Brake Job Service Guide

Like many automotive maintenance tasks, a brake service can be a hefty expense. But with the right auto parts and a handful of trusted tools, you can learn how to do a quality brake job from the comfort of your own garage. In this post, we’ll share some important tips to help you achieve the best outcome from your brake service.

brake job service guide - Guide d entretien des freins
  • Difficulty: Medium
  • Duration: 1-2 hours
  • How often: Every season

WHAT DOES A BRAKE SERVICE INCLUDE?

In the past, we’ve talked about the exact steps involved in replacing brake pads, which should be done when your brakes have accumulated excessive wear. A brake service, however, should be done proactively—ideally every season. Some people like to coordinate their brake job schedule with tire rotations.

Brake servicing involves inspecting, cleaning, and lubricating all brake components, including the  , rotors, clips, and calipers. In some cases, you may need to replace damaged parts or repaint unprotected surfaces, such as a brake caliper, brake drum, or brake hardware.

If you’re new to the realm of DIYing, don’t worry. A brake service is a fairly straightforward task, as long as you follow the correct steps and don’t take any shortcuts.

NAPA Premium Brake Rotor

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NAPA Adaptive One Caliper

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ASSESS YOUR BRAKES

If you’re uncertain whether your brakes need a full service, you can assess them first with system and operational checks.

Conduct a system check when your car is stationary, before hitting the road. Make sure the brake fluid is at the right level, is the proper colour, and isn’t contaminated. Also confirm the brake warning light isn’t on. Because many things can trigger this warning, like a faulty brake pad wear sensor or activating the parking brake, never ignore it.

An operational check assesses the performance of your brakes when in use. While driving, pay close attention to any abnormal noises, pulling to either side, vibrations when braking, and the feel of the brake pedal as you press down on it. Your owner’s manual may have more details about performing thorough brake checks on your particular vehicle.

Sometimes, a system or operational check may be all you need. In other cases, these preliminary tests can help you identify the need for further investigation and diagnosis. Check out this article for more information on why brake servicing is important.

CHOOSE THE RIGHT BRAKE PARTS

Before doing any kind of work on your brakes, make sure you have the right brake pads, rotors, and brake cleaner for your vehicle. Brake parts, like vehicles, are designed for different driving conditions. Using an economy car to tow a large camping trailer, for example, is just as ineffective as installing economy brakes on a truck used for towing and hauling. So, you can install premium brake pads on a commuter car, but high-performance brake pads are overkill.

That means brake parts will vary in price depending on your vehicle type, driving habits, location, and personal preferences. Brake rotors, for instance, can start as low as under $10 and climb to over $800. When browsing, input your vehicle model details at the top left corner of the NAPA Auto Parts webpage to get matched with parts that are guaranteed to fit. You can learn more about which brake pads and brake rotors will fit your needs here.

All NAPA Brakes products meet OE requirements in both form and function. They also include hardware when required. This is the safer choice when servicing your brakes, because everything you need is provided in the box.

Prevention is key when dealing with brakes: plan ahead before starting your brake service and prepare for a bigger job sooner rather than later.

As always, if you have any questions, your NAPA will be more than happy to help.

NAPA SilentGuard Brake Pads

Starting at 45.39 $

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NAPA CRC Brakleen Brake Parts Cleaner

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HOW TO DO A PERFECT BRAKE SERVICE

After confirming you have the right brake parts and completing your preliminary tests, follow these five steps for a comprehensive brake service.

1.Clean thoroughly

Ensure all mating surfaces are free of rust and corrosion. Sandpaper, wire wheel brushes, wire cup brushes, and abrasive discs are all excellent tools for cleaning down to the metal. You may need a chisel if the rust is extreme.

Pay special attention to the hub face, hub centre, and brake pad carrier or frame. After you’ve cleaned the surfaces, apply a coat of high-temperature paint to the brake caliper and frame to protect them from future corrosion.

Image of brakes being cleaned

2.Lubricate your brake parts

Brake caliper slide pins and brake pad retaining pins allow for enough movement so that brake pads stay in place without dragging on the brake rotor. Clean the slide pins well, then use heavy silicone greasenot anti-seize compound—to lubricate them.

However, you can use a slight touch of anti-seize compound to lubricate the brake hardware where the pads come into contact with the caliper (or you can use high-temperature ceramic grease). Retaining pins can also be protected with a dab of anti-seize.

A very light coat of anti-seize on the brake rotor centre hole will also make it easier to remove from the wheel hub, if needed.

Image of Brakes being lubricated

3.Change any parts that show signs of wear

Replacing hardware is one of the most overlooked maintenance tasks for brakes and can be the cause of many future issues due to rust buildup. That’s why we recommend you always replace the hardware when you replace your brake pads.

Also inspect your caliper piston and boots. If the caliper piston is rusted, it can seize up, meaning you’ll have to replace your brake pads and possibly your rotors, too. So, don’t ignore the brake caliper!

Image of rusted caliper

4.Check torque

Properly torque all fasteners, such as caliper mounting bolts and lug nuts, to recommended manufacturer specifications.

5.Bed in brakes

Pump up the brakes fully before driving. Spend the first 10 minutes driving bedding in to break in the new brake pads by slowly decelerating a few times from 60 km/h to 15 km/h.

Because brakes are such an important safety feature, it might be a good idea to have your work checked at your local NAPA AUTOPRO service centre before driving too far, especially if this is your first attempt at a DIY.

THE FINAL WORD

By properly servicing your brakes on a regular basis, you can extend their lifetime and help keep your vehicle in excellent condition for best performance and safety. As always, remember to do plenty of research and seek expert advice before attempting any DIY project.

Check out our blog for more auto maintenance tips.

3 Replies to “Brake Job Service Guide”

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