How To Keep Your Brakes Working Well
Most people understand, on some level, that vehicle maintenance is critical. Unfortunately, not everyone does all of the maintenance needed to keep their vehicles safe. Far too many drivers neglect their brakes until they pose a safety risk, an increased cost burden, or both. If you treat your brakes as part of your overall vehicle maintenance needs, you will both keep yourself better protected in your car and lower your costs in the long run.
Brake Pads
Your brake pads are what press against your brake disc or cylinder to stop your car. Over time, the friction causes them to wear down, and you need to replace your brake pads once they get below three millimeters in thickness. Unfortunately, how often this takes to occur will vary widely depending on how, where, and what you drive. Some cars have a warning system that tells drivers when the brake pads are getting low, but not all do.
Regardless of how easy or hard you are on your brakes, though, they need to be replaced every so often—and you do not want to wait until you can tell there is a problem! A good rule to follow is to have your brakes checked every time you get your oil changed. By building it in to your regular maintenance plan, you don’t have to worry about forgetting or neglecting brake maintenance.
Rotors
Like your brake pads, your rotors wear down some every time you apply your brakes. The speed at which they do so depends not only on your driving and braking methods, but also on the material with which the brake pads are made. Metal pads will wear the rotors down faster than ceramic or nonasbestos organic pads. In either case, though, eventually the rotors wear.
Like your pads, you should have your rotors checked with every oil change. You might also start to hear a grinding sound, or feel vibrations when you hit your brakes. Both of these serve as warnings that your rotors are developing grooves, or uneven surfaces. While these can sometimes be resurfaced or ground, that usually is not ideal and is little more cost effective than just replacing the rotors.
The Importance of Replacing
When your brake pads wear down, the friction increases between your discs and your rotors. This creates a few problems that you want to head off before they develop. First, the rotors wear down more quickly and extensively if you let it go longer. Second, the added friction generates heat under your car, which both is unpleasant and can cause other problems outside of the brake system itself. Finally, and most importantly: you will not stop as safely or reliably!
You cannot control what other drivers, pedestrians, or animals may do while you are driving; the longer you let your brakes go, the more risk you place on yourself and others every time you drive. When you make a maintenance appointment with McKinney, make sure you get your brakes checked too. Don’t wait to think about driving safety till something goes wrong.
Regular brake maintenance is a key factor to keeping your car on the road. Want to keep your brakes working well? Contact McKinney Motor Company in Albuquerque. Our experts can help keep your vehicle in top condition. (505) 298-6734
