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What Our ASE
Certified Technicians Do
The following components
are inspected. Their
condition is recorded and
compared to manufacturer's
specs. Recommendations are
made per the Motorist
Assurance Program Uniform
Inspection Guidelines:  |
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The brake system is actually composed of two kinds of systems---Hydraulics and Friction Materials. Here's what happens within these systems between the time your foot hits the brake pedal and your car stops.
Hydraulics
Master Cylinder
When pressure is applied to
the brake pedal, the master cylinder
creates hydraulic pressure which
pushes brake fluid to the wheel
brakes.
Brake Lines and Hoses
Steel brake lines and high
pressure rubber hoses are the
avenues through which the
pressurized brake fluid travels.
Wheel Cylinders and
Calipers
These are the hydraulic
cylinders that apply pressure to the
friction materials, causing your car
to stop.
Friction Materials
DiscBrake Pads and Drum
Brake Shoes
These brake linings are composed of
high temperature materials that
create the friction that stops your
car. The difference in
materials also determines the price
of the pads/shoes. Lower
priced options are semi-metallic.
Spending a little more means getting
ceramic based friction parts.
The difference is this;
Semi-metallic pads can often lead to
dirty brake dust on your wheels, low
pitched groans when coming to a slow
stop, or high pitched squeals when
applying your brakes at high speed.
Ceramic pads remedy these
situations... We recommend and
use
Raybestos QuietStop Ceramic Pads...
Types of Brakes
Disc Brakes
Disc brakes consist of a Disc Brake
Rotor, which is attached to the
wheel, and a Caliper, which holds
the Disc Brake Pads. Hydraulic
pressure from the Master Cylinder
causes the Caliper Piston to clamp
the Disc Brake Rotor between the
Disc Brake Pads. This creates
friction between the pads and rotor,
causing your car to slow down or
stop.
Drum Brakes
Drum brakes consist of a
Brake Drum attached to the wheel, a
Wheel Cylinder, Brake Shoes and
Brake Return Springs. Hydraulic
pressure from the Master Cylinder
causes the Wheel Cylinder to press
the Brake Shoes against the Brake
Drum. This creates friction between
the shoes and drum to slow or stop
your car.
Parking Brake
The Parking Brake uses
Cables to mechanically apply the
brakes (usually the rear brake.)
This is used to prevent the car from
rolling when not being driven.
Anti-Lock Brakes: A System Built For Safety
Computer-controlled anti-lock braking systems (ABS) are a recently developed safety feature. When sudden stops are made, the ABS prevents wheel lock-up. The system is comprised of wheel-speed sensors that monitor wheel rotation, computer-controlled hydraulics that pulse the brakes on and off rapidly, and the on-board computer.
