The health of your brake system is crucial to the performance and safety of your car. Poor brake system maintenance not only compromises the efficiency and longevity of your vehicle, but is also a major cause of road accidents.
The brake system is somewhat complex, but fairly easy to maintain. It is critical that you have your brake system inspected regularly and necessary repairs done on time. Some of the key components in the brake system include brake pads, brake lines, master cylinder, rotors and calipers.
Key Brake System Maintenance Tips
1. Have Brake Pads and Rotors Checked Regularly
Due to its nature of operation the braking system endures a lot of wear. Brake pads and rotors form the point of contact between the braking system and the tires. These two components wear more quickly and hence require more attention and maintenance. Brake pads endure a lot of heat which causes a lot of wear. It’s critical that you use high-quality brake pads that offer sufficient resistance to wear.
If you notice you need to apply a lot of pressure to your brake pedal, an increase in your stopping distance or a burning smell you need to have your brake pads and rotors checked.
2. Get a Brake Fluid Flush
When you step on your brake pedal, pressure builds up and is transmitted through brake fluid from the master cylinder, via brake lines and into the calipers. These in turn transmits this pressure to the brake pads and rotors. Brake fluid is therefore a critical component of the braking system since it acts as the messenger of the braking system.
Unfortunately, with time it attracts moisture, which can damage your braking system. This moisture corrodes the metal components of the braking system, reduces the boiling point of the fluid hence compromising the effectiveness of the braking system.
3. Have Your Brake Lines Bled
Apart from getting a brake fluid flush, bleeding of brake lines is also important so as to remove the excess air. When air gets trapped in the brake lines, it compromises the efficiency of the braking system.
4. Replace or Upgrade Brake System Components
From time to time you will need to replace some components of your braking system. This is an opportune time to upgrade to specialized or higher-performance components. Some of the popular brake system upgrades are slotted disc brakes which are more heat resistant and quieter ceramic pads that also emit less brake dust.
5. Brake System Care
There are some external factors that can cause excessive wear to your braking system. Carrying too much weight and heavy breaking are just but some. It’s important that you avoid such situations to preserve your brakes and chances of brake failure.