Ten Things that Every Motorist Should Know About Brakes....

OK, let's admit it. Brakes are not glamorous, they're not exciting. For the average motorist they're not even interesting. They are something which comes to mind only when things go wrong. Yet the braking system remains the most important safety device on your car, and a little bit of knowledge on the subject could save you more than a few thousand dollars in expensive panel damage. It could save your life!

With this in mind, here are ten things that every motorist should know about brakes:

1. Even in a modern sedan, with ABS antilock brakes and top grade tyres, it's going to take you around 45 metres to stop from 100km/h. To put that in sobering context, you will cover half the length of a football field between hitting the brakes and coming to a complete stop. Hesitate for, say, a second and a half before applying the brakes and you'll add another 42 metres to the total. When there are pedestrians, walls and other cars about, every single metre counts, so the importance of having your braking system working at peak efficiency cannot be overstated.
2. Regular maintenance is not only the best policy, it's cheaper in the long run. Brake pads, for example, are the sheets of “grippy” material which rub against a drum or disc rotor in order to create friction and bring the car to a stop. If you specify “cheap and nasty” pads or let any pads - good or bad - wear completely down, not only may you suddenly find yourself with no brakes, you'll almost certainly cause expensive damage to other parts of the braking system.
3. Monitor your brakes! Take note of changes: of pulsing, grabbing, vibration, noises, a “soft” pedal or any reduction in performance. Catching a problem early will save you money - and could prevent an accident. It's good to occasionally drive someone else's car to ensure your own vehicle's braking performance hasn't deteriorated slowly without you noticing it.
4. Don't overlook the hydraulic system, a network of fluid-filled pipes which carry to each wheel the braking power you apply with your foot. Under the bonnet you'll find a small clear plastic brake fluid reservoir with a high and low mark. Keep an eye on it (at those times when you check the oil level and the windscreen washer bottle, for example) and top up when necessary. Also make sure you have the fluid completely replaced at the intervals recommended in the owner's handbook. Brake fluid absorbs moisture. In time it will become less effective, corrosive and even liable to boil, causing total brake failure.
5. Most cars on the road today have disc brakes on the front and the majority of new cars have a “four-wheel disc” set-up. In a disc brake system a rotor (a round grey metal plate) is squeezed by a caliper a little like the one which grabs the rims on a bicycle. Disc brakes are more powerful and offer more consistent stopping power than the older-style “drums”. But don't be worried about cars with drum brakes on the rear. As most of a car's weight is thrown forwards during a heavy stop, the front brakes do 60 per cent or more of the work. In most situations a good drum set-up is entirely adequate at the rear but it must be regularly checked and properly maintained.
6. To work effectively, a disc rotor must be smooth and true. If it becomes scored or “out of round”, it is necessary have the rotor machined, which involves a technician scraping off the surface layer of metal. This is neither difficult nor particularly expensive. However, the more times a disc is machined, the less effective it becomes and the more prone to warping, cracking and failure. Quality disc rotors have a “minimum thickness” (or “scrap thickness”) stamped on them and it is important (indeed it is a legal requirement) to make sure your brake specialist or car dealer immediately replaces any rotor which has reached this thickness through wear or machining.
7. When they are working properly, all brake pads, disc rotors and drums will suffer wear. Beware those that seem to last forever – they can't be doing their job properly. But how long should brake pads, for example, last? That's a difficult question - it could be anything from 20,000km to 60,000km depending on the vehicle design, vehicle weight and, most of all, your driving habits. What we can say for sure is that the best way to increase your servicing costs is to scream up to red lights and thump the brakes. Being smooth and gentle is cheaper – and not necessarily any slower.
8. ABS antilock brakes prevent skidding, thereby helping keep you in control. But caution is required: ABS does not make your car “uncrashable” (any more than an airbag will make you indestructible), nor will ABS enable the car to stop in a shorter distance than physics allow. And, of course, cars with ABS require no less attention to normal brake system maintenance.
9. Beware the back-yarder! For all the reasons listed above, your brake system is not the place to cut corners. Good brakes need good pads, high quality brake fluid, good rotors or drums and a first rate technician to bring all the various mini-systems together into one effective combination.
10. Lastly, remember that brakes work only as well as the person operating them. Be alert, drive defensively and allow plenty of space between yourself and the car travelling ahead. These are ingredients for safe, happy motoring........