Monday Maintenance Tip: Changing Your Brakes

What is it?

Brake pads, linings and rotors are parts of your car's brake system and are housed next to each of the wheels. They push against one another to create friction, which stops the car.

There are two kinds of brake systems: disc brakes and drum brakes. Disc brakes are the most common system in use today, and they're very much like the hand brakes on a bicycle. When you step on your car's brake pedal, the brake pads squeeze a spinning disc rotor that's attached to the wheel. The resulting friction, when applied to each of the wheels, slows the car.

The second type, drum brakes, involve brake shoes that push out against a spinning brake drum, which is attached to the wheel. This friction slows the car.

Both systems work by creating friction, so brake parts are expected to wear out. The questions then are, how worn out are they? And are they worn out enough that they need to be replaced?

That's what this service is all about checking these components for wear and other potential problems.

Should I do this service when it's recommended?

Absolutely.

Why do I have to do this?

In short, you do this service so you don't crash into a cabbage truck.

What happens if I don't do this?

If you neglect your brake pads and shoes, your brakes will ultimately fail. Even before that happens, however, you can cause damage to other, more expensive brake parts, such as rotors, drums and calipers. In other words: a stitch in time ... saves you from helping your mechanic with a boat payment later on.

Is there any maintenance required between intervals?

If you notice any of the following signs and symptoms when you brake ...

• flashing brake warning light
• squealing, chirping or grinding noises
• pulsations in the brake pedal
• shaky steering wheel
• increased stopping distance
• car pulls to one side when you stop

... your brakes may require servicing. Make an appointment with your mechanic right away.

Car Talk Tip: Most cars have disc brakes in the front and back. A few economy vehicles and many light trucks have disc brakes in the front and drum brakes on the rear wheels.

Courtesy: CarTalk.com

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Check out this quick tip to keep your vehicle's tires safe AND legal!

Since almost every state mandates a minimum tire tread depth of 2/32" for passenger car tires as measured from the top of the tread wear indicator to the top of the tread, this little trick can really come in handy.

The indicator appears in the tread grooves as a small bump. Coincidentally, the lettering over Abe Lincoln's head on a penny is exactly 2/32" meaning it's bad news if these letters can be seen over the tread wear indicator.

If your tires have insufficient tread don't put yourself and others in danger. Find the perfect replacements by visiting us here!

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Monday Maintenance Tip: Checking Your Spark Plugs

What is this?

Spark plugs are little devices inside the cylinder that take in high voltage electricity at one end and create a spark at the other end. There, the spark ignites the gas and air mixture, and the resulting combustion is what ultimately powers the car. This service involves removing the old spark plugs and replacing them with new ones.

Should I do this service when it's recommended?

Yes.

Why do I have to do this?

At the sparking end of the spark plug is a built-in gap between two or more little pieces of metal, called electrodes. When the plug fires, one or more sparks jump that gap and a tiny bit of the metal is burned off. This happens hundreds of times every minute. Over time, the gap between the metal tips gets too big.

Also, your spark plugs can get fouled, but that would indicate that you have a problem.

What happens if I don't do this?

Your engine will start to misfire and run poorly, performance will suffer, efficiency will decrease and emissions will dramatically increase. Your car may also be difficult to star

Is there any maintenance required between intervals?

We recommend removing the old spark plugs and reinstalling new ones at least every 30,000 miles.

Many manufacturers have long-life, 60,000- or 90,000-mile spark plugs. If you don't remove these spark plugs until they're due to be changed, you might find it extremely difficult or even impossible to remove them when the time comes. You'll also want to examine the plugs if your car is running poorly. A blackened plug, for example, can tell you that the engine is running too rich.

Courtesy: CarTalk.com