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How Does A Brake Booster Work? | Ins and Outs of A Brake Booster

Author:David Victor | Last updated: September 4, 2021

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how a brake booster works

When you are steering a car, the brake system performs the most crucial role when it comes to safety. So, with the passing of time, the engineers are going deeper to come up with new technologies and methods to make driving more safe and sound. As a result, the mechanical braking system is getting replaced by new braking systems such as air brakes, vacuum brakes, hydraulic brakes, etc. Besides, the engineers and designers are working day and night to reduce the drivers’ braking efforts. The primary motto is to provide the drivers with up-to-date yet comfort-enhanced technology. 

Brake booster, one of the modern time innovations, is a fruitful product of practical, innovative technology in the field of automobiles. The brake booster is designed to boost the driving experience, increasing the safety measures in a vehicle. So, with the brake booster technology installed under your car’s hood, you and your intimates will feel more convenient and secured more than ever before. 

Therefore, we rise to endeavor an informative blog on “how does a brake booster work“. It works out to enhance the pressure force before passing it to the master cylinder. For this reason, the brake booster multiplies the driver forces on the brake pedal with the application of the vacuum caused by the piston-cylinder arrangement of the engine. The whole process performs to serve effective braking and increase comfort as well. 


Quick Navigation

  • 1 Brake Booster Components
  • 2 Carbon Shafts or Booster Shafts
  • 3 Primary Shaft
  • 4 Secondary shaft
  • 5 Valves
  • 6 Springs
  • 7 Primary Spring
  • 8 Secondary Spring
  • 9 Diaphragm
  • 10 The Way Brake Booster Works
  • 11 Video Review: How a Brake Booster and Master Cylinder Works

Brake Booster Components

Before delving deep into a brake booster’s working, it is insightful to have a clear concept of the integral parts of a brake booster. 

Like other automotive parts, the brake booster has a strong and robust casing to protect the components inside it. The case or the body of the brake booster prevents the inner parts from any collision and outer force. 

Carbon Shafts or Booster Shafts

Carbon Shafts are necessary elements when it comes to creating a bridge between the pedal and master cylinder. There are two types of shafts-primary and secondary- functions inside a brake booster to boost the braking force. 

  • Primary Shaft

The primary shaft sticks to the brake pedal at the driver’s side. This shaft works to transfer brake pedal force to the diaphragm of the brake booster to multiply the pedal force.   

  • Secondary shaft

The secondary shaft performs to create a mechanical linkage between the brake booster’s diaphragm and the master cylinder.

Valves

Valves play one of the vital roles in the brake boosting program. It is the function of vacuum and atmospheric air requiring valves. Therefore, two types of valves are essential. One is an atmospheric valve; another is a vacuum valve. The atmospheric valve is used to control the entry and exit of atmospheric air with the movement of the brake pedal. On the contrary, the vacuum valve or the one-way valve is used to regulate and seize the vacuum under the brake booster’s vacuum side.

Springs

Like the valves and the shafts, there are two coil springs: 

  • Primary Spring

           The primary spring is responsible for opening and closing the atmospheric valve. 

  • Secondary Spring

The secondary spring, bigger than the primary spring in size, performs to get the diaphragm of the brake booster back to its original position after releasing the brake pedal. 

Diaphragm

The diaphragm, one of the essential organs of a brake booster, works to distinguish both the brake booster’s primary and secondary sides. The primary function of the diaphragm is to push the master cylinder with the assistance of the secondary shaft. 


The Way Brake Booster Works

In our introductory section, we have discussed that brake booster functions to boost the pressure force before sending it to the master cylinder for the final braking application. By doing this, the booster multiplies the intensity of brake force. The working procedure is not that difficult to understand. Let’s see:

  • When the driver presses on the brake pedal to apply the brakes, the shaft attached to the brake pedal starts moving towards the brake booster, and the atmospheric valve opens because of the movement of the shaft. The fresh atmospheric air starts popping into the air side of the brake booster.
  • As long as the fresh air gets access to the brake booster, a proper vacuum is maintained at the secondary side when the engine’s piston-cylinder is applied. 
  • Next, the air coming into the body of the brake booster makes the primary shaft push the diaphragm in the forward direction after the pressing of the brake pedal.  
  • With the diaphragm’s motion and movement, the secondary shaft pushes the master cylinder with the extended intensity of power. This extra force is caused due to the pressure difference between the airside and vacuum side of the booster. The negative pressure lies in the secondary side vacuum. On the other hand, atmospheric pressure exists on the primary side. The pressure on the primary side is much superior to the pressure lying on the secondary side. That is why a slight push of the brake pedal intensifies the pressure force required to boost the braking capacity. 
  • After releasing the brake pedal, the whole assembly gets back to its actual position with the application of the springs and releasing the air that turns off both the valves. 

Video Review: How a Brake Booster and Master Cylinder Works


To speak of the whole, we denote that the brake booster takes the braking system to another level, minimizing the driver’s effort when pressing hard on the brake pedals. Therefore, the incredible modern invention, brake booster, brings about the long-awaited comfort and pleasure, and security regardless of the driving condition. With the brake booster installed in your brake system, you can regulate the vehicle with more force and power than never before. 

That’s all about the information on how does a brake booster work. If you have any further questions relevant to the article, please post a comment on our commenting section. Thanks for your valuable time! We really appreciate your effort.


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About David Victor

David Victor is an SAE certified mechanical engineer and Technical Writer at Thegaragely.com . A resident expert and professional, David is passionate about all things automotive and loves to share his knowledge. He has good experience in all kind of automotive accessories. He has worked as a chief mechanical engineer in some reputed automotive garage firm.

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