When it comes to your vehicle, you probably don’t think about its brakes that often unless you’re having problems. If you notice they squeak when you apply pressure, take more effort to push down on them, or can’t remember the last time you had them replaced, you might need to have a trusted mechanic take a look at them. For the next time, though, try practicing the following habits to extend the life of your brakes.
Plan Ahead
When driving, it’s obviously important to keep an eye on the road at all times. If you can anticipate the need to apply the brakes, you can extend their life. Instead of stomping on the brakes right before a stop sign or traffic light, slow down well before you come to a complete stop. This allows the engine to do some of the work, reducing the overall wear and tear on your brakes. When traveling on the highway, once you notice brake lights in the distance, ease your foot off the gas pedal and begin to slow down.
Change Your Route
If you travel a regular route for work or school and notice it has numerous stop signs or stoplights, try to find an alternate way. The constant stopping can cause havoc on your brakes. Instead, seek out freeways or highways that have a constant flow of traffic, but make sure they’re not congested during the time of day you’re planning to travel.
Avoid Brake Taps
You can probably guess that dealing with traffic can be extremely hard on your brakes. Sitting in a long line of cars, you slowly inch forward and constantly tap your brakes. Even if you move at a quicker pace, you’re likely to tap your brakes again if the roads get crowded again. By looking ahead, you can anticipate conditions. Most people tap their brakes because the vehicle in front of them does. If you know the traffic isn’t moving very quickly, you can adjust your speed to maintain slow and steady progress, avoiding the need to hit the brakes often.
Slow Down
Similarly to planning while you’re driving, it’s important to slow down. Driving at high speeds not only puts an additional strain on your brakes, but it will make it harder to stop if you encounter an unexpected obstacle. The faster you’re traveling when you press on the brakes, the more friction you place on the pads. This can cause the pads to wear out faster. Even driving 10 mph over the speed limit can cause a huge strain on your brakes if you must stop quickly.
Obey the Three-Second Rule
Choose a stationary object that’s even with the vehicle in front of you. It can be a sign or building, but should be something you can easily see while driving. Once you find it, count to three. If you end up passing that vehicle before you make it to three, you should back off the vehicle and leave more space between you two. Keeping a safe following distance is the easiest on your braking system so you don’t have to suddenly stop if that car in front brakes unexpectedly.
Use One Foot for the Brake
Some people prefer to use one foot for the accelerator and the other for the brake. You should avoid doing this, however. Called brake riding, this can quickly wear down your brake pads and warp the brake rotors because you might end up pressing both the accelerator and brake at the same time.
Flush Your Brakes
Just like you flush other fluids in your vehicles, such as oil and transmission fluid, your brake fluid can become oxidized. When this happens, it becomes less effective. Brake fluid with poor quality can cause the brake calipers to fail. How frequently you need to flush them depends on several factors, including how you drive, your vehicle, and the type of brake fluid used. However, it’s best to bleed and flush your brakes every two years, especially if you’re driving an older vehicle.
Lighten Your Load
The heavier your vehicle is, the more effort it takes to accelerate and stop. You might even notice that when you’re transporting more cargo than normal, that you must press the brakes harder to stop within the same distance as you would without a heavy load. Avoid overloading your vehicle with too much cargo, and if you’re unsure about your vehicle’s specific weight limits, make sure you talk with a trusted mechanic to receive expert advice. This also applies to add-on features of your vehicle, so consider swapping out heavier rims for more lightweight options.
Have Your Brakes Inspected Regularly
Perhaps one of the most important ways to extend the life of your brakes is to have a professional take a look at them regularly. Whenever you schedule a wheel alignment or tire rotation, have a mechanic inspect your brakes. It’s vital to get them replaced before they wear down to the rotors and cause grinding that can lead to serious and expensive damage. Also, if you notice signs that your brakes are beginning to wear down, such as hearing squeaking noises or taking more pressure to stop your vehicle, schedule an appointment to have the brakes inspected.
Invest in Quality Brakes
You’ve probably heard the saying you get what you pay for, and brakes are no exception. If you skimp on brake pads or parts, they’re not going to last very long. The best way to ensure you’ll get plenty of mileage out of your breaks is to purchase quality parts. Higher-quality parts are manufactured out of more durable materials, and many times they include warranties. If for some reason your brakes fail prematurely, you can obtain replacement parts without spending a lot of extra money. Even if you practice the best driving methods and care for your vehicle properly, your brakes will eventually need replacement. When that time occurs, reach out to the experts at Herb Easley Chevrolet. They can get you in touch with the service department and help you schedule a service appointment. Our mechanics will not only repair the issue, but they will perform a complete inspection to make sure you’re vehicle continues to work properly.
Connect with us
