The Importance of Brake Maintenance
We all know the two most important functions of a car; driving and stopping. In my opinion, the most important of those two is the latter, stopping! Keeping up with your brake maintenance is important to your safety, and could save you from an accident. Knowing the importance of brake maintenance and stopping, how do we know when to service our brake system before its too late? Let’s break it down into how the system works, and the wear items we need to check on.
How do Brake Systems work?
Brake systems start by depressing the brake pedal which uses a master cylinder to send hydraulic fluid through brake lines. These brake lines go through ABS modules and run the length of the vehicle. Eventually, the lines come to the calipers. When the fluid fills the caliper, it pushes out a cylinder called a piston. This piston has one brake pad attached, with the outside brake pad attached to the caliper. When the piston pushes the pad out, they clamp the large disk called a rotor. This is where the slowing of the car begins, as the rotor spins with the wheel, the brake pads clamp together and slow the forward motion of the vehicle.
What are the Brake Maintenance items?
Over time, the components of your brake system will begin to show signs of wear and tear. As your pads wear out, your ability to brake begins to worsen. Your pads will wear out first and become thin as they continually make contact with the rotor, and the rotor itself will wear out from the pads as well. It’s ideal to replace your brake pads when they have about 3mm of pad left, rotors should be replaced based on your manufacturer’s specifications, and your brake fluid should be changed at least every 3 years.
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