Brakes are an integral part of a safe vehicle, and are worth spending a little time on this weekend. All you have to do is jack the car up and remove the wheels, and you should be able to check and perform a brake service on all four corners of your car. Make sure you use a jackstand on every corner of the vehicle that’s off the ground before you climb under the car.
1. Check the pads and rotors
Pads squeeze on the rotor, causing friction to slow the wheel
On disk brakes, pads and rotors are the only brake components that actually wear down from use. Modern brake calipers have windows so you can see how much meat is left on the brake pads without even having to remove the calipers. If there is very little pad material left on the rotors, they should be replaced.
If the rotors are warped (they shouldn’t wobble when spun) they should also be replaced. The rotors will eventually wear down, and as they do they will dissipate heat less effectively and are more prone to warping. If a lot of material still exists on the rotors and they’re warped, a local shop may be able to “turn” them for you. The process essentially consists of spinning them at high rpm and shaving material off until the surface is flush again.
Drum brakes wear shoes (essentially pads by another name), and require service far less often than disk brakes do. The shoes and springs inside of them should generally be replaced at the same time, and require the entire drum brake to be disassembled.
2. Refill the reservoir
The brake fluid reservoir is attached to the firewall
When you press on the brake pedal, it pushes hydraulic fluid through hoses and into a plunger on the brake calipers. If your reservoir runs dry, air will be sucked into the lines (that’s bad). The best way to prevent air from getting into the lines is to make sure your brake fluid is always between “min” and “max”. Remember that the level will change and you press and let up on the brake pedal, and too much fluid could cause an overflow. Brake fluid is extremely hazardous to your paint so you want to be very careful about avoiding spills.
3. Bleed the lines
Air is much more springy and compressible than brake fluid is, so any air that is in your brake lines will allow the brake pedal to move without activating the pedals. Bleeding the lines is a simple process, but requires two people, some hose, and an extra reservoir for brake fluid. Loosen the bleeder nipple on the brake caliper or drum and attach the hose to it. The other end of the hose should be submerged in a bottle of brake fluid, and your assistant should pump the brake pedal. Keep doing that for each corner, making sure the reservoir in the engine bay doesn’t run dry and you’ll have nothing but brake fluid in your lines.
I’ve had great results with this bleeder kit if you don’t have a friend willing to help out with this. It’s not the sturdiest piece of equipment, but it gets the job done well for the price.
4. Test
After you’ve performed maintenance, make sure all the bolts are tightened up and that pressing down on the brake pedal doesn’t cause brake fluid to squirt from anywhere. Take it for an easy drive around the block, then test the maximum braking capabilities (slam the brakes from a low speed, when no cars are coming). Congratulations, your brakes should treat you great until your next service (I recommend a checkup every month).
