The Importance of Professional Brake Repair
Here at Silver Lake Auto & Tire Centers, we take your safety seriously. That’s why when your bring your car to us for brake repair, we don’t just simply swap out the pads and rotors and call it a day. Instead, we thoroughly inspect your brake system to confirm all of the components are in good working order and operating at their peak performance. Below we’ll talk about what parts are inspected and what we look for to identify problems.
Brake Pads
More times than not, when you bring your vehicle in for brake repair it’s because the pads are worn. When that happens, we check not only the thickness of the pads, but also for even wear on both the inside and outside brake pad. When your brakes are operating correctly, the pads will have even wear on both sides of the rotor. If not, there may be other problems with your brakes. If these other problems are not corrected, your new brake pads will wear more quickly and worse, may reduce braking performance which is a safety hazard.
Brake Rotors
The brake rotor is the part that the brake pads are pressed against to create friction and bring your car to a stop. During our brake inspection, we check the rotor surface for hot spots and signs of overheating which could be a result of the pads sticking to the rotor and could lead to warpage. If this happens, you would feel a shutter in your brakes when they’re engaged. In severe cases, the pads would not engage or disengage correctly which prevents your car from stopping within a safe distance.
Brake Calipers & Carriers
The brake caliper floats within the carrier and is responsible for squeezing the brake pads against the rotor. The part of the caliper that pushes the pads is the piston. During our inspection process, we check that the piston has a full range of motion in the caliper and does not bind or seize. If the piston has a problem extending outward, it would not fully press the pad against the rotor. If the piston does not fully retract inward, it could cause one of the pads to stick to the rotor contributing to overheating and accelerated wear. In addition, we also inspect rubber seals on the caliper pistons and the slides on the carriers.
Brake Repair Professionals
Proper brake repair is more complex than just replacing the pads. That’s why when it’s time to have your brakes fixed, you should bring your vehicle to the professionals at Silver Lake Auto Care & Tire Centers. Our first priority is your safety on the road and we do that by performing detailed brake inspections and repair. Stop by one of our convenient locations today – Oconomowoc, North Lake, and Brookfield. Thanks and see you soon!