TYRES & BRAKES

Brakes

You’re in a rush, late for work or an appointment, foot down keeping up with traffic on the motorway, we take our car for granted and forget that we're inside, in excess, of 1 tonne of metal and glass, racing along at 60 plus miles per hour. At that speed if you suddenly needed to stop it woud take you 120/140 feet (half a football field) and that is only if you have kept one of the most critical safety systems in your car well maintained – your brakes!

There can be obvious signs that your brakes need servicing like the brake light appearing on your cars dashboard or noticing that your car is taking longer to stop than usual. In these cases you should visit us for a brake check as soon as possible. There can however be other more subtle signs that could indicate a failing brake system. Here are just some of those signs which will hopefully help you avoid a serious accident in the future.

Worn Pads

Your brakes consist of disc brakes and padded clamps (calipers) that squeeze together on the disc which stops your car. Over time the pads begin to wear thin which means they will become less effective in slowing and stopping your car.

Checking the thickness of your pads is a straightforward procedure. All you need to do is look between the spokes on your wheel to spot the shiny metal caliper and rotor and you will see the pad. Your pad should be approximately one quarter of an inch thick. Any thinner than that and it is a good idea to get them checked and changed.

Strange Sounds

One of the warning signs that your brakes need servicing can come from a small indicator in your braking system that emits a high pitched squeal when they need replacing. While this sound is loud enough to hear even with the windows up, it might be tough to hear with the radio blasting out your favourite tunes.

Pulling

If you feel your car pulling to the right or left, like it has a mind of its own, this could indicate a problem with your braking system. Although pulling does not always indicate a problem with your brakes it could also come from inflated or worn tyres, poor alignment or a problem with your suspension. It is always worth getting it checked out.

Vibrations

If you have ever had to carry out an emergency stop with antilock brakes you will know the feeling of rapid brake pedal pushing to slow the car down, however if this happens under normal braking circumstances you could have a problem. If you haven’t stressed your brakes recently but feel vibrations in the pedal you may have misaligned wheels. Either way we can have a look for you and diagnose the fault.

Temperamental Pedal

Is your pedal soft, ie going practically to the floor before engaging the brakes?

Finally, if stopping your car feels like driving through treacle, it's time to get the brakes checked out.

Tyres

Do you know how to check your tyre tread?

Your car's tyres are the only part of the vehicle that makes any contact with the road surface and they play a critical role in the handling (such as the steering and braking) and safety of the entire vehicle. Therefore it’s essential that you know how to check your tyres for any defects, general wear and tear and how you check your tyre tread. Follow our guide below to make sure that you understand the legal requirements about your tyres and tread depth.

The minimum depth of tread on your tyres is 1.6 millimetres, across the central ¾ which is 75% of the tread around the complete circumference of the tyre. If your tread depth is between 1.6 and 3mm then it is time to start thinking about ordering a new set of wheels for your ride! For safety reasons it is recommended that you replace your tyres before the legal limit is reached. Many vehicle manufacturers recommend replacing at 3 millimetres. It’s always better to be safe than sorry, so check your tyre tread regularly!

The 20p Test

A quick and easy way to see if your tyre tread exceed the minimum legal tread depth is to take the 20p test.

Simply place a 20p coin into the main tread grooves of your tyre. If the outer band of the 20p coin is obscured when it is inserted, then your tread is above the legal limit. If the outer band of the coin is visible then your tyres may be illegal and unsafe and should be checked immediately by a qualified tyre professional. When taking the test, remember to check at least three locations around each tyre. As the test is so quick and easy, stay safe by checking your tyres at least once a month.