Tech Tip: Brake Burnishing Procedures for New Brake Pads or Shoes
After every brake job the technician should first confirm that he has a good brake pedal by gently stroking the pedal to move the wheel cylinders and caliper pistons back out to the normal position. After confirming a good pedal, the follow burnish procedure should be used during the test drive ….
Tech Tip: Lower Mass Brake Rotor Causing Noise, Fade and Failure Problems
If a customer complains of noisy brakes, increased stopping distances and pedal pulsation after brake rotors were replaced or machined, the rotors may be the source of the problem. It’s easy to blame the pads or brake hardware, but technicians need to look at the rotor. Affinia Global Brake & Chassis discovered during a recent benchmarking study of the competition that some rotor companies have reduced their ….
Tech Tip: When Drums Lock Up
Drum brakes that occasionally lock up should not be ignored, but a relatively recent drum-brake-lockup condition is often dismissed because it doesn’t happen all the time. Since it’s usually not present by the time a technician gets to look for its cause, it’s often tempting to suggest the customer simply live with it ….
The 3rd (or 4th) Pedal
When was the last time you used your park brake? During a training seminar recently filled with brake people I got a lot of blank stares. Ok, rule number one don’t ask open ended questions right after lunch. Rephrasing, how many of you used your park brake when you parked the car today, one hand
Truck Brake Update: Service Procedure Boosts Performance while Eliminating Steps that Add Time and Expense
Toyota trucks have been the standard bearer for small trucks for more than 40 years. The Hilux (now known as the Tacoma) line has been the small truck class leader, and over the last 15 years the T100 and Tundra models have moved into the medium- and full-size classes to set new standards there. With
Upgrading Rotors for Hard-Driving Fleets
Police cars, ambulances, taxis, parcel delivery trucks and even pizza delivery vehicles can chew up brake pads and rotors almost as fast as any race car. Hard use, combined with frequent, sudden stops, makes the brakes run hot, and when brake temperatures shoot up, the life of the pads and rotors plummets. For every increase
Rotor Debate: Installing New Problems?
We have seen a slow increase in rotor prices over the last year. Every link in the supply chain from manufacturers to your local parts supplier has adjusted its prices. This is due to rising raw material costs. Also, the cost to manufacturer and ship rotors to your bay has increased dramatically. Resurfacing can restore
Diagnostic Solutions: Servicing Brake Rotors
Providing A Remedy For Pedal Pulsation Through A Methodical Diagnostic Approach For most import repair shops, brake pedal pulsation or brake vibration is one of the most frequent brake performance complaints coming through the door. If a customer complains of pedal pulsation or steering wheel shimmy when the brakes are applied, the most common assumption
Performance Brakes
It’s been a long winter here in the upper Midwest. Snowfalls have been well above normal in the Detroit area. However one of the sure signs of spring in our part of the world is when people start to dust off their Rods and Mods and start prepping for show season. Here in Detroit we
Brake Rotors & Calipers: The When, Where, Why and How of Brake System Service and Component Replacement
Resurfacing or replacing brake rotors, and rebuilding or replacing brake calipers are two tasks that are often necessary when doing a brake job. These parts may not require much attention the first time the brakes are relined. But by the second or third brake job, it’s likely the vehicle will need rotors and calipers. Regardless
Brake Pulsation Questions Causes, Rotors, DTV
Brake Questions Answered by the editors of BRAKE & FRONT END 1. What causes runout? Brake Rotor runout can be caused by several things: variations in manufacturing tolerances, sloppy resurfacing procedures, a buildup of rust and corrosion between the rotor, hub and wheel, and uneven torque on the lug nuts. 2. What else can cause
Subaru: The ‘Complete Service’ Value Proposition
Begins With Determining How Customers Use Their Vehicles