Car brake system maintenance

The following troubles most often occur with the brake system: the effectiveness of the brakes decreases, the brake pads begin to stick and the brake mechanisms operate unevenly. Brake fluid may also leak, the pressure of the pneumatic drive may decrease, or air may enter the hydraulic drive.

All this occurs as a result of contamination of the system, wear and violation of the adjustment of its individual elements. A faulty system can cause the vehicle to skid to the side when braking, and also prevent it from stopping, which can lead to an accident and become a health hazard for you and other drivers (or pedestrians). Therefore, maintaining a car’s brake system and keeping it in working order is very important.

From time to time you should check the operation of the brakes, monitor fluid leakage (by drips) and air ingress (by ear or by pressure gauge). If you find a malfunction, then the system urgently needs repair.

To be truly confident in your safety, which not least depends on the serviceability of your brakes, it is better not to attempt to repair them yourself. It is better to trust professionals who have already carried out hundreds of similar repairs. At the auto repair shop, your car’s brake system will be checked for efficiency, the tightness of the pipelines, the travel (working and free) of the brake pedal, the fluid level and the condition of other parts.

Maintaining your vehicle’s brake system helps determine what repairs need to be made. Based on the results of the inspection, all worn parts will be replaced, brake mechanisms will be adjusted, and fluid leaks will be eliminated. Sometimes it is also necessary to remove air from the system by pumping up the wheel cylinders and adding brake fluid to the filler tank.

Also on some machines, the gaps between the brake drum and the pads are adjusted, although often this function is carried out automatically, by moving the thrust rings. Restoration of brake cylinders is carried out by boring them and further honing, and restoration of power steering cylinders by grinding. If restoration is impossible, the parts are replaced with new ones.