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How does the parking brake work on vehicles with rear disc brakes?

Model: (Various brands) Various
Part: Brake system

This very interesting technical explanation introduces us to a question that perhaps few of us have ever considered: how does the parking brake work on vehicles that have disc brakes on the rear wheels? As the video shows, it operates through a mechanism that acts independently of the main hydraulic braking system: when the handbrake lever is pulled, a steel cable pulls a lever on the caliper, which, through a system of cams or a worm screw, mechanically pushes the piston in the caliper that, in turn, presses the brake pads against the brake disc, locking the wheel. This mechanism is separate from the hydraulic actuation that occurs when the brake pedal is used. Some vehicles use a small drum brake integrated into the center of the brake disc, known as "drum-in-hat." The most common system in modern cars is the Electric Parking Brake (EPB), which is used with a button and operates with electric motors on the calipers.

Posted on 17 December 2025 by ScegliAuto

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