Brakes are the essential car components that help you to stop or slow down the car while driving. You cannot imagine driving with improper brakes as it affects your whole driving experience – often putting you and other passengers in danger while on the road.
It’s important to understand the basics of braking, how brake pads work, their routine maintenance, recognise the signs of brake trouble and a few advanced brake maintenance tips. The knowledge will help you understand their behaviour and when to consult a mechanic to repair or replace them.
Basics of Braking
When you apply brakes, a complex symphony of parts acts in unison to ensure the tyres are slowed down or stopped completely. The braking system consists of brake pads, rotors, callipers and brake fluid, and they all have to work properly for the brakes to work.
Brake pads, rotors, callipers, brake fluid
Brake pads are friction providers that press against the rotors to press down the vehicle. The rotors are attached to the tyres and spin with the wheels. They are disc-shaped components that create friction to stop when you press down on the brake pads.
Callipers contain brake pads, where you apply pressure and brake fluid transfers the force from your brake pedal to the callipers.
Routine Maintenance
Maintenance of brake pads is necessary, especially in excessively varying climates where it becomes too cold or too hot. You can ask professionals to check the brake pads’ condition during servicing.
As part of routine maintenance, you have to do:
- Regular inspections: You have to inspect the condition of the brakes at least twice a year. Check for wear on the pads and rotors and if you notice any abnormal sound while applying brakes, immediately take your car to a service station.
- Brake fluid checks: When the fluid level becomes less, it leads to less effective braking. Always check the fluid levels and quality regularly to avoid brake failure.
- Pad replacements: Brake pads undergo wear and tear depending on their usage. As your car ages, you can see the reduction in its thickness. If it becomes less than a quarter of an inch, you need to replace the brake pads.
Recognising the Signs of Brake Trouble
You will know that you need to repair or replace the brake pads once you notice the following signs:
- Squealing or grinding noise: when the brake pads are worn out, you will hear squealing or grinding noise when you apply brakes. You will have to apply a lot of pressure while applying brakes and it leads to more wear and tear.
- Vibrations: When the rotors are warped, you will observe vibrations on the steering wheel while applying brakes.
- Soft brake pedal: when you apply brakes, you should feel a firm press, however, if it’s unusually soft, then it’s a sign of a leak in the brake system.
Want to know more? keep reading here Signs You Need Brake Repairs
If you notice any one or all the signs when you press the brakes, then don’t ignore the signs and go to a service shop to have a professional diagnosis and repair.
Advanced Brake Maintenance Tips
To avoid premature damage to brake pads, you can follow a few advanced brake maintenance tips.
- High-performance pads: If you use the car frequently and excessively, then it’s better to switch to high-performance pads. They are more durable and provide better heat resistance than the regular brake pads.
- Brake fluid flush: when you flush the brake fluid regularly, you can prevent long-term issues with brake pads and maintain brake responsiveness.
- Rotor upgrades: You can also upgrade the rotors to high-quality ones to have better brake performance and durability.
All these advanced tips are for drivers who use their car regularly and drive longer distances. If you use it for daily commute and minimal use, then proper servicing twice a year is enough to get the longevity of your brake pads.
Final Thoughts
Understanding the components of the brake system and how to maintain them is essential to get more from your brakes. You can avoid unnecessary repairs and replacements if you perform regular inspections. Also, consulting professionals is important so that they can maintain the integrity of your car and service according to the manufacturer’s manual.
