|
Inspect Your Brakes
Your car is a complex machine made up of small and simple parts. One such essential machine is your brake system. The brakes should be checked regularly for any problems to ensure safe driving.
There are various parts to your car’s brake system. The following points will guide you step by step through the inspection of your car brake system:
Inspect car brake wear
Firstly, check the break wear of your break system.
- Lift the hood of the car and check the fluid in the brake master cylinder reservoir, without opening the reservoir. If you open it, the fluid will take in moisture and thus reduce its hydraulic effectiveness.
- With the help of a flashlight, look into the reservoir. If the fluid is low or the color of the fluid is dark, it indicates that the brake pads have to be replaced.
- With a feeler gauge measure the brake pads; if they are below 3mm in thickness, they need to be replaced. If you have an open wheel, you can measure the pads without removing the wheels; otherwise, you will have to lift the car with a jack to measure them.
Inspect your brake calipers
The brake calipers are an essential part of your brake system. They are the hydro mechanical energy conversion devices. They should be checked every six months or according to the time frame of your car maintenance.
- To be able to see the break calipers, you will have to remove the wheels. A small window in them allows you to see the condition of the brake pads.
- Check the seal on the cylinder, which is at the back of the brake casing. This seal holds the brake fluid. If there are cracks or leaks in the seal, they need to be replaced immediately.
- Run your fingers along the bottom of the caliber to check for wetness, if there is wetness on the back, the caliber needs to be replaced.
- Check the hydraulic area for rust and if all the fittings are in good condition. Also check the mounting studs for corrosion, which indicates extreme heating.
Inspect car brake rotors
- To check the brake rotors you will have to remove the wheels of your car.
- There are two types of rotors: one consists of one solid cast iron piece and the other type contains two parts- cast iron and a stainless steel top hat, which are welded together.
- You have to check for excessive corrosion on the rotors of the brake system. The excessive corrosion could throw the tires out of balance. Another way of finding out corrosion on the rotors is to check for high speed vibration.
- Rotate the wheel between the two discs to check if it is moving smoothly or for any cracked fins.
- To avoid interference when you install the new brake pads, chip off the little corrosion from the surface of the rotors.
Inspect brake pads
To make sure the brakes are working in order, the brake pads have to be replaced after a certain period of time. The following steps will show you how:
- The brake pads are located behind your wheel, so the first thing you need to do is to lift the car up in order to remove the hubcaps and the wheels.
- For releasing the brake pads from the springs, you have to squeeze the springs together.
- Brush off any dust from the pad.
- The brake pad should be of same thickness throughout the length with no cracks or scratches.
- Make sure the brake pads are held together and are intact and not loose. The back of the brake pads should not have any wear and tear signs on them.
|
