Replacing the brake shoes, pads, and other brake system parts is essential when maintaining your vehicle. Sometimes it can be hard to know how often those repairs are necessary, but there are some ways to determine if it is time for brake service or if they are okay to continue using.
Brake Inspections
Auto repair shops offering brake services are a good resource if you suspect you need new brake pads or shoes on your vehicle. Taking the car or truck to the shop and having a complete brake inspection will uncover any issues or can be an excellent way to determine if your car is safe to drive.
The brake shoes and pads will wear down over time, and if you neglect them until they are not working correctly, you may already have damage to the rotors and drums that can result in higher repair costs. The technician inspecting your car will not stop at the brake pads and shoes. They will also check the brake lines for leaks, the master cylinder to ensure it is tight and working correctly, and the distribution of pressure through the proportioning valve to ensure the brake balance is correct.
The best time to have a brake inspection is during regular services, like an oil change and chassis lube. Often the tires are already off the car to be rotated, so checking the brakes does not add much work to the process, and many shops will do it for free.
Brake Performance Issues
Some of the signs of brake problems are easily recognized, and taking the car to a shop that offers brake services immediately may be necessary. Brake fade, or the feeling that the brakes are underperforming when you use them a lot, is often a sign that the pads or shoes are glazed and may need replacing. The friction material on the pads hardens from the heat generated when braking. Cars that drive in stop-and-go traffic every day will need pads or shoes that offer more resistance to heat, like a ceramic pad or shoe.
Other brake issues like shaking or vibrating when depressing the brake pedal can be a sign that the rotors or drums are out of round. The warping can occur when the brakes get extremely hot or if the parts are overdue for maintenance and have excessive wear. The break services shop can measure the drums and rotors to determine if replacement is necessary and let you know if the vehicle is safe to drive in its current condition.
Replacing the brake parts with new ones is often the best way to keep everything working at peak performance, but some shops can repair warped rotors and drums, so discuss the options with the shop you are using. For more information on auto brake services, contact a professional near you.
Share22 December 2022
You know that little light that looks like an oil can coming on is a bad thing? Well, my daughter apparently didn't know that it meant that you should stop driving the car and get it into a repair shop immediately. My daughter continued to drive the car without telling me that that little light was on. She said that she thought that it was on for about three weeks before her car died along the road. What damage does that cause? How expensive are those repairs? Visit through our blog of repairing the vehicle that was once perfect but died because that little light was ignored.