Three of the Most Dangerous Mistakes You Can Make When Changing Your Brakes
If you’ve ever had to have your brakes replaced, whether just the brake pads or the whole assembly, you know that, as the online car dealership Cars Direct suggests, the procedure can get very expensive. Lucky drivers will only have to pay somewhere between $30 and $50, if the problem is as simple as replacing a single brake pad. That said, if your problem is more severe and you need brake pad and brake rotors replacement on all four wheels, you could easily be looking at a $300 to $400 price tag.
Luckily, if you learn to take care of your own car brake parts at home, you can actually eliminate most of the costs of replacing your brakes and rotors. You have to be careful, however, as many of the most common mistakes people make when replacing their own car brake parts can damage your vehicle and even threaten your health!
Three of the Most Common Brake Replacement Mistakes
- Failing to Clean the Brake Assembly
- Ignoring Your Brake Rotors
- Leaving Your Car on a Jack While You Work
For the popular auto technology website Safe Braking, one of the worst mistakes gearheads make when changing their own brakes is failing to clean the brake assembly. The abutment clips and the slides should be cleaned with an industrial cleaner before installing the new pads. This will ensure a snug fit and a safe brake.
As the auto technology review site Tire Review details, when you’re replacing your brake pads, you should also consider replacing your brake rotors. When you have the pads off, take a look at the rotors. Are they clean and shiny, or are they covered in rust and bubbled metal? If the answer is the latter, then you should replace the rotors, too. This adds a little time and money to your maintenance, but you the safety benefits can’t be overstated.
Too many people make the mistake of raising their car up on jacks and leaving it there while they work. The problem? Jacks are meant to hold literal tons of material in the air for any extended period of time. Using only a jack is a great way to get yourself killed. Whether you’re replacing car brake parts or you’re installing top of the line exhaust systems, make sure you put your car on jack-stands, not jacks, that are rated for your car type. Safety should be your first priority here.
Are you a mechanic or a gearhead? What are some of the mistakes you know people commonly make when changing their car brake parts? Let us know in the comments below.