Preventing Brake Fade: Maximizing How Friction Materials Handle Heat
Brake fade is something nobody wants to experience. When you step down on the brake pedal with a certain amount of force, the vehicle should slow predictably. But when the brakes get too hot and start to fade, it takes more and more pedal effort to get the same amount of braking force. Eventually the
A Brief History
In 1931, people thought Edward S. Babcox was insane for launching a magazine in the middle of the great depression. But, 75 years and almost 900 issues later, BRAKE & FRONT END is still going strong. For the past few months, I have been reading back issues of BRAKE & FRONT END non-stop. In musty
Kia Maintenance & Service Solutions
MASTER CYLINDER DIAGNOSIS Easy Fixes For Elusive Intermittent Problems While Kia offers a 100,000-mile powertrain warranty, well-documented maintenance is an important part of keeping that warranty valid. With regular maintenance required at 30,000 miles and timing belts at 60,000 miles, owners will be looking for quality service. Rather than delve into the service nuts and
Government Regulations and Braking Performance: How Uncle Same Sets the Standards
Everybody wants safe brakes, right? You want the assurance that any brake linings you install on a customer’s vehicle will provide adequate braking and meet all applicable safety standards. But guess what? There are no federal safety standards for aftermarket brake linings. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) 105 and 135, which are issued by
Honda Brake Service: Successful Jobs Are in the Details
You can’t argue that Hondas aren’t popular cars that have earned customer loyalty by giving many miles of trouble-free service to their owners. It’s safe to say that Honda has changed the way the world builds cars. And to think they’ve done it in 30 years is truly remarkable. All machines, even the good ones,
Causes & Cures for Disc Brake Problems
There are as many causes as there are cures for disc brake problems. Brake pedal pulsation tops the list, while disc brake noise and brake pedal sensitivity follow as second and third place contenders. Most of these problems can be avoided if technicians have the right parts and follow the correct procedures. Let’s begin by
Brakes: Reading Pads & Calipers, Examining Old Pads Can Prevent Problems Down The Road
Read any good brake pads lately? Don’t make the mistake of replacing brake pads without reading the old pads to spot potential caliper problems that could cause brake problems down the road and a possible comeback. Here are six conditions to watch out for: UNEVEN PAD WEAR. A sure sign of caliper trouble. If the
Brake Lubricants: High Temperatures Require High Performance Products
When it comes to brake lubricants, grease is a dirty word. Brake lubricants are specially-formulated products that are NOT the same as ordinary chassis grease or even multi-purpose grease. The kind of grease that’s used to lube tie rod ends, ball joints and U-joints is not the same as the lubricants that are required for
Brake Performance Upgrades: Meeting Customer Expectations While Ensuring Safe Repairs
In case you haven’t noticed, the auto manufacturers are in a horsepower race. And as horsepower numbers go ever higher, the need for improved brakes increases. BMW has kept pace with the other manufacturers in both areas by systematically increasing brake component size while, at the same time, turning more control over to the various
Brake NVH: Part Two
An in-depth look at individual brake components and how each can produce noise and how to resolve the malady.
Caliper Science Friction
Disc brake calipers come in many sizes and configurations, including fixed-caliper, multi-piston designs, and the more modern floating-caliper, single piston designs that may also contain a mechanically actuated parking brake. Needless to say, disc brake calipers have undergone a series of design changes that continue to make them more adaptable to late-model vehicle applications. To
Disc Brake Calipers
Disc brake calipers come in many sizes and configurations, including fixed-caliper, multi-piston designs, and the more modern floating-caliper, single piston designs that may also contain a mechanically actuated parking brake. Needless to say, disc brake calipers have undergone a series of design changes that continue to make them more adaptable to late-model import vehicle applications.