Brake Service and Repair Lexington NC
Most people know what your brakes do but few understand how to detect issues with the braking system on your automobile until damage beyond repair has occurred. Not only is a correctly functioning braking system critical to the safety of yourself and your passengers it also impacts the safety of others on the road. There are many components that make up the braking system and if one of those is not functioning as designed it can lead to bigger problems that a squeaking sounds that you hear when you put your foot on the brake pedal.
How it all works
Have you ever noticed brake dust on the wheels of your car. As annoying as this is it does let you know that your brakes are working as intended. When your car is in motion it has an enormous amount of energy and in order to stop the energy of motion has to be dissipated. Your brakes are the component that accomplishes this by convert the kinetic energy of motion into thermal energy and also some kinetic energy when the disc tears away the surface of the brake pad and creates that brake dust that is annoying. If you think about how hard it would be to stop a car going 50 mph it will give you a great appreciation for what this system is doing and also how important it is to make sure that everything is functioning properly.
The main components of a disc brake system, starting at the brake pedal are: Brake Pedal, Master Cylinder, Proportioning Valve, Brake Lines, Calipers, Brake Pads, Brake Disc/Rotors, Spindle, and finally the Tires. Yes your tires are a part of your braking system and while we do not offer tire replacement services we can recommend the best one in town to go too. For a drum brake system the components are similar but when you get to the brake itself you will have a drum, wheel cylinder, and brake shoes.
Some vehicles will come with both styles of brakes installed such as front disc brakes and then rear drum brakes. When you press the brake pedal what you are doing is pushing brake fluid from the master cylinder through the proportioning valve and brake lines to the caliper/wheel cylinder which then actuates and press’s the pads/shoes against the disc/drum. The contact between the brake pads and the brake disc or the brake shoe and brake drum creates friction and heat to bring the vehicle to a stop by converting the kinetic energy of motion. As the brake system ages it will begin to wear from this heat and friction which will require brake repair or replacement of the pads or shoes. If the pads or shoes have went past their useable like you risk damaging the rotors or drums or worse not stopping your car. This will lead to a less affordable brake repair and may require replacement of more parts.
“Been taking our cars here for a few years now. My mother just got her brakes done there. Always great work and excellent customer service.” – Lisa Ramos
Brake Repair Benefits
Now that you know how your braking system works and the importance of this system we can go over some of the benefits and what will let you know it’s time for brake repair. Regardless of if you have disc or drum brakes if they are bad they will give you warning signs that brake maintenance is needed. These warning signs include if your brakes squeak/squeal/or grind when in use then your pads and potentially rotors will need replacement. If when you push the brake pedal your car or truck pulls to one side you could have a caliper that is not functioning properly, worn brakes, or brake fluid that is low in the lines. Air in the lines can cause your brake pedal to feel “spongy” as if it is to easy to press. On newer vehicles equipped with ABS and other sensors for monitoring your brake system the vehicle will alert you to an issue by giving a service soon or service required light on the dashboard. These are some of the more common issues we see with a braking system and if you notice them soon enough and bring the vehicle in for a brake system diagnosis it can save you hundreds of dollars over continuing to drive on worn components.
We have trained on maintaining and servicing front and rear brake systems which includes all of the components such as brake rotors, brake drums, parking brake, brake pads, brake shoes, and all other hydraulic components of the system. If your car exhibits any of the symptoms described above like noises of grinding and squealing contact us through the form above or call to have your brakes and other components inspected immediately at no charge. While the technician from Perryman’s is inspecting your brakes they will also check your suspension components to be sure everything is working correctly.