powered cars have been the standard vehicles so far, with present and past generations of people driving them and it is quite likely that the next generation may also like to depend on these cars.

Many people are of the view that gasoline-engine cars will still remain the most popular mode of transport. But the truth is that a few decades from now gasoline and for that matter, even petroleum will become very scarce.

In view of this, gasoline-powered cars are not going to last forever. In future more electricity will be generated from renewable sources, such as solar power and wind power and scientists and car manufacturers have established that cars fitted with electric- engines will be the vehicles of the future.

Electric motors have several advantages over conventional internal combustion engines powered by gasoline. In sharp contrast to the gasoline-powered engines, electric cars are 500% more fuel- efficient. In other words, electric cars are more powerful and can run longer distances for smaller amount of power consumption.

As electric engine is run by electricity generated from batteries, solar energy, wind energy or hydro power, it does not emit any harmful gases and therefore, does not pollute the atmosphere. Electric car is noiseless, easy to operate and very safe.

Looking into the immense benefits an electric car can offer, a thought arises that if someone can assemble a number of electrical equipment himself at home, he can as well assemble an electric car himself. If one is enterprising, starting a gas to electric car conversion project can save you thousands of dollars on purchasing a new electric vehicle from a manufacturer.

Before you undertake to construct an electric car as a do-it-yourself exercise, you should examine the option of converting the old car engine into an electrical engine. In majority of cases this can be achieved. You should ensure that you have the necessary know-how to do it on your own. For this, you should have a thorough knowledge of the functioning of a conventional vehicle.

If you have a good experience in repairing your own car, you may be able to initial a gas to electric car project in your home garage. In case, you get the job of car maintenance done by a professional auto repairer, it is advisable to get the electric car built by a professional also. There is no point going through all the headache of trying the complete the DIY EV conversion project yourself.

On the other hand, if you are confident of your skills can take the help of do-it-yourself guide and begin building the electric car, by all mean, go for it!

In order to ensure that your electric car is built properly, a detailed research is required to understand the mechanism of a homemade electric vehicle.

Electric cars have a simple design and therefore, may be simpler to make than a car powered with an internal combustion engine. It may be surprising to know the amount of work that can be done by going through a do-it-yourself kit. The guide will indicate the type of tools and equipment required for making an electrical car.

However, it should be ensured that someone is nearby to assist you in lifting heavy parts and also in handing over tools from time to time during assembly. Garage and a shed with adequate space would be an ideal location to begin the project of building an electric car.

If you need a good step by step instructional guide on EV conversion, check out the book written by Gavin Shoebridge from New Zealand. Shoebridge is known as the EV Guy in the realm of DIY electric car enthusiasts. Click on the link below to visit his web site.

==> Click here to visit Gavin’s web site now!