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How To Get Brakes Fixed?{ Effective Methods }

Have you ever experienced a sudden loss of brake power while driving? It is a terrifying experience that can put your safety and the safety of others on the road at risk. Perhaps you have noticed a suspicious noise or a grinding sensation when you apply the brakes.

Vehicle maintenance can be daunting and expensive, especially when it comes to brakes. However, ensuring that your brakes are in good working condition is essential to prevent accidents and reduce the risk of major repair costs.

Fixing brakes can seem daunting, but with the right knowledge and guidance, you can do it yourself or know what to expect if you need to take your vehicle to a mechanic. If you’ve been ignoring warning signs or aren’t sure how to get your brakes fixed, keep reading to learn more. This article will give you all the essential information on fixing your brakes and ensuring they are safe and reliable.

Here is How to Get the Brakes Fixed

Remove the Wheel

Removing the wheel from a car can be intimidating, but with the right tools, it’s surprisingly simple. The first step is to loosen the lug nuts on the wheel with a lug wrench. Once all the lug nuts are loosened, you will need a floor jack and jack stand to lift the car off the ground and access the wheel from underneath. Using your floor jack, raise the car until it rests firmly on your jack stand.

Double-check that your car is stable before proceeding. Now you can finish unscrewing the lug nuts and pulling off the wheel. This will grant access to areas of your vehicle, like brakes or steering components, that are otherwise harder to reach safely. With all this done, feel free to enjoy a well-done job.

Remove the Slider Bolt

It can sometimes be challenging to locate the two slider bolts responsible for keeping your caliper in place. On certain models of cars, these bolts are often found on the inside of the wheel well. This is the case with the 2009 Ford Flex, and it’s easy to spot them using arrows on the photograph provided.

While removing both slider bolts in some cases is necessary, this isn’t always necessary for proper maintenance.

Sometimes, you only need to loosen and remove the lower bolt (which can often still be long). Once loosened, it should come out easily enough, thanks to its built-in slide mechanism. It’s important to remember each bolt’s position so that you can put it back later on during reassembly.

Lift the Brake Caliper Upward

When the time comes to replace brake pads, it is imperative that the old brake pads are pulled out before installation of the new ones.

This task may seem daunting for those unfamiliar with this process, but it is quite straightforward. First, remove any retaining clips holding the brake pads in place. With these removed, all that must be done next is to slide out the old brake pads.

The difference between a new brake pad and an older one can be drastic – compare them. The new pad will typically appear thicker than its older counterpart.

Depending on how much wear and tear has been applied, it may also show signs of discoloration or surface perforations from heat buildup during usage. Once the replacement is complete, your great-braking car should return to normal.

Install the Retaining Clips

Replacing the retaining clips on a pad is not difficult but should be done with care. The pads almost always come with new clips, allowing them to move freely. While there are no screws for these clips, it is important to make sure you use the new ones and discard the old ones, as they may not work either.

It is essential to note that there are left-handed and right-handed clips, meaning that it is important to replace them one at a time and ensure that they line up correctly.

To guarantee that your pads are secure, take extra care when snapping in the new retention clips, and be sure you have correctly lined up both left and right sides before placing them into use.

Install the New Brake Pads

Replacing the brake pads on a vehicle is an important part of maintaining its roadworthiness, and it’s not always a straightforward job. Fortunately, when it comes to fitting the new brake pads, at least it’s relatively easy – they slide right into place, just like the old set did when you took them out. This means you can quickly get your vehicle up and ready for the roads again.

You’ll need to make sure the ears of the new pads fit easily, though; if any clips are still attached from their packaging, these may be too tight, so take care when slotting them in.

Brake grease should have been applied beforehand, which helps things along nicely – this ensures the new pads will slide sweetly into their resting positions without hassle or delay. With that done, your brakes will be ready for use once more without you lifting a finger.

Retract the Pistons

The pistons play an important role when it comes to your car brakes. These pistons press on the brake pads and squeeze the rotor to bring your car to a stop. Depending on the type of car, there may be one piston for each wheel or multiple ones. Before placing new brake pads, these pistons must be retracted (pushed back) to accommodate the thicker pads.

Retracting the pistons is something that any DIYer can do with a C-clamp or a makeshift device, such as a 2×4 with a piece of plywood. This requires great care and patience, as incorrect retraction can cause damage to the car’s braking system.

It is also essential to check if all pistons are fully depressed before completing installation – failure to do so may mean that the brakes will not work at their full potential and may even do more damage than good.

Check the Brake Fluid Level

Monitoring the brake fluid level is essential when working on brake systems. As the pistons are forced back, the brake fluid in the master cylinder reservoir rises. If a significant amount of brake fluid is required, it is important to check the fluid level with each pump of the brakes to prevent the fluid from overflowing.

It is also important to note that replacing worn brake pads causes an increase in brake fluid levels as more air is compressed into the system. To avoid unnecessary spilling and potentially serious consequences, it’s best practice to suck out some of the brake fluid with a turkey baster before flooded levels occur.

Regular maintenance visits should only top off this reservoir if absolutely needed; high water in the line can cause the hydro lock and complete system failure. Therefore, monitoring and maintaining proper levels is vital for keeping your vehicle’s braking system in optimal condition.

Reposition the Caliper

In order to reposition the caliper properly, it is important first to ensure that the pistons are retracted. Once the pistons are in the proper position, you should be able to easily slip the caliper over the brake pads with little effort.

If there is resistance when trying to slide the caliper into place, it is likely due to one of two issues- either the fit is too tight, or one of the pistons has not been completely retracted.

To check for a tight fit between the caliper and the pads, lift each edge of the pad up slightly. If this causes a gap beneath, you can reposition it to fit better. In addition, double-check that all pistons have been fully retracted; problems occur if any piston catches on the brake pad.

A telltale sign is when it feels like only one side of the pad has been depressed away from its neighboring pad- this usually means that only one piston has been fully retracted and needs more attention before proceeding with caliper achievement.

Put Back the Slider Bolt

The first step to reinstalling a slider bolt is straightening the car’s wheels. This can be done by jacking up the car and loosening all four lug nuts. After ensuring the wheels are perfectly aligned, remount the tire back on and tighten the lug nuts securely.

Once completed, check that all settings are correct before installing the new slider bolt. The screw needs to be tightened firmly into place and then fit into the grooves provided for it to hold securely. Tighten it further until it does not move anymore if necessary.

The final step for installation is to test drive or re-align the steering wheel accordingly once reinstallation and retightening of the slider bolt are complete.

Repeat for the Other Side

Once the first side of the front brakes is installed, it’s time to start the process on the other side. Keep an eye on the brake fluid reservoir, as it will be higher due to having new pads on one side. You don’t want it to overflow since brake fluid is highly corrosive, so use a turkey baster if it looks like too much has been added.

Before finishing up, ensure the fluid level is below “MAX” to avoid overfilling. Once both sides have been done, top off any low-level sections with fresh fluid. Ensure there are no air bubbles left in the lines, and check for any leaks from where you replaced or reconnected components. These few extra steps should ensure that your brakes work as well as new ones.

Frequently Asked Questions [FAQs]

Conclusion

It is important to get your brakes fixed to keep your vehicle safe and running efficiently. Replacing worn brake parts or adjusting the brakes’ alignment can help ensure they work properly and last longer. However, if you are uncomfortable fixing your brakes, it’s best to take them to a professional auto shop for proper repair.