Knowing that your brakes are in good working order brings peace of mind. Regular brake inspection helps identify parts that are worn or no longer meet design specifications before they damage other parts of the brake system. Below we will take a look at how your brake system works, what the symptoms of faulty brakes are, and what is involved in a typical repair. Let’s dive in.
Attached to your car’s spinning wheel is a rotor, which is the part of the wheel that the brake pads press against to create enough friction to stop your car. Since the brake pad is under extreme pressure from constant braking it eventually wears out and needs to be replaced. Brake pads are attached to the caliper which applies all of the pressure to the rotor. You can imagine the calliper being like an arm and the brake pad being a hand that squeezes the wheel to reduce its speed. The caliper works by hydraulics, which means it needs hoses running brake fluid to it at all times to function. As you depress the brake pedal, brake fluid engages the hydraulics which engages the calipers to press the brake pads onto the wheels and stop the car.
Here are some symptoms of worn brakes:
Typically just the brake pads and rotors are replaced when we do a brake job. Living in the mild climate of Victoria means that callipers enjoy a very long life and will greatly outlast the pads and rotors so we do not automatically replace them. Hoses outlast the pads and rotors as well, so we do a visual inspection to check for external cracks and only replace them when there is cause for concern over potential brake fluid leakage.
If your vehicle is ready for maintenance or have any further questions please be in touch via phone or email. You can find all of our contact information and location right here and at the top of each page on this site. You will be greeted by one of the handsome fellas below, who are happy to take your questions any time of day to make you feel confident that you are making sound decisions regarding your vehicle’s health.