Imagine cruising along the road peacefully. And suddenly, there’s a dog that crosses the street and you have to stop. The only thing that you should do is to step on the brakes hoping that your car will go to a full stop.
Brakes are an important part of the car. Without it, you put yourself and the other cars around you in danger. This means that if there is any part of the car that you should be paying attention to, those would be the brakes. Here you’ll know more about them and why you need to have them checked by an auto repair shop in San Juan Capistrano.
What are Brakes?
When it comes to cars, there are two kinds of brakes – drum and disc. Both are found on your wheels and both perform the task of creating friction so that your car can lose kinetic energy.
Brakes work by reducing the kinetic energy you have when you drive. Kinetic energy refers to the kind of energy you have when you’re at work. The more mass and speed your car has, the more kinetic energy it produces. So if you have to bring your car to a sudden stop, you need something that stops your wheels from producing more kinetic energy.
Drum brakes are often found on the back wheels of a vehicle. It is composed of a hollow drum and two shoes. The latter is responsible for creating the friction on the wheels so that when you press on the brake pads, the back wheels start to slow down. On the other hand, a disc brake has a disk just beside the wheel. If you’ll look at your wheels, you’ll find a smaller disc inside. When you hit the brakes, the calipers found on the discs will clamp on this wheel with the brake pads which will effectively slow down your car.
Why Brake Repair is Important
If ever you’re getting a transmission repair in San Juan Capistrano, you might as well get your brakes checked. Routine brake maintenance is important for several reasons.
- Determines whether to repair or replace brake pads
A routine brake maintenance will check for damages and misalignments on the different parts of your brakes. If you don’t know how to check for damage on your brakes, then an auto mechanic can do this for you. They will be able to assess your car and tell you if the brakes need repair or a full replacement. If it only needs repair, make sure that you get on with this right away because you’ll never know when your brakes will start to get fully worn out.
- Aligns the brake lining
There are times when your brake linings are worn or they become uneven. When this is the case, your car will tend to move towards one side when you step on the brakes. Whether you’re driving on a one-way street or on a highway, this will be a potential cause of danger because you might hit a car beside you.
- Checks for leaks
Even if brakes are fully made of metal and different alloys, there are still instances when there will be leaks. A possible leak can come from the brake system itself. This means that there is a misaligned part, there is a hole in the brake lines or that the brake pads have become loose to allow air to get between them when you actually brake. Getting this checked by an expert will save all the trouble of loose brakes.
As a car owner, you should know how to check if your brakes need repair. Yes, there’s a car mechanic, but knowing this will help you determine when your car needs to get checked. Here are some symptoms that your brakes need repair:
- Grinding noise in your wheels
- Weak brakes or longer stopping distance
- Squeaking noise on the brake lining
- The car moves to one side when brakes are stepped on
- A leak at the wheels
When you find one or some of these symptoms in your car, then it’s time to get it checked. As much as possible, go for professional auto repair because you don’t want to tamper with your brakes without the knowledge about it. A professional will help care for your brakes and even give advice on how to maintain it.
