The 1963 Studebaker
Avanti, introduced at the New York International Auto
Show in April of 1962, was the first American "production"
car to be equipped with caliper disc brakes fitted as standard
equipment (spot-disks were used on the aborted Crosley Hotshot
in 1950 and full discs made a brief appearance on Chrysler Imperials
in 1951). Servo-assisted Dunlop 11 1/2 in. disc brakes made
by Bendix are fitted to the front wheels and finned 11 in. drums
at the rear.
Studebaker Avanti featured in TV commercial for Studebaker
disc brakes.
Disc
brakes consist of a metal disc, or rotor, that is connected
to the wheel. A device called a caliper rests on the edge of
the rotor and holds two friction pads on either side of the
rotor. Applying the brakes causes fluid to push a piston within
the caliper, which pinches the brake pads against the rotor
and slows the wheel. Disc brakes do not have return springs,
like those in drum brakes, to disengage the brakes. Instead,
a seal around the piston bends slightly when the brakes are
applied and then retracts to pull the piston back away from
the rotor when the brake pedal is released. Also, disc brakes
rely on a very small amount of wobble, called runout, that is
normally present in the rotor. When the brakes are released,
the runout of the rotor simply pushes the pads away from the
rotor. Disc brakes are considered superior to drum brakes, because
disc brakes can handle higher braking temperatures and dissipate
heat more quickly.
