There are many conditions at which your brakes may make noise.  These noises may vary depending on: the brake pad material, pad wear, improper installation of brake shims or clips, or if there is an issue with the brake rotors.  What people need to know is that some brake noises are normal, while others are indicative of a problem that needs to be fixed.  Below we discuss the different conditions of why brakes could be making noise and whether or not it should be of concern.

Brake Pad Material

Brake pads are made with a variety of different materials and some of them are more likely to make noise.  One example is metallic brake pads or brake pads made of a metallic formula.   The added metal can be the cause for noise and the noise can be described as a hissing sound.  Although it may not a...

Why is there an indentation or “cut” on the side of my brake rotors?  Some brake rotors have what appears to be an indentation or piece of the rotor material removed from the edges, similar to the photo on the right.  In any case, this "cut" on the side of the brake rotor is actually meant to reduce something known as rotating unbalance.  People may ask the question above or even claim their brake rotor is irregular or damaged altogether.  In actuality, this characteristic about the rotor does not mean there is anything wrong with the rotor, but that the part was balanced or mill balanced.  

                                                                                                                                            Source:  bimmerfest.com

Rotating unbalance is the uneven distr...

Advancements in technology has allowed for numerous methods to be introduced for improved braking performance.   Such methods have been mentioned in previous blog articles:  vented rotors, slotted or cross drilled rotors and other rotor types.  All of these are an effort to eliminate or alleviate excessive heat build-up and overheating of the brake discs or rotors. 

Today, there is a procedure available done to brake parts, more particularly brake rotors that many experts believe allows for handling stresses that rotors experience on a continual basis.  This procedure is known as cryogenic treatment.

Source:  formymercedes.com

What is Cryogenic Treatment of Rotors?

Cryogenic treatment of rotors or cryo-rotors is the freezing of rotors.  It is a special process which involves exposing brak...

*source:  sbcautocenter.com

Inspecting your brakes on a regular basis is a great habit to develop. Most experts advise a check up or maintenance of the brakes twice or more a year or if possible, every 30,000 miles.  This is because continuous use of worn brakes will likely cause extra damage, unnecessary risks, and more money out of your pocket.  With this, prevention is the key and you can potentially save a lot of money by simply inspecting your brakes.

Familiarize Yourself

 
Before you can go and start doing any routine check-ups and maintenance on your car’s brakes, you must first familiarize yourself with the components and how they actually work.  Get to know what the components are and how they function and affect each other—find out what’s normal.  From the brake pads, brake rotors...

In order to understand what brake fluid flushing is and how it helps, we must first briefly mention what brake fluid is and its
use.  Brake fluid is a hydraulic liquid and is a medium used to transfer power to perform work.  For example, brake fluid is responsible for transferring the force of stepping on your brake pedal to the calipers, where brake pads will press down on the brake disc, which stops your car. 

                                                             *Photo Source:  brakebleeder.com

Brake Fluid Collects Dirt and Attracts Moisture

Brake fluid is hygroscopic, which means it has the tendency to absorb dirt and moisture from the atmosphere and its environment.  If your brake fluid accumulates too much dirt or moisture, then this will lead to the reduction of your brakes’ ...