Brake Drums
Although brake drums are becoming less common, your vehicle may still have brake drums on the rear wheels and older vehicles might have them on all four wheels. Brake drums are the component that slow down or stop your car in the vehicles that have them. The drums contain a brake shoe that presses against the drum to create the pressure to slow the movement of the wheels down. The brake shoes will press based on the hydraulic pressure of the brake fluid that is received from the wheel cylinder. The wheel cylinder receives the pressurized brake fluid from the master brake cylinder, where the fluid gets pressurized based on the amount of force applied on the brake pedal.
Signs of bad brake drums
- Brake pedal pulsates
- Spongy brake pedal
- Low brake pedal
- Scraping or grinding noise
- Parking brake fails
Brake drum maintenance
If you notice any of the above signs, get your vehicle serviced by a car care professional right away. They will complete a through inspection to see if the brake drums need a complete replacement or just need resurfacing. Brake shoes should always be replaced when they go bad.
The best way to get maintenance done on your brake drums is to book your appointment through CarAdvise. CarAdvise makes car care simple and guarantees that you’ll pay less than retail price on all car maintenance services.
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