If you’re having trouble with your brakes then it’s time to take your car into your local West Valley brake repair company.  Unfortunately brakes aren’t considered a wear item so they aren’t covered by warranty.  Although brake repair is often expensive, for your own safety you shouldn’t put off taking your vehicle into a West Valley brake repair company

The average cost of a brake repair is over $120, and that’s if you only need to change the front brake pads.  It is a good idea to know the parts of the brake system so you can communicate with your mechanic.  It is especially important to know the quality of the materials used in your brakes so that you can understand your options when it comes time to replace parts in your brake system.

Knowing a little bit about your brake system can help you sort out what the service writer (the person behind the counter) is talking about as they explain what needs to be fixed or replaced.  There are a lot of good places on the Internet where you can find out some good information about brakes.  Two of my favorite places on the Internet to learn about brakes are howstuffworks.com and YouTube.

I’ll give you a quick overview of the brake system. Most cars have disk brakes on the front axle.  Disk brakes have a disk that turns with the wheel.  To stop, two non-rotating pads are squeezed into the disk slowing the wheel down, similar to brakes on a bicycle.

The rear brakes are likely drum brakes, although most new vehicles will have disk brakes in the rear as well.  Drum brakes work on a similar principle as disk brakes, but with a drum turning with the wheel.  When the brakes are activated the brake pads are pressed outward slowing the wheel.

The tricky part about drum brakes is getting them off.  Drum brakes are held in place by various springs.  Sometimes the brakes are worn so much that it is practically impossible to remove the rear drums without breaking the pads or springs.

Getting into a little bit of physics here, as you are traveling down the road your vehicle has a certain amount of energy.  When you brake, you need to get rid of that energy.  The brakes get rid of that energy through friction which causes an extreme amount of heat.

It is important to get quality brake parts that will be able to withstand the heat without warping or causing other metal fatigue.  Generally, cheap parts are made out of cheap material and won’t last as long.  Remember that fact as you speak with your local West Valley brake repair company and be willing to spend a little more to get quality parts that will last.

Categories: Brakes
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