We can see that the distance from the pedal to the pivot is four times the distance from the cylinder to the pivot, so the force at the pedal will be increased by a factor of four before it is transmitted to the cylinder.

We can also see that the diameter of the brake cylinder is three times the diameter of the pedal cylinder. This further multiplies the force by nine. All together, this system increases the force of your foot by a factor of 36. If you put 10 pounds of force on the pedal, 360 pounds (162 kg) will be generated at the wheel squeezing the brake pads.

Please keep in mind that this is a very simple example of a brake setup, multi piston calipers, floating rotors and all kind and sizes of different pad compounds will make it even more challenging to find the right brake setup for your car. And we haven’t even started yet to address brake bias, weight or un-sprung weight.

Now, are we ready for some kinetic or static coefficient calculations, metallurgy and its coefficient in working relation with composites like brake pads?