What is a Brake Booster?

What is a Brake Booster?

You know how a booster seat is like a booster…for your seat? Well, a brake booster is like a booster…for your brakes. Is your brain blown yet?

So here’s the skinny: Do “leg day” five days a week if you want, you’re still not strong enough to use the brakes on your car effectively. So, a booster is there to help you out, and provide the power to your brake pedal necessary to bring your car to a stop. Boosters are a key part of power braking systems. The brake booster creates extra force when you depress the brake pedal, and sends that force to the master cylinder and brake calipers, which apply the brake pads, which clamp down on the brake rotors, which slow your car down.

There are three primary types of brake boosters. The first type is called a vacuum booster. Vacuum boosters utilize vacuum power created by the engine to boost the braking ability of the car. The vacuum also contains a check valve. The check valve sucks out any unwanted air that might be trapped in the vehicle’s brake booster. Hydraulic boosters which are typically use power steering fluid for added pressure. And electrohydraulic boosters use brake fluid and an electric pump.