Some myths related to brake and rotor replacement service in Fort Riley KS are relatively harmless, but others can inhibit a tech’s ability to find and solve problems. While some of these misconceptions make sense and explain issues, they do little to solve them. Customers can contact Ekart Automotive Services for answers to some of the most common myths surrounding brakes and rotors.
Minimum Rotor Thickness is Dependent on Heat
The minimum thickness spec is based on caliper piston travel when brake pads are worn down to their backing plates. If rotors and pads are worn below spec, the piston may start to leak and it might be dislodged, causing a catastrophic brake failure. Warping, heat and fading are irrelevant to rotor discard specifications.
Hard and Soft Pads
This one has a grain of engineering truth to it, but it’s largely inaccurate. Engineers determine compressibility as a measurement of quality control, not performance and hard or soft pads are simply different ways of obtaining friction between brake pads and rotors. A hard pad uses its rough surface to create friction while soft pads generate adhesion friction.
Brake Hose Damage Can Cause Dragging
This misconception commonly occurs on vehicles where brakes are stuck on just one wheel, and the tech guesses that there’s a problem with the brake hose. These hoses are constructed with multiple layers to stand up to everyday use. Problems here are typically caused by stuck caliper slides or emergency brakes.
Pads Must Warm Up
This is simply not true. Brake pads create friction even at low temperatures. There’s just one exception: braking systems on high-performance race-ready vehicles. Here, the brake pads require heat to generate the right amount of friction.
Pads are Responsible for All Noisy Brakes
All brake pads vibrate when used, but it’s the transfer of that vibration to the rest of the car that makes noise. Materials with constant friction make less vibration by providing consistent friction at temperature and humidity extremes. Most high-frequency noise comes from calipers, rotors, and brackets while low-frequency sounds come from knuckles, struts, or the car’s body. Technicians performing Rotor Replacement Service in Fort Riley KS may use shims, lubricants, and hardware replacement to reduce overall noise.
