Disc brakes are commonly used on the front wheels of vehicles, while drum brakes with wheel cylinders are used on the rear wheels. Wheel cylinders work as part of a hydraulic braking system, allowing for easy modulation of braking power. Each rear wheel has its own wheel cylinder, which is relatively easy to replace and less expensive than a disc brake with a master cylinder. Wheel cylinders also have a built-in bleeder screw for access to brake fluid.
With many modern braking systems for automobiles and other vehicles, disc brakes are commonly used on the front wheels to increase stopping power. However, on the rear wheels, drum brakes are often used, which require the use of wheel cylinders. Inside the drum brake, the wheel cylinders push against the brake shoes, which in turn push against the inside of the brake drum, causing friction to slow the vehicle down.
Wheel cylinders work as part of a hydraulic braking system; Hydraulic fluid, usually an oil of some kind, is forced through a narrow tube, which in turn pushes the fluid against the pistons in the wheel cylinders. The cylinders then push outward against the brake shoes at different pressures, depending on how much pressure is put on the brake pedal fluid. This type of system allows for easy modulation of braking power, as well as less effort required to apply the brakes.
Each rear wheel has its own wheel cylinder. They mount inside the brake drum at a fixed mounting point near the top of the drum that will not flex when the wheel cylinders actuate. Wheel cylinders are shaped like a short tube or cylinder, with pistons protruding from both sides. These pistons are seated within the cylinder and surrounded by rubber gaskets to prevent hydraulic fluid from leaking. When actuated, the pistons are forced out by the fluid that is forced through the cylinder. As the fluid backs up into the cylinder and through the hydraulic lines, the pistons back up as well, releasing the brake shoes from inside the drum.
A wheel cylinder works in the same way as a master cylinder on a disc brake, but is generally not as strong and is more prone to failure after excessive wear. However, a wheel cylinder is relatively easy to replace and less expensive than working on a disc brake with a master cylinder. The wheel cylinders are also an access point for hydraulic fluid in the braking system. Each cylinder has a built-in bleeder screw that, when loosened or removed, allows access to the brake fluid. If a cylinder needs repair or replacement, the brake lines should be bled or flushed with fresh brake fluid. Because the brakes won’t work properly if there is air in the brake lines, the bleeder screw in the cylinder loosens as brake fluid passes through the system. This way, any air in the system can escape through the bleeder fitting or fluid reservoir near the engine.
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