Expanding Your Knowledge Before Getting a Brake Repair Job

When it comes to car repair, nothing is more frustrating or more confusing than brake repair! How can you be sure that you won't be taken for a ride (figuratively speaking) when you take your car in for a brake job? You need to be smart, savvy and you need to pay close attention, that's how! 

Before the day comes when you need work done on your brakes you need to understand all of the brake terms. Disc brake assembly refers to brake pads, calipers and rotors. Drum brake assembly refers to brake shoes, drums and wheel cylinders. You also need to become familiar with what brake hoses are and what a master cylinder is. 

In most instances a brake repair will involve replacing the brake linings, which is to say the brake pads and/or the brake shoes. It may also involve adding new brake fluid to the engine, bleeding the system and the resurfacing of the drums and/or the rotors. A brake job should also have the mechanic looking to see if there are other elements that are worn that need replacing now or in the near future. 

Many times drums and rotors on a motor vehicle do not need to be replaced all together but rather could do with a resurfacing. This is useful for all automobile owners to know when it comes to brake repair. There are instances though where they have worn down to the point where they are no longer safe and therefore need to be replaced. 

A brake repair job might also involve the replacing or rebuilding of the master cylinder, the wheel cylinders or failed calipers. If a mechanic tells you that you need something more for a brake job then your brake pads or shoes replaced or your drums or rotors resurfaced then you need to be given a more in-depth explanation. Do not let the repair shop randomly do work on your brakes without first describing to you what the problems are and why the problems exist, not to mention the most fitting means of fixing the problem(s).

The last thing you want when you go to have your car looked at is to be duped. For instance some mechanics will tell you how one side of your brake pad is more worn than the other and they may lead you to believe that this could be the precursor to the failure of your hydraulic system. In reality uneven wear is actually fairly common and is not something to worry yourself over. It occurs because you stop your car under varying conditions. For example, turning left is different than turning right which is different then bringing your car to a sudden stop. This is something that cannot be helped and is not abnormal in the least. It is rare that a major system component replacement is required to rectify this. Don't be fooled and don't let yourself be frightened into getting work done that is not necessary and will end up costing you even more money. 

If you are in doubt about something a mechanic tells you about a brake repair then get a second opinion from another shop. You might even decide to get a third opinion if you are not satisfied with the second one you were given.