The Three Most Commonly Repaired Brake Parts
Posted on: 13 April 2020
It is highly unlikely that anyone will drive a car knowing it has a faulty brake system. Therefore, a brake system in optimal condition is essential for comfortable and safe driving. Unfortunately, many drivers do not conduct regular brake checks on their vehicles, which delays repairs. Consequently, it puts drivers at risk every time they are on the road. Most importantly, it is crucial to repair faulty brakes immediately. This article highlights the most commonly repaired brake parts.
Brake Pads
A brake pad is the most susceptible component to tear and wear in a braking system. A brake pad moves when a driver steps on a brake pedal to bring a car to a halt. Wear is caused by excessive friction between brake pads and the rotors due to low brake fluid, debris and use of excessive force. If you do not notice signs of brake wear in good time, you risk damaging the brake rotors/discs, hence ramping up repair costs. Do not wait until it is too late to repair your brake pads even if they seem to function well. Keep inspecting the pads for excess wear.
Brake Discs
The action of a car stopping when you step on a brake pedal is caused by the brake pads clumping onto the brake discs. A brake disc tends to last longer than a brake pad even though the former is made of several metal plates. The breaking action makes brake discs the second most repaired parts of a braking system. Excessive friction and overheating are the primary causes of brake disc wear. For instance, the back and forth grinding of debris on the surface of rotors creates ridges and cracks. Such wear — if sustained for a long time — compromise the braking system's performance eventually. Therefore, early brake repairs ensure ridges are ground down before they go too deep. Besides, repairing brake rotors keeps repair costs low and manageable.
Brake Calipers
Calipers squeeze brake pads against rotors when you step on a brake pedal; therefore, callipers are crucial to slowing down car wheels. Unfortunately, few motorists know about callipers, and this makes it easy to ignore callipers during routine brake checks. Notably, this makes it challenging to notice potential signs of tear and wear. It is especially the case for brake calliper pistons on heavy-duty vehicles. In such cases, the most common repairs are piston leaks, which eventually lead to fading brakes. Therefore, repairing leaks helps to correct fading brakes and prevent accidents.
For more information on brake repairs, reach out to a local auto repair shop.
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