There is one simple piece of advice I try to live by: “know what you know and know what you don’t know”. It is a simple credo that can save you from making mistakes and looking like a complete jackass. I am often asked about my opinion of a certain brand or application of brake […]
Being able to diagnose and solve brake rotor pulsation problems is critical to passing the ASE A5 exam for brakes. Pulsation and brake performance problems may not seem to be the most difficult, but they often cause the most headaches for technicians. Below are sample questions based on the A5 task list, written by the editors […]
Honda Insight: Lightweight Rear Brake Drums and IMA Brake Pedal Switch The older Insight has a two- piece rear drum design with aluminum fins. The design borrows from the retro 1950 Buick drums that had cast iron spun into an aluminum body. This design has significantly reduced weight over a cast iron drum. The use […]
Have ever had a brake pad that felt like it was extremely tight squeeze or loose when installed in the caliper bracket? The problem may not be your preparation of the caliper bracket of the new hardware. The problem might be the pad’s backing plate. Most brake pad backing plates are stamped out of steel. The […]
Chrysler on Wednesday announced a second, much larger recall in a month over a brake defect in Jeep Grand Cherokees and Dodge Durangos. The current recall incorporates 867,795 vehicles worldwide of Chrysler’s 2011 to 2014 model-year Grand Cherokees and Durangos, according to documents found on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website. Brake booster corrosion in these […]
Let’s pretend a vehicle had .003” of lateral runout when measured at the outside face of the rotor. Assuming this vehicle is riding on 205/55R16 tires, in one mile, the high-spot with .003” of runout goes past the caliper approximately 836 times. Over 6,000 miles, that spot on the rotor will go past the pads […]
This tech tip is solely for: FORD: 2010 Taurus 2009-2010 Flex LINCOLN: 2009-2010 MKS 2010 MKT ISSUE Some 2009-2010 Flex, MKS and 2010 Taurus and MKT built on or before 12/14/2009 may exhibit rear brake drag and/or off-brake cyclic noise. The noise may be caused by pad to piston misalignment or corrosion on the brake […]
This week, I’ve compiled the very best of brake failure videos on Youtube. Each video features it’s own funny and unique brake failure experience that will leave you questioning yourself on why you haven’t gotten your brakes checked! First up: Chevrolet C1500 Brake Failure For a similar story on brake line corrosion check out this […]
About a week ago the new MC-1600 braking grease was unveiled to the patiently waiting automotive aftermarket. What’s so ironic about this product is it looks like a grease but acts like a super lubricant for your pads and rotors. Following a hands-on site test conducted by a Russian spokesman, the braking grease produced a […]