What Can You Do to Maintain Your Vehicle’s Brakes?

Car Brakes What are some tips for dealing with your vehicle’s brakes and keeping them in great shape?

Letting Your Car Coast

First, did you know that stopping a vehicle going 65 miles per hour rather than 55 makes your brakes use a third more energy? Stopping at higher speeds makes your brakes work harder, so if you’d like to make ‘em last longer, “slow down” overall. One way to accomplish this in a practical way is to let your car or truck “coast” more often. So, if you’re going 65 mph let the vehicle coast down to 50, naturally, before you apply the brakes. The more times you utilize coasting, the less brake wear you’ll experience.

Leaving Space

When you’re driving along and the person in front of you has their brake lights go on, what’s your reaction? If you’re like most people, you’ll put your foot down on the brake pedal, too, just because they did. However, it’s better to coast than break if possible at that time, since the person ahead of you might not be applying his or her brake for a good reason. Anytime you can leave a lot of room between you and  the vehicle in front of you, that’s good for more coasting and less braking.

Lightweight Vehicles

Here’s something you might not of thought of to help “save” your brakes from wear and tear… lighter cars and trucks are lighter on their brakes– they don’t require as much from their brakes to stop. However, heavier vehicles require brakes to work harder. Indeed, the heavier the vehicle, the more pressure you’ve got on your brakes, tires and gas to “perform” for you. So, buy and drive lightweight vehicles if you can.

Changing Brake Fluid

Inside the vehicle, there’s brake fluid and it needs to be changed periodically. If you don’t know when the last time it was changed, chances are it’s overdue for some new fluid. By flushing and replacing brake fluid, you can help the internal components of the vehicle last longer, and, in the long run, your brakes will work better, too.

Rotating Tires

Finally, whenever you get your tires rotated have a mechanic take a look to see how thick your brake material is– and if they’re worn down, have them replaced. Whenever wheels are removed, that’s the best time for a professional to check disc brake pads.

If you’re looking for a reliable used vehicle in the Lehighton, PA area, stop by 443 Auto Sales today.