Types of Brakes

Certain systems on your car must be checked on a regular basis to ensure they are operating properly. This is for your safety as well as the safety of other drivers. One that must be checked on a regular basis is your braking system. Due to the frequency of the use of this system, it often needs to undergo regular maintenance. Do not put this off.

Cars have one of three types of brakes. The first are drum brakes. When you press the brake pedal in your car, your brakes shoes will press against a drum, creating friction. This friction is what causes your car to slow and stop. Very little pressure on the pedal is required on your part, but over time the various components will wear out and must be replaced. Components of the drum brake system include the drum itself, the brake lining, the return spring and the piston. Wheel cylinders, brakes shoes, brake pads, a wheel hub and studs are also part of the drum brake system.

Disk brakes, in contrast, are much simpler than drum brakes and are also more effective. These budget brakes consist of a flat, round piece of metal which presses against a wheel to slow or stop the car. As only three components make up the disk brake system, you have less that needs to be replaced on a regular basis. The three components are the disk brake, the brake line and the brake shield. Any time you take your car in to an auto repair facility for work, you should ask that your budget brakes be checked. It is better to be safe than sorry.

Most newer cars now come with anti-lock budget brakes. These brakes consist of a hydraulic actuator, wheel speed sensors in each wheel and an electronic control unit. If the electronic control unit detects a problem anywhere in the brake system, an ABS warning light on your dash will come on. If this occurs, take your car in immediately to have your budget brakes checked. This is one repair that cannot be put off.

Top Signs to Get Your Brakes Checked NOW by Budget Brakes, continued…

The most obvious indicator that your car’s the brakes need attention is an incredibly high note squeal when trying to stop. Brake lining manufacturers include a small piece of metal called an indicator on the pad itself. If it reaches the point where there is less than ¼-inch left, the metal sound from the brake rotor makes a pretty good impression of fingernails on a blackboard. Depending on your driving pattern, this usually means you should replace your brake pads within a month or so. Call Budget Brakes in Tennessee or Alabama to set up your appointment, or just drive on in.

Occasionally, the brake indicator will rust and simply fall off, removing the ability for you to hear the warning noises. In addition, aftermarket and low-cost brake pads do not all come with this type of a wear indicator. In this case, pay attention to other warning signs. If your car takes longer to stop than they used to, or if your brake pedal actually goes further down than before when stepping on it, it is probably a good idea to get your brakes checked out. Regular checks are a good idea and require a little more know-how to remove the tire and know what you’re searching for. If at all uncomfortable, come to Budget Brakes for a free inspection.

Brake rotors are more complicated because they usually last through two or three sets of brake pads before having to be replaced. If your steering wheel wobbles in your hands as you brake, your rotors are likely warped and it’s strongly recommended that you get them checked out.

Stay tuned for more!

Top Warning Signs to Get Your Brakes Checked NOW - Part 1

Just like our feet, the brakes in our cars go through some terrible pounding.

And just like our feet, when the brakes go, the car goes (literally).

Brakes take the abuse of stop-and-go traffic, both on local streets and traffic-clogged freeways. And as the abuse continues, the parts start to wear down more and more. Before you know it, your brake systems are shot. Don't be the victim of a brake system that needs to be fully repaired with a repair bill of about $400 or so.

But worse than losing money is the possibility of losing your life. The recent reported problems with Toyota vehicles shows the potentially devastating results when a car can't stop as you expect it to.

The good news is that a little bit of attention to some signs of wear on your brakes can save you a lot of money and headaches down the road.

Sign #1: Irritating Noise. This is going to sound obvious, but the first sign that there are problems with your brakes is some horrendous noise that pierces your ear. Sometimes it could be dust or sand. But most of the time that's your first warning sign that something's wrong. There's a small piece of metal on your brake lining called an “indicator” that is on the actual brake pad. When you hear that noise, get it checked out without hesitation; you likely have about 30 days left on your brakes.

Next blog post we'll examine other signs.

Brakes 101–Part 3 Brake Terms Continued

We continue with our discussion of brake terminology, which will help you better understand how your vehicle’s braking system works:

Drums
Function: A friction surface for the brake shoes to stop the vehicle; dissipates heat build up with its thickness.
Signs of Wear: Measured thickness, out of round, cracked, hard spots or groves.
Can Cause: Noise, pulsating, vibration and low brake pedal.

Drum Hardware
Function: Holds brake shoes in position and prevents shoes from dragging on brake drums after braking.
Signs of Wear: Dirty, rusty, broken, distorted or corroded.
Can Cause: Noise, excessive brake shoe and drum wear, pulling and grabbing.

Grease Seals
Function: Keeps grease on the wheel bearings.
Signs of Wear: Leaks, seals torn or damaged.
Can Cause: Noise, spindle and rotor damage.

Master Cylinder
Function: Holds and transfers brake fluid to the front and rear brakes.
Signs of Wear: Leaks, brake warning light.
Can Cause: Low brake pedal, unreliable stopping or fading brake pedal.

Rotors
Function: A friction surface for the brake pads to stop the vehicle; dissipates heat build up with its thickness.
Signs of Wear: Measured thickness, cracks, warped, grooves or hard spots.
Can Cause: Noise, heat build up, pulsating and vibration.

Wheel Bearings
Function: Allows wheels to rotate smoothly.
Signs of Wear: Noise, cracks, pits or blurring.
Can Cause: Vibration, noise, spindle and rotor damage.

Wheel Cylinders
Function: Pushes the brake shoes on the drum.
Signs of Wear: Leaks, corroded pistons or brake warning light.
Can Cause: Noise, grabbing, pulling to the side, premature brake shoe wear and brake drum damage.

Brakes 101–Part 2 Brake Terms

At each Budget Brakes store, we display common brake terms and explain what they mean so that our customers have a better understanding of each part’s function, as well as the signs of wear and symptoms that indicate when a part may need to be repaired or replaced.

We’ve broken our list of terms into two posts. Here’s the first one:

Anti-lock Brake Module
Function: Electronically assists stopping vehicle in shortest distance.
Signs of Wear: ABS warning light on or noise.
Can Cause: Longer stopping distance and brake pedal vibration.

Brake Hoses
Function: A flexible link between the vehicle’s frame and the front wheels.
Signs of Wear: Cracking, ballooning, leaking or restriction of brake fluid flow.
Can Cause: Pulling to the side, premature brake pad wear, and caliper and brake rotor damage.

Brake Pads
Function: Material that wears against brake rotors and stops the vehicle.
Signs of Wear: Thickness, cracks, separation from backing plate.
Can Cause: Noise, brake rotor and caliper damage.

Brake Shoes
Function: Material that wears against brake drums and stops the vehicle.
Signs of Wear: Thickness, cracks, separation from backing plate.
Can Cause: Noise, brake drum and wheel cylinder damage.

Calipers
Function: Push and retract brake pads from the rotor.
Signs of Wear: Leaks, torn dust boot or uneven brake pad wear.
Can Cause: Noise, grabbing, pulling to the side, premature brake pad wear and brake rotor damage.

Discharge Hardware
Function: Holds brake pads in position and prevents pads from dragging on brake rotors after braking.
Signs of Wear: Dirty, rusty, broken, distorted or corroded.
Can Cause: Noise, excessive brake pad and rotor wear, pulling and grabbing.

Brakes 101–Part 1

Knowing when your brakes need to be repaired can be confusing, which is why each Budget Brakes store has posters with brake warning signs and explanations of what brake terms mean.

We believe that the better educated our customers are about brake repair and maintenance, the better they will understand our recommendations and the more they will want to be Budget Brakes customers!

Budget Brakes has a brake-inspection process that is much more thorough and detailed than most of our competitors. We also follow industry specifications for parts replacement, which not all places do.

Here are the brake warning signs you will find displayed at our stores. In the next post, I’ll list common brake terms and explain what they mean.

Brake Warning Signs:

PULL: Vehicle pulls to one side when brakes are applied.

GRAB: “Touchy” brakes that grab with the least amount of pressure.

DRAG: Sticking brakes, hot wheels or engine which seems to have lost power.

SQUEAL: Some brake noise is normal; however, constant groaning, grinding or squealing is not.

LOW PEDAL: Pedal nearly touches the floorboard before brakes function.

HARD PEDAL: Requires an extreme amount of pressure to make brakes function.

VIBRATION: Brake pedal, steering wheel or entire vehicle shakes, vibrates or pulses when brake is applied.

MILAGE: Brakes are “out of sight, out of mind.” Remember yours at least once a year, even if none of the above symptoms are present.

BRAKE WARNING LIGHT: Emergency brake is on, low brake fluid or a drop in Hydraulic pressure.

Customer Feedback

We frequently get comments from Budget Brakes customers and always welcome them, whether they are positive or critical. Like any other company we sometimes make mistakes, but most often those problems occur because of miscommunication. When someone submits a critical comment, I work to get in touch with that person as soon as possible and resolve things to the customer’s satisfaction.

Customers are the lifeblood of our business, and we value each and every one of them. Our policy is to provide superior service and always be honest in all our transactions.

Recently we received the following comments from Cheryl, Maurice, David and Nancy:

Cheryl
I visited your shop today, Dec 21, 2009 and was really pleased with the service I received. They explained to me the problem I was having and they explained the solution in details. I was really impressed with the service. Thank you.

Maurice
I went to Bavarian Auto Repairs of Chattanooga where new brakes & rotors were installed on my 2001 BMW 330ci. A noticeable steering wheel shimmy developed when braking.  Bavarian said my calipers were rusty and $1,800 would cure the problem.  I refused, went on line and found Budget Brakes in Chattanooga. Called and talked with Daniel, drove over in a fairly heavy rain and also met Jonathan. Following a test drive & inspection they said the new rotors were warped and that they could be trued for under $70.00. They did the job and checked the calipers which proved to be just fine.  I am very grateful for these honest guys and just as angry at the attempted robbery by Bavarian Motors who wanted $1,800. Thank you Budget Brakes for employing honest very knowledgeable guys. I’m joining the BMW Club of Chattanooga and will spread the word of the fair and honest professionals, Daniel & Jonathan, at Budget Brakes. As for Bavarian Auto I'll fill a complaint with the Better Business Bureau, Angie's List and every list I can find to warn consumers.  Budget Brakes, you have a new customer. Thank You.  

David
I just wanted to drop you a note on my recent service. I just had the brakes done on my son’s car while he was home from college. Mr. Biggs (Huntsville store) was very pleasant to deal with and the mechanic seemed very competent. The brakes feel great and it was completed in a timely manner. This was my first time using Budget Brakes and I will definitely be back.

Nancy
Thank you so much for excellent customer service! I will highly recommend your company to friends. Jason, Jerry, and Andy provided professional and great customer service. Previously, I went to another location (Mobile- Government ST Location and the customer service was excellent! Thank you for the honesty and quality service.