Drum Brake Self Adjusters: Understanding These Ancient Devices
d bridge bolts. Opposing piston calipers are bolted to the knuckle and have pins to position the pads. Drum brakes have return springs to return the shoes to a rest position and hardware to hold the shoes to the backing plate. The shoes return to a fully retracted or rest position when the master cylinder
Subaru Brake System Service
Over the last 25 years or so, Subaru has been the top- selling all-wheel-drive car here in the Pacific Northwest. For beachcombers and skiers alike, as well as rock hounds and hikers, having all-wheel drive is a big plus. Stop-and-go commuting, and difficult mountain driving take their toll on both drivers and vehicles. Of all
What Were They thinking?
hey pick the size of the parts? What prevented them from making them bigger? What kind of tests did the parts and the vehicle have to endure to be judged ready for the market? These are all questions that go into the design of the brake system for the vehicle. These decisions are the responsibility
Runout Report
Dial Indicator 101
Wheel, Rotor and Drum Removal
The traffic whizzed by at seventy plus. The good news: The flat is on the rear passenger side and the lug nuts came off with little strain. The bad news: The alloy wheel is seized on the hub and it isn’t going anywhere. Twist of fate: I forgot to chock the front wheel and the
Brake & Suspension System Service
Brake and suspension repairs are the best type of routine maintenance repairs that coincide with major service intervals. Brake and suspension components that are in need of replacement could represent a significant profit center for shops when technicians take the time to perform complete chassis inspections. Worn suspension and brake components, as well as a
Brake Fade
Brake fade is something nobody wants to experience. When you step down on the brake pedal with a certain amount of force, the vehicle should slow predictably. But when the brakes get too hot and start to fade, it takes more and more pedal effort to get the same amount of braking force. Eventually the
Slotted & Drilled Rotors: Upgrades That Deliver Performance and Pizzazz
You’ve seen them on the race track. You’ve seen them on the street. You’ve seen them in speed shops, in magazine ads, online and probably on eBay, too. The product we’re talking about is slotted and/or cross-drilled high-performance brake rotors. They look great; no doubt about it. Performance rotors are an excellent upgrade for modified
Selling Services: Anti-Seize & Studs
Last month I received a great letter from one of our readers. He was absolutely livid about the story “Double Hit” in our February issue. Ed from the Cherokee Garage in Beckwourth, CA, pointed out several incorrect items in the article. In the article, it was advised that a light coating of anti-seize could be
Slotted and Drilled Rotors: Show or Slow?
You’ve seen them on the race track. You’ve seen them on the street. You’ve seen them in speed shops, in magazine ads, online and probably on eBay, too. The product we’re talking about is slotted and/or cross-drilled high performance brake rotors. They look great, no doubt about it. Performance rotors are an excellent upgrade for
Preventing Brake Fade: Maximizing How Friction Materials Handle Heat
Brake fade is something nobody wants to experience. When you step down on the brake pedal with a certain amount of force, the vehicle should slow predictably. But when the brakes get too hot and start to fade, it takes more and more pedal effort to get the same amount of braking force. Eventually the
A Brief History
In 1931, people thought Edward S. Babcox was insane for launching a magazine in the middle of the great depression. But, 75 years and almost 900 issues later, BRAKE & FRONT END is still going strong. For the past few months, I have been reading back issues of BRAKE & FRONT END non-stop. In musty