Brakes
In a world of advanced safety and driver-assistive features, we tend to overlook our brakes as the most important safety system in our vehicles. And in order to be 100% effective, brakes require regular inspection and (when needed) immediate brake service. Failure to determine wear, identify free movement, maintain fluid levels or detect leaks are just a few issues that can render your vehicle unfit for driving.
Your safety, and that of your loved ones, should rest in the hand of a trusted automotive partner. Let Kings Quick Lane be that partner, ensuring that you’ll never have to question whether or not your vehicle is safe to drive.
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Brake Service
There is nothing quite like the feel of hitting the open road, feeling your troubles disappear behind you, and relaxing on a cool evening drive. Of course, that relaxing moment can be utterly ruined by brakes that are squeaking, rough, or not as responsive as they should be. And when brakes fail completely, then the consequences can be disastrous. That is why it is so important to come in from time to time for a proper brake service and other maintenance that keeps your car running safe and sound.
Brake service and similar maintenance might not be fun or exciting, but it is a vital part of taking care of your vehicle. Just like preventative care is the best way to take care of your body, so too is preventative service the best way to make sure your vehicle is safe and to avoid much more costly issues later on. While you might not think about having your brakes inspected or serviced as often as you wonder about your motor oil, the brakes are arguably the single most important part of your vehicle.
At Kings Ford Quick Lane, we offer inspections and full brake service provided by our knowledgeable experts. Whether you just need a lube job, your tires rotated, or you need to have your brakes replaced, we are here to help and make sure your vehicle stays safe on the road.
The Importance of Brake Service
It is not an overstatement to say that brake service is absolutely one of the most important types of maintenance and work you can have done on your vehicle. Think of it this way: taking your vehicle out for a ride, whether you are just cruising around on a Saturday night or going to the store, is all about physics. Once you get going, momentum becomes a big factor in how your vehicle handles: the force of your motion naturally keeps you in motion.
When it is time to stop, the natural laws of physics are essentially working against you. While friction or gravity can help you slow down, in most cases that would require a lot of space and a fairly long time to work, especially when you are going fast or downhill. The only way you can defy physics and get your vehicle to stop is by applying forces of your own – that is what your brakes do. Every time you apply the brakes in your vehicle, they are working against your momentum to slow you down or bring you to a stop.
All of that work takes a serious toll on the parts within your vehicle’s braking system. There is a ton of heat and friction involved down there, not to mention dirt and debris from the road, and corrosion from water, salt, and other elements. All of that beats up your brakes. Proper brake service inspects and replaces those components as necessary to make sure they keep working.
Elements of Brake Inspection and Repair
In general, when you bring your vehicle in for brake service, we will start off with an inspection of your brakes and the various components within the entire system. This is not something you can do easily at home, like checking your oil or cleaning off your battery connectors. To really see your brakes, you have to get under your vehicle and remove the wheels, which we do by getting your car up on a lift and taking a good look at your brakes.
Depending on how that inspection goes, you might be just fine and not really need any more brake service performed, or there might be the need for additional work. At the very least, we suggest you let us drain your brake fluid and replace it with brand new fluid so that your system is essentially refreshed. In some cases, repairs might be necessary, which can require more time and can also be more expensive, but it is necessary to keep you safe.
Sometimes it is easier and faster to completely replace some aspect of your brakes rather than try to take things apart and make individual repairs. That might seem excessive, but in reality it is often safer to replace things than try to make repairs. Once parts of your brake system are taken apart, there is a greater chance for things to go wrong in putting it all back together – whereas a replacement is simpler and eliminates that risk.
Frequency of Brake Service
There is no hard and clear rule for how often you should come in for brake service like there is for things like oil changes. It really depends on how you drive and the kinds of driving conditions you typically encounter. One easy way to take care of your vehicle is to ask for a brake inspection any time you are getting your tires changed or having similar work performed. A visual inspection can easily detect early indicators of potentially larger problems and this way you do not have to think of it separately.
Your driving habits and behavior have a huge impact on the frequency with which you will need to have brake service performed. Essentially, the more you use your brakes, the more wear and tear you naturally put on them. For example, if you tend to do a lot of driving in hilly areas where you are going up and down on inclines, then you put your brakes through a lot of work. Similarly, if you spend a lot of time in stop-and-go traffic, then you end up applying your brakes much more frequently than someone driving at a steady rate for the same amount of time.
Road conditions and weather can also have a serious impact on the conditions of your brakes and how often you need to come in for brake service. Dirt and dust from the road can build up on the pistons and other parts of your brake system, reducing their effectiveness and potentially damaging them over time. Rain, snow, and ice can all do serious damage to brakes, often causing rust that makes brakes less effective and wears down the pads more quickly. Even salt on the road in winter often ends up in the brakes and causes them to need service more often.
Other Types of Maintenance
One great way to get proper brake service and not have to deal with maintenance as often is to get multiple things done at once. For example, you can have your tires rotated or changed while you are getting your brakes inspected or worked on. A full lube job can replace fluids all throughout your vehicle while you are already here to get your brakes serviced. While this can make a visit take longer, it also means you do not have to dedicate as many separate days to taking care of your vehicle.
The Best Brake Service at Kings Ford Quick Lane
At Kings Ford Quick Lane, located in Cincinnati, Ohio, we offer many different types of maintenance from our expert technicians, including brake service, to keep you safely on the road. We will do everything we can to get you in, do the work properly, and get you back on the road as quickly as possible. You can schedule an appointment ahead of time to make sure we are ready for you or stop by any time we are open to get work done on your vehicle.
Your safety is our priority. If anything feels wrong or off about your brakes, do not hesitate or shrug it off. Come in today, and we will take care of everything you need.