Auto Parts and Systems

The majority of the driving population takes a lot of things for granted. Their vehicles speed up, slow down, back up and turn when they require them to, and with relative ease. But add a couple of thousand pounds onto the back, and things get a litt

By Jessika Toothman

If you're hauling precious cargo, your trailer's suspension better be good enough to give a well-cushioned ride. Have you checked your leaf springs?

By John Fuller

No matter how much the kids are screaming and the wife is glaring, the answer to "Are we there yet?" while taking a trip with a trailer doesn't mean you can just give it a little more gas. Towing a trailer is tricky business, and more speed makes it

By Jessika Toothman

Safely towing a trailer, even in a straight line, requires skill. Turning while towing, however, presents a completely different set of concerns -- even for an experienced driver. What makes turning while towing so difficult?

By Scott C. Benjamin

Most people can tell you the fuel economy numbers for their vehicle. Some even know the horsepower and torque in their car or truck. But what about the gross vehicle weight rating? Who knows that?

By Scott C. Benjamin

Slowing your vehicle to a stop usually doesn't require much effort on your part. But what happens when you have hundreds -- or even thousands -- of pounds of trailer weight attached to your rear bumper?

By Scott C. Benjamin

Passing another vehicle on the highway isn't all that difficult. In fact, most drivers do it without a second thought. But what if you were pulling a heavy camper trailer? Would that change the situation?

By Scott C. Benjamin

With practice, shifting gears in a car or truck isn't really difficult for most people. But when you add the weight of a trailer, finding the right gear might not be quite so simple anymore.

By Scott C. Benjamin

You wouldn't want a big rig packed full of cargo to suddenly lose its brakes barreling down the road. How can air slow down these massive trucks?

By Josh Briggs

Most people can feel their brakes as they wear, and they know when it's time to get new ones. But what if there's a leak in your brake line or someone cuts the line altogether?

By Marshall Brain

Cars with an automatic transmission use a device called a torque converter instead of a clutch. So what does a torque converter do?

By Karim Nice & Talon Homer

You find references to force, power, torque and energy all over the HowStuffWorks site. Learn what these terms really mean and how they relate to one another.

By Karim Nice

Stopping a car in a hurry on a slippery road can be challenging at best and at worst very scary. Anti-lock braking systems (ABS) help alleviate the danger. Learn how anti-lock brakes prevent skidding, check out what that sputtering is, and find out h

By Karim Nice

If you've ever opened the hood of your car, you've probably seen the brake booster. It's the round, black cannister located at the back of the engine compartment on the driver's side of the car. In this article, we'll see what's inside the black can

By Karim Nice

Disc brakes are the most common brakes found on a car's front wheels, and they're often on all four. This is the part of the brake system that does the actual work of stopping the car. Find out all about disc brakes.

By Karim Nice

The next time your mechanic tells you your brakes need repairing, know exactly what he's talking about. Learn how a drum brake system works, examine the emergency brake setup and find out what kind of servicing drum brakes need.

By Karim Nice

The master cylinder provides the pressure that engages your car brakes. Learn how the master cylinder works with the combination valve to make sure you can brake safely.

By Karim Nice

We all know that pushing down the brake pedal slows a car to a stop. But how does your car transmit the energy from your leg to its wheels? How does it multiply that force so that it is enough to stop something as big as a car?

By Karim Nice