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The brake pedal is located on the left side of the accelerator pedal.
Stepping on this pedal begins the process of slowing down or stopping
a vehicle. The pedal is solidly mounted to the firewall, and works as
a force-multiplying lever. If the power assist fails, the pedal's
leverage is designed to allow the driver to still generate thousands
of pounds of pressure at each wheel cylinder. Attached to the piston
within the master cylinder via a pushrod, the brake pedal is a most
important item indeed, unless you're a crash dummy!
When the brake pedal is pressed, the brake shoes and friction pads are
forced into contact with the brake drums and rotors to slow the
rotation of the wheels. The friction between the tires and the road
surface then slows the speed of the vehicle.
A brake pedal should not sink more than an inch or two, no matter how
hard it is pressed with the foot; and the driver should not feel as
if he were stepping on a wet sponge: a spongy pedal spells trouble in
the braking system. ANY change in the "feel" of your brake pedal
should be a cause for serious concern. With brakes, there is NO
excuse for poor maintenance.
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