Brake Repair Is no Lock

The brakes are one of, if not the most, important pieces of equipment in your vehicle. Because of this, it is important to understand both how and why they work, as well as how and why they need to be fixed. While there are many different types in today’s automobiles, there is one aspect that is standard across the board.

Brake repair is a vital aspect of your vehicle’s preventative maintenance, but do you know enough about your braking system to know when there might be a problem?

Brakes are as complex a part of your vehicle as they are important. There are many different facets to the braking mechanism and there are nearly as many different types of braking systems as well. Because of this, learning how the braking on your specific vehicle works - and how to notice if it isn’t working - can only be done on an individual basis that depends on the type of automobile at hand.

Nonetheless, one thing that all car and truck owners should know when it comes to understanding both brakes and brake repair is one of the main standards of all braking systems that are present in vehicles today: The anti-locking mechanism.

Anti-lock brakes, often abbreviated as ABS, is a safety mechanism that is used in nearly all cars and trucks today. It’s main function is to allow the wheels on a vehicle to maintain traction with the road or other surface as guided by the driver’s operation of the steering wheel while the pedal is being depressed. This is important because it is designed to keep the wheels from locking up and ceasing to move while the automobile is being stopped, thus avoiding skidding or sliding across a surface or path of travel.

This system is designed to offer more control over an automobile and cut down on the distance needed for one to come to a complete stop on both dry and wet, slippery surfaces. The downside of its operation is that it can increase the distance needed for stopping on loose or snow-covered terrain, but even in these conditions it is able to offer more overall control for the driver.

The technology involved in this system has evolved over time to the point now where it not only helps stopping and control of a car or truck, it also helps to disperse necessary power to the front and rear brakes to best achieve the necessary ratio to stop the automobile successfully.

Variations of this system are found on nearly all cars and trucks today, and it can be important to understand how yours works to help understand the need for brake repair and when it may be necessary. Because of the complexity of today’s systems, there is more to understand and recognize than ever before, making it even more important to be able to diagnose potential issues.

Because of these complexities, while brake repair can be diagnosed by the driver, it is always best to let a professional fully examine and issue and complete any necessary repairs to ensure that the job is done safely and completely.