If you find that you have to step harder on your brakes than you used to or they make squeaking sounds when you apply the brake pedal, it might be time to get them repaired. Before you do so, you should inspect them to find out exactly what is wrong. Here are some tips for inspecting your vehicle's brakes.
Decide How to See the Brakes
The first thing you need to do is determine how you will look at your brakes. If your vehicle has alloy wheels, you are in luck, because you can just look through the spaces in the middle of them and view the brakes. If not, you will need to remove your steering wheel to look at them. Make sure when figuring out how to see your vehicle's brakes that you can see the disc and the brake pads.
Look at the Disc
Once you have a good view of your vehicle's brakes, look at the disc first. The disc will look shiny and have an overall uniform appearance. Normal wear on a brake's disc has small lines on it, but there should not be major grooves or rough spots. If you notice these types of spots, you may need to replace the brake discs. Even if you only see damage on one disc, replace both brake discs at the same time to improve the safety of your vehicle.
Check the Pads
Once you have inspected the brake's discs, you need to look at the brake pads. If your car is making a screeching sound when you put your foot on the brake pedal, it is probably due to the pads wearing away. To see the brake pads, look at the brake disc, and look at the top of the surface. Here, you will find the outside brake pad touching the shiny disc. If it looks like a very thin amount of pad covering the disc, then it needs to be replaced. This is an inexpensive and easy repair job to do, so make sure to change both brake pads at the same time.
Inspect the Brake Lines
You also want to take a look at the brake lines while you are inspecting your brakes. The brake lines will be covered in a rubber coating. They should still look soft and solid, without rigid areas or cracks. If there are any cracks, go to an auto repair shop, such as Brighton Automotive Inc, to have them replaced. This can affect how well your brakes work and put you at risk.
Share5 January 2015
Understanding more about the type of car that you have can help you understand the best ways to maintain it, and how to tell if there’s trouble brewing under the hood before you end up stranded. That’s why, when I found a car make that I liked, I kept going back to it every time I bought a new car. It’s also why I use a mechanic that specializes in repairing and maintaining cars made by my specific manufacturer type. Over the years, I’ve learned so much about what makes this particular car work, and what kind of quirks come with this type of vehicle. I started this blog to share some of that information and help other car owners learn to effectively maintain their automobiles and recognize the potential signs of trouble.
