Everyone knows that keeping your braking system working safely is of the utmost importance. At Universal Tyres & Auto Centre, we can offer regular inspection and maintenance of your brakes for highly competitive prices. Our technicians are fully trained with years of experience working on a variety of vehicles, and will maintain your brakes to the highest standard.
Regular brake checks are an important part of any vehicles preventative maintenance plan, as they can allow us to identify a problem before it begins to affect your braking efficiency.
We offer a free no-obligation brake check.
What components are in the auto braking system?
A Detailed Braking System
Disc Brakes
Disc Brakes are comprised of a disc or rotor, a caliper assembly, disc brake pads and the wheel bearings and hardware necessary to mount the components on the vehicle. The caliper is connected to the master cylinder through tubes, hoses and valves that conduct brake fluid through the system.
Drum Brakes
Drum Brakes are comprised of a drum & backing plate, a hub or axle assembly, brake shoes , wheel cylinder, wheel bearings and hardware necessary to mount these components on the vehicle. The wheel cylinder is connected to the master cylinder through tubes, hoses and valves that conduct brake fluid through the system.
Brake Fluid:
Brake fluid is a type of hydraulic fluid used in brake applications for automobiles and light trucks. It is used to transfer force under pressure from where it is created through hydraulic lines to the braking mechanism near the wheels. Braking applications produce a lot of heat so brake fluid must have a high boiling point to remain effective and must not freeze under operating conditions. Brake fluid is also designed to protect against corrosion of the system materials it contacts, however those corrosion inhibitors deplete over time.
Excessive moisture is also an issue. MAP continues to seek additional information from brake fluid manufacturers and other technical experts to identify the point of vaporization that may seriously affect braking efficiency and safety.
Things to watch for
- Scraping or grinding noise coming from the brakes
- Test of Brake fluid indicates a copper content of 200 ppm or greater indicating the need for a fluid replacement
- Brake pedal feels soft or spongy when the brakes pedal is depressed
- Vehicle pulls to one side when the brakes are applied
- Brake fluid level in master cylinder low
- Brake system Warning Lamp stays illuminated
Brake system overview
Early automobile brake systems consisted of cable operated brake lining, usually mounted on one axle. The system provided extremely poor stopping power and did not always apply brake pressure evenly to the wheels. This could cause one wheel to lock up and make the vehicle difficult to control during stops. Front brakes were rarely equipped on early vehicles. The need to have the front wheels move from side to side for steering made installation of a cable operated brake system an engineering nightmare. The invention of hydraulic brake systems provided safe, high powered and even braking for automobiles and light trucks. Hydraulic brake systems have been in use for several decades. While the last thirty-five years has seen a number of changes made to the brake system, the basic principle of operation has remained the same since the use of hydraulic brakes began. There are some auto repair garages which specialize in automotive braking and suspension, but any auto repair shop should be able to inspect and make the necessary brake repairs.
What makes hydraulic brakes possible is the fact that a liquid cannot be compressed. This is the primary operating principle of all hydraulic systems. Hydraulic theory states that when pressure is placed on a liquid in an enclosed system, that liquid exerts the same pressure, equally in all directions inside that container. This is what allows a master cylinder to apply even brake pressure to all four wheels of a vehicle. If a master cylinder generates 1000 psi of pressure to the left front wheel, it also is transmitting 1000 psi to every other component in the brake system.
While hydraulics provide the operating force for the brake system, it is friction that causes a vehicle to stop. The energy that is created by a moving vehicle is converted to heat during stopping, by the friction of the brake linings against the brake rotor or drum surface. The heat generated is then dissipated through the rotors or drums to the outside air.
It is the ability of these brake components to dissipate heat, that makes safe stopping possible. Heat buildup in the brake linings and drums or rotors during repeated heavy braking, can cause loss of braking power or brake fade. The ability to rapidly disperse heat is one of the characteristics that make disc brake systems so desirable. No automotive system is as important as your brakes. Therefore, you should inspect or have an auto repair mechanic inspect your braking system regularly. Make sure the repair shop flushes your brake fluid at least every 24,000 miles.