Your Brake Pads & Common Brake Issues
How do brakes work?
First off to understand some common braking issues let’s take a look at your brakes components after all your brakes are one of the most essential parts of your vehicle’s safety features!
They allow your car to come to a slow halt safely when activated. The braking process may seem complicated but it is really simple once broken down. Your car’s brakes work like a domino effect- they start working by pressing down on the brake pedal, which activates the cylinder that delivers brake fluid to the calipers that then engage your brake pads. Your brake pads then apply pressure to the rotors, creating the friction needed to stop your car.
Parts of Brakes:
Pads (or shoes)
Calipers
Rotors (or drums)
Wheel Cylinders
Hardware (springs and adjusters)
Hoses
Parking BrakeCables
Brake Fluid
Wheel Bearings & Grease Seals
Master Cylinder Fluid Exchange
Common Braking Issues to Look For:
Excessive Brake Pad Wear:
Excessive brake pad wear can be caused by a multitude of things, including, your brake pads being lower quality & therefore don’t have enough cushioning quality to stay in good shape so they wear down faster. You could also have a problem with your braking system & this problem affects the way the pads work or the stresses they have to deal with. For example, if your rotor’s surface develops a problem, then your brake pads might suffer because they aren’t hitting a smooth surface. Lastly, you could have a caliper issue. Brake pads can wear down too quickly because your calipers don’t work correctly. Calipers push pads against the rotor to initiate braking. If a caliper jams or sticks, then it might leave the pad on the surface for longer than necessary.
Steering Wheel Shuddering When Braking:
The steering wheel shaking or “shuddering” when braking can become very dangerous quickly! It is imperative you get your brakes looked as soon as possible when this starts to happen. This is caused by a defective or jagged rotor. The rotor plays an important part in slowing down your car, it works to slow down the brake pads so, in turn, your vehicle can slow down. A bad rotor can cause vibrations & a shaky feeling in the steering wheel when you apply the brakes. This should be dealt with by a professional brake shop near you because if done wrong, it can cause much more damage in the long run.
Excessive Brake Dust:
Excessive brake pad dust can be caused by a few things like a bad brake job, cheaply made brake pads, wheel size, & worn springs. Sure they are all different issues but all cause the same result- excessive wear on the brakes which leads to excessive dust. The dust comes from when your brake pads heat up, their metallic particles get a static charge as they wear off the surface of the pad.
Unusual Noises:
Loud screeching, scraping, or high-pitched sounds coming from the brakes are a sure sign that the brakes need attention. A common cause of brakes making unusual noises is if they are becoming too worn down for safe use. That sound is created by metal rubbing on metal when the brake pad wear indicator taps on the rotor.
Get Your Brakes Changed Before More Costly Repairs Are Required!
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2’u’Brakes is Greater Cincinnati’s leader in on-site automotive brake repair services! We offer brake repair services, fleet management services, oil changes, tire rotation & more! Whether you are at home, at work, or just about anywhere in the Greater Cincinnati area, we can help you get back on the road. Hire The Auto Llama today.
