Your vehicle's brakes do a lot of work. You use them each time you slow down in traffic, stop at red lights, or execute an emergency stop while driving. For this reason, your brakes wear down over time and if ignored, they can become useless and fail you when you need them. Regular maintenance for your brakes is therefore important, and you can have it done at an auto body repair shop of your choice.

How Your Car's Brakes Work

A vehicle's brake system is made up of a master brake cylinder which takes the signal from your brake pedal when you press it and transfers pressure to the wheels. Calipers in the wheels help stop your car.

Another component is the brake fluid reservoir where you add brake fluid. Brake lines, which are the conduits for the brake fluid, travel from the master cylinder to each wheel.

The brake rotor is a spinning disc behind your wheel, and it gets compressed by the brake pads, of which there are two per rotor, to apply stopping power.

Next, there are calipers which are located around the rotor, these move the brake pads with help from an interior piston.

Finally, the drum brake assembly, usually on the rear wheels, uses brake shoes to create friction against the wheels to make them slow and stop. It had brake shoes that move outward toward the drum's inner surface.

Basic Brake Maintenance

There are things that you can do to make sure you are setting your brakes up for a long and successful lifespan. These things are outlined below.

• Perform regular inspections of your brakes by looking at the rotors, pads, and calipers. This is easy enough if your car has steel or alloy wheels, and if you have plastic wheel covers, you can pop them off and check. Make sure there is no uneven wear on the pads or rust on the calipers and scratches or pits on the rotors.

• Make sure your brake fluid cylinder is always full to avoid excess strain on the master brake cylinder and its components which can spread damage to the entire brake system.

• If your dashboard displays a warning light for the brakes, make sure to have them checked out as soon as you can.

• Your vehicle's underbelly can undergo serious damage so always check down there to make sure the brake lines are okay, and that there is no sign of wear including rust and punctures.

• Always follow your car's scheduled maintenance suggestions. Alternatively, check your brakes every third time you perform an oil change or after every 10,000 miles you drive. Any auto body repair that needs to be done should also be accompanied by a check of the brakes.

Prevention Is Always Better

Your brakes play a crucial role in your vehicle, so making sure they are in good condition will help keep you safe on the road.

In winter when there is snow and ice on the roads, it is even more important to make sure that your brakes are functioning properly. This can be the difference between an accident and safe, timely avoidance of one.

Not maintaining your brakes properly can reduce the longevity of your vehicle in general and hinder its performance.

Replace worn-out parts of your brakes with specialized components or higher performance parts. This will improve the overall longevity of your entire braking system.

Making sure that your brakes are in good working condition and are fitted properly can be the difference between an unsafe vehicle and a safe one that meets regulatory standards. A good auto body repair shop will make sure that the parts that have been added all function well and are the best parts for your use.

Your brakes should not be squeaking, getting stuck, or need more pressure than usual to engage. If you notice any of these, it is time to schedule a maintenance visit.

Although brake maintenance is an easy task to do, it is a crucial part of your car and so you need to make sure it is done right. If you live in an environment that is likely to cause extra damage to your vehicle, you will have to schedule your car's checkups closer together.

Safe and conscientious driving can lengthen your vehicle's lifespan, this is not just a myth. With regular checks done on your brakes, you can stay safe and also save on money you would have spent on making repairs and fixes.