What You Should Know About Getting Your Brakes Serviced

February 8, 2020 Published by Writer Leave your thoughts

It’s always important to have properly functioning brakes on your vehicle so you can come to a stop quickly and safely. This is even more important in the winter, when you’re more likely to drive in slick and slippery conditions.

Here’s a quick overview of what you should know about brake function and everything that’s involved in performing brake service and repair in Lubbock, TX.

An overview of brake function

Think of your vehicle’s brakes as a system of parts, rather than as a single part that needs attention. There are two types of brakes in your car—front and rear brakes—each of which operates a little differently.

Your front brakes feature rotors, which are large metal discs, as a braking mechanism. Rear brakes will use rotors in some circumstances, but many manufacturers use expanding brake drums in the rear to cut costs.

Any time you press your foot down on the brake pedal, this releases brake fluid and pushes it under pressure through some tubes in your vehicle. When the fluid gets to the front wheels, this triggers a caliper that pushes the brake pads down on each side of the rotor, creating friction that slows the motion of the wheels. In the rear wheels, the brake fluid goes to the cylinder in the drum, which causes the brake shoes to move forward toward that rotating drum, resulting in slowing down and ultimately stopping.

Over time, the friction involved in braking causes these parts to wear down, meaning you need to replace them as soon as possible. Otherwise, you run the risk of damaging the metal, rather than the soft and easily replaceable brake pads. Fixing damaged rotors and brake drums is nowhere near as simple or inexpensive as swapping out brake pads.

What to know about brake service

When you go in to a mechanic to get your brakes serviced, what you can expect will vary based on how many miles are on your vehicle and how long it’s been since your brakes were last addressed. For example, brake pads and shoes will be replaced between every 20,000 and 60,000 miles, depending on their condition and the quality of the part.

The technician will polish the brake rotors when they swap out the brake pads. If the rotors have also been damaged due to going too long in between replacing brake pads, the technician will also need to replace the rotors. Brake calipers and pins will be replaced as necessary. The brake fluid will be flushed every two years or 30,000 miles, depending on the instructions provided by the manufacturer in your vehicle owner’s manual.

Brake service might include all of these tasks, or it might only include a couple, depending on your needs and how well you’ve stayed on top of your preventative vehicle maintenance. You should make sure to stay on top of regular brake system inspections to stay safe and keep costs down.

For more information about brake repair in Lubbock, TX, contact the team of brake experts at M & M Tire & Service Center today.