How To Maintain Your Car Brakes
Your car brakes play a crucial part in vehicle safety. The braking system of your car is an important safety feature, and well-maintained brakes can help avoid accidents or potential tragedy.
Brake Repairs Sunshine Coast: Why Are Timely Repairs Important?
Bad brakes could lead to a road collision. Brakes that work unevenly could even cause your car’s steering to be unstable. This could cause your car to veer onto another lane when you mean to stop or slow it down. Regular brake maintenance at a brake specialist Sunshine Coast could prevent all these hassles.
A high-quality set of brakes can last for thousands of miles when maintained properly. However, a lot also depends on the driving conditions, climate, and the load on the car. With routine maintenance, any small issues in your car brakes can be handled with a simple brakes repair service. Regular maintenance not only keeps your car braking system running efficiently, but also increases the lifespan of your brakes.
If you wait till the last minute, you will not only incur costly repairs but may also need to replace your brakes prematurely.
Maintenance Tips for Your Car Brake System by Brake Specialist Sunshine Coast
Some modern cars come with indicators to help you check the conditions of your brakes. However, if your car does not have such an indicator, look out for some obvious signs. If you hear unusual noises, or if there is pulling to one side, or stuttering, your car brakes need to be looked at.
Performing a visual inspection regularly is highly recommended to keep your car brakes in optimum condition. You need to look out for any wear and tear, rust, or any other defects that could affect the health of the brakes.
Here are some helpful brake maintenance tips to keep your car brakes in optimum condition.
Regularly Inspect Your Brake System
Regular visual inspection of your brake system is a must.
If you are planning to go on a long trip, make sure to check your brake pads to ensure they are at the right thickness. Your disc pads should be at least 5 mm thick. If they are any less thick, make sure to change them as soon as possible.
There should not be any abnormal scratches on your rotors. They should have a smooth and even surface. If you see any grooving or scoring on them, you need to get them serviced or replaced.
During a visual inspection, you should also be on the lookout for any fluid leaks. Fix minor leaks if any before they become urgent or critical.
One of the easiest things to do to keep your braking system running efficiently is to identify issues before they become critical. If in doubt, you must get your vehicle checked out by a brakes specialist Sunshine Coast.
Check Your Brake Fluid Levels
The brake fluid in the right quality and quantity is crucial to keeping the braking system in top condition. If the level of brake fluid appears low, look out for any possible leaks and get them repaired. You will need to top up the fluid levels before you take the car for a drive.
If your brake fluid appears milky it may have been contaminated with water. In such a situation, change the brake fluid immediately or you will end up damaging your Master cylinder and wheel cylinders.
Brake Bleeding is Necessary from Time to Time
Bleeding the brakes is a common procedure aimed at removing air from the brake line. Brake bleeding may be necessary every two to three years or as your brake repairs specialist sees fit.
Ideally, you should bleed your brakes according to the manufacturer’s service schedule. It may also be necessary to bleed the brakes every time you replace a part on your car braking system.
If your brake pedals feel strange, such as if they feel soft or spongy, you may need to bleed the brakes.
If you are unsure about when to bleed your brakes, contact a brakes specialist Sunshine Coast.
Don’t Park Your Car in The Water
Excessive water can be damaging to your vehicle, especially your braking system. Water could lead to rust, which can damage your braking system.
During heavy rains, park your cars away from areas where there is water logging to keep your brakes from getting submerged. Try and park your vehicle in such an area where only the tyres are in or below the waterline.
Avoid prolonged exposure to excessive water and always make sure to dry out your brakes. You may do so by applying gentle pedal pressure as required.
If you still think that water may have gotten onto your brakes, you may need to seek out brake repairs Sunshine Coast.
Replace or Upgrade Brake Parts
Routine maintenance of your vehicle may also need replacing certain parts of your braking system. You may consider this opportunity to upgrade to a specialized component to increase the lifespan of your braking system. You may want to consider switching to ceramic pads as they are quieter and also produce less brake dust. You may also want to upgrade to slotted disc brakes as they are more heat resistant.
Replacing and upgrading components of your braking system would not only improve the performance of your braking system but also increase the longevity of your car.
Avoid Excess Weight in the Var
Have you added any extra weight to your car? If you are someone who always has a full boot, you may want to consider moving the stuff elsewhere.
For proper maintenance of your brakes, it is recommended to remove anything that is not needed in the vehicle. Doing so will help you increase the lifespan of your braking system.
Avoid Getting Hot Brakes Wet
Like all metals, even brake rotors expand when subjected to heat. When you brake too often or too hard, your rotors become hot. If such hot rotors come in contact with water, they may rapidly cool down causing them to warp.
To ensure that such a situation does not arise, give your brakes some cool down time before you expose them to water. If you have been driving in heavy traffic that may require you to frequently hit your brakes, let your brakes cool down first before entering a car wash.
Don’t be Too Hard on Your Brakes
If you use your brakes too frequently and too hard, it may affect the integrity of the brakes. When in traffic, leave enough distance in between cars to avoid sudden braking. Sudden braking too often causes wear and tear on your brake pads and rotors. When driving downhill, drive slowly to allow the brakes to cool down between applications.
Call Your Break Specialist Sunshine Coast if Your Car is Due for a Checkup
If your car is due for a checkup, don’t delay it. Call your brake specialist Sunshine Coast today to book a service.
Ensure that you get your car brakes checked out during every car service, or at least once in six months. If you notice any squeaks, squeals, or soft or spongy feelings in the brakes, you may need to get your braking system serviced urgently.
More About Vehicle Maintenance
To ensure the overall safety of your car, you must ensure to get the following checked out:
- Braking system
- Wheels and tyres
- Exhausts and emissions
- Lights and reflectors
- Number plates and identifications
Do Your Car Brakes Need Checking or Repairing?
If you need to get your car brakes checked or repaired, call or visit us today. Regular checking and maintenance of your brakes prevent nasty surprises. When you look out for warning signs and fix them early, you can avoid costly repairs. For all your braking system-related concerns, reach out to us, the best brake specialist Sunshine Coast.
