What is brake fade and how do I avoid it?
Hot friction material may lose its efficiency when hot or metal parts distort slightly. Old hydraulic fluid may produce bubbles if subjected to heat, air is squashy. Cars have disk brakes which do not suffer brake fade since they offer superior cooling and brake disks expand towards the pads. Trailers have drum brakes which can overheat causing the drums to expand away from the brake shoes. When approaching long descents trailer drivers should keep their brakes cool by • Slowing before the descent, • Selecting a low gear to increase engine braking.
