Brakelights: Foam Means Fade (June 1961)
Shocks fading on vehicles was a big safety concern before gas charged shocks in the 1970s. On bumpy roads, old shocks would heat up the fluid, causing bubbles to form in the fluid. This would cause the piston to cavitate and the shock to fade. Often, the car would lose control. Sometimes, if the fade was bad enough, the shock would puke fluid out of the top seal. Gas charging of shocks changed this because the fluid was now under pressure, much like an unopened beer can.
BRAKELIGHT: World War II (April 1944)
At the start of World War II, Japan occupied the rubber plantations in the Dutch East Indies. This cut U.S. manufacturers off from the largest sources of natural rubber to make tires and products for the war effort. The U.S. solved the problem using rationing, recycling and lowering the speed limit to 35 mph. Another
BRAKELIGHT: Cartoon Windows (1955)
The going rate for a complete brake job in 1955 was $18.20. Drum brakes of this vintage had limited self-adjustment and required constant attention. This shop building is still there, but it is now a Tiki Bar.
BRAKELIGHT: Reliable Brake Service, St. Louis, MO (Dec. 1965)
Reliable Brake Service in St. Louis, MO, is an institution in the Lindwood Park neighborhood. The two-foot tall letters on the front of the building have stood for more than 50 years and have outlasted two owners. In July 2015, the business was put up for sale due to the partial retirement of the current
BRAKELIGHTS: 2000 GMC Sierra 1500
“Here are a couple photos from a 2000 GMC Sierra 1500 5.3L. Vehicle has 309,821 miles and customer stated noise had started just a couple days before bringing it to us. Pictures are of the passenger front rotor.” Michael Conover, Midas Auto Service Experts, Cleburne, TX. Do you have your own bad brakes
BRAKELIGHTS: Bad Brakes Contest
This month’s Brake Lights comes from Scott’s Automotive in Azle, TX. It is off a 2002 Oldsmobile Alero. Ouch Do you have your own bad brakes story and pictures? If you do, it could be worth $75 and, if selected, your story could appear in BRAKE & FRONT END. Send digital pictures and your
BRAKELIGHTS: Indy 500 Brakes
BRAKE & FRONT END — September 1963 — In the 1950s and early 1960s, it was not uncommon for a driver to brake at the end of the long straights at Indianapolis. Engine technology was out pacing chassis technology and scrubbing speed was essential for making it through the corners. Also, in those days, cars came off
BRAKELIGHTS: Wetmore’s, Ferndal Michigan
Wetmore’s Tire & Auto Repair in Ferndale, MI, has been in business since 1928 on Woodward Avenue. The English-style shop has an alcove on the roof where a misaligned and wobbly-wheeled 1964 Chrysler New Yorker sits. According to www.wetmorestireandautorepair.com, one of the first vehicles was a Hudson. Executives from the Hudson Motor Company claimed the wobbling
BRAKELIGHTS: Merrill Axle & Wheel
Merrill Axle and Wheel has been in business since 1928 in the Denver, CO, area. In 1945, Marcellus “Celly” Merrill developed and was manufacturing an innovative wheel balancer for automobiles.