Brake Repair: The Factors That Lead To Failure

When it comes to catching the need for brake repair early, the most important tools you have are your ears. There's nothing wrong with driving to music, but it's important to turn the radio down now and then to listen to what's going on with your car. If you hear a strange noise from your vehicle when you stop the car, don't just turn the music back up and ignore it. That noise could be telling you that you need to visit a mechanic in the very near future. Ignoring problems of this nature can lead to braking system failure, which is nothing you want to deal with. Here are some of the factors that can lead to this failure. Friction The base of your braking system working to stop your car is friction. This is what causes your car to stop, even when going in excess of 50 MPH or more. In some ways, what you want from your braking system is opposite from what you want out of your engine. You need constant lubrication to your engine to cut down on the friction. You want that friction down below, however. What leads to failure is something interfering with this friction. Think about a slide. If you want to stop yourself going down a slide, you have a good shot if the surface isn't waxed. If it is, you're going to have a problem. That's due to reduced friction. Grease and Oil If you have grease and oil covering your pads or rotors, it can easily reduce that important friction and lead to failure. This is only one of the reasons you should be careful about taking your car to a reputable brake repair shop. Look for a shop that keeps a clean work area. This is a sign of professionalism and it indicates that they will take similar measures of cleanliness when working on your vehicle. Sloppy work can lead to problems like oil and grease on the rotors, and this is more than just an annoyance. It could be dangerous. Crystallized Pads If you are hard on your braking system or ride the braking pedal when you drive, you could be courting a hardening of your pads or shoes. When this happens, they might as well not be there. You need that flexibility found in good pads to allow it to properly grab onto the disc and create the friction necessary to stop the car. If the guy at the brake repair shop tells you that you're dealing with hardened pads, you may want to evaluate the way you drive and see if there's anything you can change about your habits.