When doing a "brake job" you probably think only about the obvious -
replacing your worn pads and shoes.
This is one of the key repair areas, but it's not the only one.
Remember a braking system is just that - a system. It's only
as safe as its weakest component.
If one part of the system fails, the load transfers to another part
adding more wear and increasing the chances for more failure,
or at the very least, increased repair costs.
A proper brake job means carefully checking everything from the
pedal to the wheels and that includes:
- Check pads and shoes for lining wear and replace if necessary.
- Check all brake lines and hoses for leaks, kinks or blockage.
Make sure you bleed them (get all the air out).
- Check all wheel cylinders and replace or rebuild, if necessary.
- Check the calipers and replace or rebuild, if necessary.
- Check drums and rotors for excessive wear, runout and
thickness variation.
- Check all the hadrware. There are lots of inexpensive items such
as springs and bushings. All hardware parts must be replaced
when changing brake shoes and disc pads.
- Machine the drums and rotors to provide proper surface finish.
- Make sure the brake fluid in the master cylinder is clear and
at the full level. If needed, fill master cylinder reservoir to the
proper level with new brake fluid from a sealed container.
Remember, your brake system is the last place you should try
to economize on your car!