There’s nothing worse than being unexpectedly left without a vehicle. Rather than scrambling for a ride, get ahead of car troubles by scheduling a brake service with Brakes On Demand. We’ll come to you and service your brakes without interrupting your day. Here’s what you can expect from a standard brake service.
Brake pads and rotor replacement
The basic elements of your car’s brakes are the pads and rotors. The rotors spin along with the wheels of your car, and the brake pads press on the rotors when you depress the brake pedal and create friction, bringing your car to a stop. Over time, the friction wears down both the rotors and the brake pads and they need to be replaced. Brake pads are about half an inch thick when new and should be replaced when they reach 75% of their original thickness. Whenever you have your brake pads checked or replaced, it’s a good idea to check the thickness of your rotors as well. If the rotors are worn down, they cannot dissipate the energy efficiently and will affect your brakes’ performance.
Brake fluid check
Whenever you engage your brakes, brake fluid flows through your calipers and brake pads to bring your car to a stop. Brake fluid is hygroscopic, which means that it draws moisture from the air. When the brake fluid pulls in too much moisture, it cannot run through your braking system the way that it should and is when your brakes start to feel mushy. When moisture builds up in your brake fluid, the heat from hard braking can cause it to boil, leading to air in your brake lines.
Other brake mechanisms
Although brake pads and brake fluid are the components that first come to mind when you think about brake repair, there are other mechanisms in your brakes that are vital for them to function that you will want to consider when you schedule a brake service. Wheel cylinders push the brake pads against the rotors. If the brake pads or rotors are too thin, the wheel cylinders have to hyperextend and can leak brake fluid. Brake calipers clamp onto the rotors to slow the wheels and stop the car. If one of your calipers goes bad, it can cause uneven wear on your brake pads and your car will pull to one side when you brake. If you drive with a bad caliper for too long, it can lock up and keep the wheels from rotating entirely.