Auto Brakes

Brake pads simply wear down over time. They are crucial in the safety of you and your family. The more wore down the brake pads get, the worse your breaking power gets. If your breaks are...

Volkswagen Jettas equipped with rear disc brakes have a rotor mounted on the rear axle hub. The surface of the rotor will wear with use, and periodically it will need to be replaced. In some...

Braking systems consist of many tiny pieces of equipment resting inside a brake drum on the wheel assembly. The brake drum keeps the brake shoes and pads in the proper position to slow down the...

The rear brake drum on a Chevy is a large, cast iron cover that fits over the wheel hub. The brake shoes on the hub push against the inside of the drum causing the drum and the hub assembly to...

Hydraulic master cylinders (m/c) are a crucial part of a hydraulic brake system. They mount the reservoir that holds a surplus of fluid and house the piston, which, when actuated by hand (or foot)...

Brake rotors on a Ford F-150 pick-up are either 11.7 inches or 12.1 inches in diameter depending on the year and drive configuration. Whatever the configuration, the brake rotors are an important...

In the 1950s and 1960s, most cars were equipped with manual brakes, and braking was quite a chore. Then the brake booster was introduced, using vacuum from the engine to provide extra power to the...

Older model Ford vehicles use brake drums on the rear axle (models built before the late 1960s may also have brake drums on the front axle). A brake drum system works by mounting a large steel or...

Over the years, the Chevy truck has seen two basic brake system designs. The servo-type drum brake system uses unequal length shoes, a cable and lever activated parking brake, and a self-adjuster...

The brake system in a car is the heart and soul of its safety features. Without properly functioning brakes, disaster is inevitable. Brakes use hydraulic pressure to force brake fluid into a wheel...

Some Ford models, like the Mustang, have brake rotors and calipers on all four wheels, so repairing tyhe brakes is simply a matter of changing the pads within the calipers. On many other models,...

Modern disc brake systems have a tendency to make noise. Since it is understood that all noise is caused by vibration, the key to elimination of annoying brake noise is to eliminate vibration. One...

The anti-lock brake system provides the ability to steer around objects while braking in slippery road conditions. When the system senses a wheel is about to lock up, the brake pressure is...

The proportioning valve in a vehicle's brake system provides a way to control how much and when brake pressure is applied to each axle set of the brake system. Located between the master cylinder...

The Ford Econoline van series, also known as the E-Series van, is featured in three different sizes; half-ton, three-quarter ton and 1 ton. Rear drum brakes used to come standard on the older...

A brake power booster is a vacuum operated device which reduces the effort needed to press the brake pedal and apply the brakes. In most cases the vacuum is created by the running engine and air...

The brake master cylinder on your Ford Mustang works as a hydraulic pressure pump to actuate the brakes every time you depress the pedal. Worn out pistons, valves or damage to the unit may cause...

Braking systems are comprised of a number of fundamental parts all working collectively to make certain that your vehicle stops correctly. By pushing the brake pedal, you are telling the master...

The brake light switch on a Nissan Altima controls the illumination of the brake lights. Without the switch, the lights would not go on. The switch has no service life, so when it goes, it usually...

The Honda Odyssey rear caliper pads are secured into the brake caliper with tabs that are integrated into the pad assembly. When the brake pads, also called brake linings, wear out on the pad,...

Fitting brake pads is crucial to the proper functioning of your vehicle's brakes. When it's time to change the brake pads, fitting the new ones into the caliper assembly can be confusing without...

Replacing brake pads on your vehicle is something every vehicle owner has to experience sooner or later. Since the front disc brakes provide 75 percent braking capacity for most all vehicles, they...

The Toyota Tacoma braking system integrates a four-piston fixed caliper with a large 11-inch rear drum brake application. Although this would assume that such a braking system would be more than...

The brake system on your Ford Mustang requires periodic inspection and maintenance. Unfortunately, it is not until we notice strange smells, noises or mechanical changes coming from a brake...

The brake booster helps you slow down or stop your vehicle safely by multiplying the force you apply to the brake pedal. Without the booster, you would have to step very hard on the pedal and your...

Many would-be mechanics have performed drum brake repairs without the use of specialty tools, such as brake spring tools. A combination of needle-nose pliers, screwdrivers and channel locks can be...

As brake shoes wear down from use, the hydraulic wheel cylinder has to push its pistons out farther in order for the shoes to contact the inner diameter of the drum. When the brake lining of the...

There have been a few minor problems with the parking brake (no longer called an emergency brake) mechanism in the Toyota's Tacoma and Tundra models, which employ similar parking brake systems....

The Mitsubishi Eclipse has been around since 1990. The vehicle features front disc brakes and may feature either rear disc brakes or rear drum brakes, depending on the series of the model. After...

The braking system is one of the most important parts of an automobile. Brakes are integral to vehicle safety as well as performance. Like most vehicle systems, brakes also require occasional...

The brakes are one of the most important systems of a car, both in terms of performance and safety. As they wear down over time, brakes require occasional service, and new brake pads must be...

The brake light switch on a 1990 Volkswagen Vanagon is behind the brake pedal. The switch is activated when you press on the brake pedal. A plunger in the switch completes an electrical circuit...

The brake light switch on an automobile is responsible for turning on and off the brake lights. Without the switch, the brake lights would not light up, potentially causing a rear-end collision....

Brake springs retain rear brake shoes to the backing plate and their removal requires both finger and hand dexterity. Tools to assist the would-be mechanic are available quite cheaply at almost...

Rear wheel cylinders are the hydraulic braking component for drum brakes. Internal pistons on both sides of the cylinder extend outward from inside the cylinder when demand is placed on the...

The exact type of rear brakes can vary on cars. Some cars have brake calipers and pads like the front wheels, most use brake drums and shoes that work with the parking brake, and others use both....

The Suzuki Swift is a compact car that was manufactured with a hydraulically actuated braking system, which requires routine maintenance. You can easily replace or resurface the friction surfaces...

The Ford Ranger pickup truck is manufactured with a hydraulically actuated disk braking system, which can wear out and require replacement. By replacing or resurfacing the internal components of...

The Chevrolet Silverado uses a self-energizing servo, drum brake system common to most rear-wheel-drive General Motors vehicles. This system is composed of a small primary shoe, a larger secondary...

Do you have a KIA Sedona that needs new brake pads? If you said yes then please be aware that the brake shops will charge you around 149 dollars and the dealerships will charge you around 195...

The disc brake pads on a Mitsubishi Eclipse apply friction to the brake rotor in order to slow the vehicle. The two-door coupe Eclipse has been in production since 1990 and has also been sold as...

A brake system is composed of three primary elements: the master cylinder that sends fluid through the lines, the lines themselves, and the slave cylinders (brake calipers) that squeeze on the pad...

Car repairs are extremely expensive with many shops charging labor rates of one hundred dollars per hour so the opportunity exists for you to save a bundle by doing your own car repairs. Brake...

The widespread nature of brake problems in Subaru vehicles of all models and years has prompted considerable concern on the part of owners, dealers and government agencies. While braking issues on...

The Ford Crown Victoria is one of the longest-tenured vehicles in the history of Ford Motor Co. It has featured rear disc brakes since the early 1980s, though the car also has been available with...

The Cordia uses a rear drum braking system that requires routine maintenance to operate properly. The adjustment screw on the bottom of the brake assembly often needs attention and is only...

If your brakes have been squealing and grinding for weeks now, it is time to do a brake job. Not only is it embarrassing but also unsafe to drive a vehicle that needs brakes.

I was looking for instruction on how to change the front brake pads and the rotors on my 12 year old 97 Nissan Sentra GXE. I found some generic instructions and videos. Some of them were not very...

Brake shoes play an important role in the brake system of a vehicle. The brake shoes are necessary to manipulate the brake and cause a vehicle to gradually slow down or stop abruptly for an...

Class C motorhomes are manufactured with hydraulically operated braking systems. The calipers, rotors, drums and shoes of these systems require routine maintenance to perform well. An average...