Car Parts Plus

Overview Of A Car Brake Job

Your car’s brakes will wear out over time. When a brake system is new, the pads rub against the rotors, creating friction and slowing your car. Eventually, the pads and linings grow thin. If you allow them to wear down completely, the rotor can begin grinding. When that happens, it can cause damage to the other components that make up your brake system. And repairing such damage can be expensive.

You’ll also need to keep your rotors in good condition. If your car uses disc brakes, a caliper will clench onto the rotor when you press the brake pedal down. Over time, this can lead to scoring on the rotor. A mechanic will need to smooth it out by scraping off some of the metal.

Below, you’ll learn how your driving habits will affect how often you’ll need to have a brake job performed on your car. I’ll also describe some of the details involved in the procedure.

Driving Habits Matter

There’s no mileage point at which you need to have your brakes worked on. It depends largely on how you drive your car. Remember, a brake job is necessary when the parts become worn. The more you use your brakes, the more quickly they’ll wear down.

For example, if you do most of your driving on the freeway, you likely won’t be using your brakes very often (unless you’re stuck in heavy traffic). In that case, the linings on your brakes might last nearly 80,000 miles. On the other hand, if you drive mostly on city streets, you’re probably using your brakes more frequently. And of course, if you have a habit of riding your brakes, they’ll wear down even more quickly. Asking your mechanic to check them after 30,000 miles may be a good idea.

What Does A Brake Job Involve?

The simplest brake jobs only involve replacing the front pads. However, a complete brake job entails much more. The front pads, rear shoes, and rotor are replaced. Hardware, springs, calipers, and even the master cylinder may be replaced while the wheel cylinder may be rebuilt. Bearings and seals are examined, along with brake hoses, lines, and cables. And the brake fluid is drained before being replaced. After the entire job has been completed, the car is usually taken for a test drive to ensure the integrity of the entire brake system.

A lot of drivers try to save money by taking advantage of brake specials that only involve replacing the front pads. While that may be appropriate occasionally, your car will eventually need to have other the components rebuilt or replaced. It will cost more and take more time, but a properly-working brake system is infinitely safer.

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Car Overheated?

An overheated vehicle is a fairly common occurrence, especially in hotter climates or extreme road or driving conditions. The following article covers steps for you to take if you suspect that your engine is overheating.

First, you can probably tell if your engine is overheating. The temperature gauge located on your dashboard will indicate a high temperature. Also, when you feel a substantial loss of power, meaning the car will not accelerate appropriately when the gas pedal is pushed; there is a high probability that your engine is overheated.

A few common sense rules to follow:

Do not drive the car any further than you absolutely have to. Pull off of the road as soon as you can find a safe shoulder. Failure to do so could cause a fire.

Do not turn off the engine. Place the vehicle in Park. If driving a manual transmission, place the vehicle in Neutral.

If you have time, open all of the windows and turn off the air conditioner. Turn the heater or air conditioner knob to the maximum hottest setting. Turn the fan to the highest setting

Doing this may help the engine to cool down. You can monitor the temperature gauge indicator on the dashboard.

If there is water or steam coming from the hood of the car, get out of the vehicle, stand clear, call for assistance, and do not open the hood.

Once the hood is cool and the engine has had opportunity to cool off, remove any jewelry, your watch, tie, and any loose clothing, and slowly lift the hood.

If the engine is hot, do not attempt to remove the radiator cap. Doing so can cause very hot water to spray out. Try not to touch any part of the engine.

At this point, there are a few visual checks that you can make. If any of the next three points are the problem. Turn off the engine.

First, check the belts; if they are frayed, torn, or missing, this is probably the problem.

Check the hoses for tears or leaks; they should not be leaking water.

Make sure the fan is running and the coolant is not leaking.

If you allow the engine to completely cool off, restart the car and with the engine running, you may then check the coolant level. You may add coolant at this time. This will temporarily solve your problem, but there is probably a need to get the car to a car repair facility.

A steaming engine can be daunting, but by following these safety rules, and checking the aforementioned items, you can probably perform a self-diagnosis. At this point it will be necessary to get take your vehicle in for a routine inspection and possible car repair.

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Other Interesting Car Articles

• When Your Car Fails The Emissions Test (0)
• What To Do When Your Tire “Blows Out” (0)
• The Novice’s Guide To Choosing A Car Repair Garage (0)
• Overview Of Car Parts In An Emissions System (0)
• Overview Of A Car Brake Job (0)