Sunday, June 7, 2015

Professional Brake Service - When's The Last Time You Thought About It?


Brake service and repair is crucial for the safety of you and your family. This safety system is for all practical purposes the most important item on your vehicle. Without a properly maintained stopping system, you are betting on whether you will be able to stop quickly in an emergency situation. To avoid putting yourself in this situation, let's look at the components of a braking system.

Parts

In a vehicle stopping system, your main components are the drum or disc brakes as well as the lines, pedal, master cylinder (booster), calipers and combo valve, fluid (typically an oil type), and rotor.

How It Works

When you press on the pedal to stop, your car transfers this force to the system through a fluid. Since your car needs more force than you can apply with your leg, the vehicle must amplify your force. It does this in two ways: mechanical advantage and force multiplication. This means that when you press on the pedal, the force you apply is multiplied by as much as a factor of 36. That means if you apply a force of 10 pounds of stopping pressure, you will have a force of 360 pounds of stopping power.

How It Can Fail

There are two major ways this system can fail. One method occurs when the car is low on fluid, and the other is when there is air in the lines. Low fluid means you have a leak. If it's a slow leak, the pedal may feel "mushy" and less effective. If you have a tear in your lines, then the first time you press the pedal, all the fluid squirts out, and you have catastrophic brake failure. Air in the lines means you just need to have your lines bled, which is just as bad as having low fluid.

Worn Out Pads or Shoes

Most vehicles have disc brakes in the front and drum style in the rear. This type of system uses what are called pads and shoes. Pads are used in the front and shoes in the rear. Both of these items use a semi-rough exterior that presses against the rotor to bring the vehicle to a stop when you press the pedal.

Here are two ways you will be able to tell if you need to have a professional brake service performed.

Shrill Screeching Sound

When you come to a stop, do you have a harsh squealing or grinding noise coming from underneath your vehicle? That noise is coming from your completely worn out shoes or pads. If these worn pads become wet, you will in all probability not come to a stop if you need to and may be seriously injured.

Mushiness or Soft Feel to the Pedal

Worn pads or shoes, air in the lines, and low fluid will all give your pedal a mushy or soft feeling when you slow down or stop. This soft pedal means you need to have your system inspected as quickly as possible.

Check with your brake service professional today if you have any of the preceding problems.

When seeking brake service, Livonia, MI residents can learn more by visiting http://www.quicklanelivonia.com/services/brake-repair/.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ace_Abbey

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