AUTONET TV

Braking News: Keep Your Stopping Power

Richard Petty once told AutoNetTV, “You've gotta have good brakes. If you've got good brakes you can keep yourself out of a lotta trouble.”

That's why a regular brake inspection is on every Royal Palm Beach driver's maintenance schedule. An inspection by your service advisor at Brake World will check your brake system and let you know if there are any problems.

Of course, if you're having trouble with your brakes, get your car into Brake World in Royal Palm Beach right away. Here are some symptoms for Royal Palm Beach drivers to watch for:

• Low or spongy brake pedal
• Hard brake pedal
• A brake warning light that stays on
• Constantly squealing or grinding brakes
• Vibrations or clunking sounds when you apply your brakes

If you are experiencing any of these, it's time to get your brakes checked. Talk to your friendly and knowledgeable service advisor at Brake World .

There are two types of brakes: disc and drum. Disc brakes have a rotor that's attached to the axle. Calipers straddle the rotor, kind of like the brakes on a bicycle.

Drum brakes are most common on back wheels. Both types have pads or shoes that press against the brakes and slow the vehicle. Brake pads and shoes are made out of very tough material to withstand the heat and force generated when stopping your vehicle. Eventually, they wear out with use and become too thin and need to be replaced at Brake World. 

If the brake pads wear away completely, you can damage the rotors. The calipers can grind grooves in the rotor. Then the rotor must either be resurfaced or replaced. That's not only expensive but also dangerous because your vehicle won't stop as quickly. Sometimes rotors warp or crack and must be replaced.

A brake service at Brake World will also include a check of your brake fluid. When the brakes are applied, the pressure in the fluid activates the brake pads or shoes. Not enough fluid means not enough pressure to brake properly. Also, water builds up in the brake fluid over time, which leads to corrosion, leaks and brake damage, and with hard use, the brakes could severely fade or even fail. Royal Palm Beach  drivers should change the brake fluid when their  vehicle manufacturer recommends to avoid these problems.

Come in to Brake World for an brake inspection before damage occurs. You can call ahead for an appointment by calling 561-798-3949.

Brake World
1213 N State Rd 7
Royal Palm Beach, FL 33411
561-798-3949
http://www.westpalmbeachautorepairs.net

Another Couple of Years: Making Your Vehicle Last With Help From Brake World

A while back, the Cash for Clunkers program was all over the FL news. Royal Palm Beach people could trade in their old vehicle for a new one that got better gas mileage and receive a government rebate.

A lot of Royal Palm Beach motorists had so-called clunkers that they wanted to keep. They're good commuters, grocery getters or toy haulers. They enjoy that fact that they're paid off, or soon will be. They would gladly like to keep their vehicles for 200,000 miles (320,000 kilometers) or more – as long as it's economical to do so.

There are plenty of Royal Palm Beach drivers whose vehicles are running after 150,000 or 200,000 miles (240,000 or 320,000 kilometers). We can learn from what they're doing to keep our own vehicles on the road in FL.

The Royal Palm Beach drivers of high-mileage cars often report a common denominator of never skipping an oil change.

That may sound a bit unsophisticated, but it's really not. First off, oil is the life blood of your vehicle's engine and it needs to be clean to properly lubricate. Skipping oil changes leads to clogged oil filters and sludge that is bad for your engine.

There's another reason the scheduled oil change is so important for Royal Palm Beach car owners. It's simple – a Brake World professional is going to be looking at your car. All of your fluid levels will be inspected and topped off so they won't get so low that damage can be done. If there is a significant fluid loss, let's use brake fluid as an example, your Brake World technician can look for the cause of the loss and find the problem before it leads to an accident or repair.

Your friendly and knowledgeable Brake World service advisor will also visually inspect your vehicle for worn belts and hoses, uneven tire wear, leaking shock absorbers and more. Problems get addressed before they lead to repairs that cost more than the car's worth.

Realistically, things are going to wear out as your vehicle gets older. On the way to 200,000 miles (320,000 kilometers) you'll go through several batteries, probably a couple of alternators and water pumps, a set of shocks and likely some brake rotors.

Of course, these things cost some money, but they are less than new vehicle payments in Royal Palm Beach. With proper service at Brake World and regular inspections, you'll keep surprise repairs to a minimum and more money in your wallet.

Brake World
1213 N State Rd 7
Royal Palm Beach, FL 33411
561-798-3949
http://www.westpalmbeachautorepairs.net

Fuel Saving Tip: Dirty Oil in Your Royal Palm Beach Vehicle

If you're a quart low in your vehicle, there isn't enough motor oil to lubricate your engine properly. The extra friction causes drag that reduces fuel economy while you're driving around the Royal Palm Beach area.

The same goes for dirty oil; it doesn't reduce friction properly. The result is you get to watch those numbers at your local Royal Palm Beach gas pump rolling higher and higher.

The transmission also needs the proper amount of clean fluid to do its work. When it's in need of service, the transmission drags your fuel economy down.

So keep it clean at Brake World  and give yourself a fighting chance.

Brake World
1213 N State Rd 7
Royal Palm Beach, FL 33411
561-798-3949
http://www.westpalmbeachautorepairs.net

Hitting The Brakes In Royal Palm Beach

Hello Royal Palm Beach, let's talk about brakes. But the mechanical aspects of the brakes themselves are just one issue. There's also the power brake pump and brake fluid. And then there are the tires, which are critical to the effectiveness of the brakes.

Let's step back. A new vehicle or truck rolls off a local Royal Palm Beach showroom floor. It has brand new brakes with brand new brake pads. The brake lines and pump are filled with fresh fluid and are completely clean inside. And the tires are brand new, with full tread. It is ready to go.

Naturally, braking power is at its peak performance. Now the miles/kilometers start to add up on the vehicle. Royal Palm Beach drivers tend to focus on the brake pads. In the automotive business, the pads and shoes on drum brakes are called the friction material. That's because they provide the friction used to stop the vehicle. The pads are designed to be effective throughout their useful life – it's not until they are worn so thin as to be out of 'specs'  that they lose their ability to stop.

The mechanical parts of the brakes have pistons and springs that get quite a workout while breaking. Over long distances around FL, these wear and get gummed up. They start to lose effectiveness gradually and could even fail - a scary possibility. That's why a regular brake inspection at Brake World is important for your vehicle and your family's safety. At Brake World we can test the operation of the brakes and see if any parts need cleaning or replacing.

That leads us to brake fluid service at Brake World. Some of the critical additives in the fluid that lubricate and clean the vehicle fluid system are depleted over time. That and moisture building up in the system reduce the performance of the brake fluid. A brake service at Brake World cleans out deposits, water and dirt. Then the system is filled up with fresh fluid.

The tires are what connect the vehicle to the road. Stopping force all comes down to traction. The better the tires grip the road, the more quickly you'll stop.

This is especially important on wet Royal Palm Beach area roads and surface streets. Studies have shown that wet stopping distance increases significantly as tires wear down. FL vehicle owners need to understand that they can have brakes that are operating at peak efficiency and yet still be in danger because their tires are worn out.

Brake World
1213 N State Rd 7
Royal Palm Beach, FL 33411
561-798-3949
brakeworld.autotipsblog.com